The typical test for diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique, but the chest CT scan might play a complementary role at the first detection of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. Objectives: To determine the sensitivity of CT scan on patients with COVID-19 in Al-Najaf, Iraq, and to compare the accuracy of CT scan with that of RT-PCR technique. Material and Method: This is a prospective study. The patients suspicious of having COVID-19 infection and respiratory symptoms were registered. All patients were diagnosed by RT-PCR and chest CT. Diagnostic performance of CT was intended using RT-PCR as the reference standard in the centre of coronavirus investigation in Al-Najaf city, Iraq from March 2020 to September 2020. Results: The study population included 125 consecutive participants (males and females; mean age = 53 ± 17 years). Of the 125 participants, fever was observed in 93 (74.4%), cough was observed in 81 (64.8%), dyspnoea was observed in 47 (33%), and lymphocytopenia was observed in 89 (71.2%) subjects. The sensitivity and specificity of chest CT scan was 94% (95% confidence interval). Conclusion: The typical diagnosis of Coronavirus Disease 2019 pneumonia is by RT-PCR at the first stage of infection which can then be confirmed by chest CT.
Background: Trauma is one of the most common
clinical problems that confront the maxillofacial
surgeon and radiologist alike. Middle third facial
fractures are diagnosed primarily on the bases of
clinical examination and plain radiographs than can
result in much preoperative speculation.
Objective: To assess the advantages of spiral
computerized tomography over conventional
radiography in the pre-surgical evaluation of middle
third facial fractures.
Methods: Thirty patients with thirty-eight facial
fractures were studied, all patients were examined
clinically, by plain radiography and then by spiral CT.
Results: Of the 38 middle-third fractures, 16
(42.1%) were zygomatic fractures, 8 (21.1%) were
Background: Thalassemia is characterized by the decrease or absence of the synthesis of one or more globin chains of hemoglobin. Thalassemia is distributed worldwide and is characterized by; regular blood transfusion which is creating alloimmunization to erythrocyte antigens is one of the major complications of regular blood transfusions in thalassemia, particularly in patients who are chronically transfused.Objectives: The aims of this study are to understand the immune system profile as the triggering factor for thalassemia.Methods: Thirty patients aging between one year and four months and twenty two years, twenty two of them were boys and eight were girls. Twenty nine patients, their parents are relative except one and studied in the
... Show MoreBackground: Despite the importance of vaccines in preventing COVID-19, the willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccines is lower among RA patients than in the general population. Objective: To determine the extent of COVID-19 knowledge among RA patients and their attitudes and perceptions of COVID-19 vaccines. Methods: A qualitative study with a phenomenology approach was performed through face-to-face, individual-based, semi-structured interviews in the Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq, rheumatology unit. A convenient sample of RA patients using disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs was included until the point of saturation. A thematic content analysis approach was used to analyze the obtained data. Results: Twenty-five RA pa
... Show MoreBackground: The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov2) which utilizes angiotensin converting enzyme2 (ACE2) to invade the host cells. This membrane-bound peptidase is widely distributed in the body; its activity antagonizes the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). Once SARS-Cov2 enters the cell, it causes downregulation of ACE2, resulting in the unopposed activation of RAAS. The unregulated activity of the RAAS system can deteriorate the prognosis in COVID-19 patients. A soluble form of ACE2 (sACE2) was reported to have a role in the SARS-Cov2 invasion of the susceptible cells.
Aim of the study: This study aims to inve
... Show MoreBackground: Studies show that diabetic patients have a higher incidence of ischemic stroke than non-diabetic patients. In the Framingham study the incidence of thrombotic stroke was 25 times higher in diabetic men and 36 times higher in diabetic women than in those without diabetes
Objectives: aim of this study to analyze topography in diabetic patients.
Type of study: Cross sectional study.
Methods: 48 patients with acute stroke were classified into 4 groups: euglycemic, stress hyperglycemia, newly diagnosed diabetics, and known diabetics.
Results:no significant differences were found in the type, site or size of st
... Show MoreBackground: Infection with sexually
transmitted diseases is broad and includes
bacterial, viral and protozoa infection.
Large number of infected people goes
untreated because of symptomatic or
unrecognized infections.
Patients and methods: Forty five
patients was complaining from infertility
(primary or secondary), consulting
Kammal El-Sammari Hospital for
infertility from May - 2008 to February -
2009. Control group consisted of twenty
fertile women that consulting private clinic
for checking. Four swabs were taken from
each woman in two groups. Two swabs
were taken from posterior fornix of the
vagina (High vaginal swab) and the last
two were taken from endocervical canal.
First swab
This paper aims to evaluate the hydraulic characteristics of the aquifer between Al-khassa dam and Kirkuk structure, Kirkuk/ NE Iraq. Pumping tests applied for selected wells in the area to evaluate the hydraulic characteristics of the aquifer, special distribution of the water table and groundwater movement direction of the groundwater, the hydraulic properties results of five single pumping test in the study area showed that the transmissivity (T) is ranged between (2.01 to 7. 5 m2/day ), storage coefficient (Sc) ranged (6.4 * 10-3 to 7.3 * 10-2) and the hydraulic conductivity (K) is ranged between (0.025 to 0.35 m/day) that calculated by Winlog software, groundwater discharge of the area is equal to
... Show MoreBackground: Asthma is a pulmonary disorder characterized by reversible stenosis of the peripheral bronchi. This disease could affect the oral health; as a result asthmatic patients may have a higher risk of developing dental diseases. This study was conducted to evaluate the caries experience and salivary elements among asthmatic patients using Ventoline inhaler. Materials and methods: The study group consisted of 30 male asthmatic patients with an age range 20-24years (under Ventoline inhaler). The control group includes 30 subjects matching with study group in age and gender. Plaque and DMFS index were used for recording caries experience. Stimulated salivary samples were collected and then salivary flow rate, S-IgA and salivary elements
... Show MoreIn order to study the correlation between CMV infection and increase in blood pressure among Iraqi patients, 201 blood samples were collected including; 88 male, 113 female hypertensive patients and 40 control samples. Patients sera were grouped into patients who are under medication (T), and patients who do not take any treat-ment for hypertension(NT). Samples were tested for CMV-IgM/IgG by ELISA, ren-in enzyme and interleukin-6(IL-6) levels were determined by ELISA too. The opti-cal density readings difference for CMV-IgG were significant between (T) and (NT) groups as well as when each group compared to control, level of renin enzyme showed significant difference between patients group(T and NT) and between each group compared to the
... Show MoreIn this study water quality was indicated in terms of Water Quality Index that was determined through summarizing multiple parameters of water test results. This index offers a useful representation of the overall quality of water for public or any intended use as well as indicating pollution, which are useful in water quality management and decision making. The application of Water Quality Index (WQI) with ten physicochemical water quality parameters was performed to evaluate the quality of Euphrates River water for drinking usage. This was done by subjecting the water samples collected from seven stations within Al-Anbar province during the period 2004-2010 to comprehensive physicochemical analysis. The ten physicochemical parame
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