Background: The occurrence of seizures in bacterial meningitis is important, as it has been reported to increase the risk of complications; however, its frequency and predictors are not well studied yet. Objective: To assess the frequency, clinical, and biochemical predictors of seizures in children with acute bacterial meningitis. Method: A cross-sectional study recruited confirmed acute bacterial meningitis cases based on positive CSF culture and sensitivity among children aged 2 months to 15 years admitted to the Central Child Teaching Hospital emergency department in Iraq. Patients were divided into two groups based on seizure at presentation time. Demographic characteristics [age, gender, residence, duration of fever and disease, presenting complaints and antibiotic intake]; hematological [WBC, neutrophils] Lymphocyte, N/L ratio, packed cell volume, platelets, blood sugar, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) indices were compared between groups. Results: Seizures had a frequency of 18% among the 122 children and were significantly higher in younger cases with female predominance. By multivariate analysis and odds ratio (OR), predictors for seizure were as follows: CSF lymphocytes (OR=0.25, 95%CI=0.08–0.26), lethargy (OR=8.15, 95%CI=1.03-68.65), headache (OR=0.09, 95%CI=0.02-0.45), neck stiffness (OR=0.07, 95% CI=0.01-0.61) and poor feeding (OR=4.8, 95%CI=1.21–18.97). Conclusions: CSF lymphocytes reliably predicted seizure with good sensitivity and specificity of 75% and 73%. Lethargy and poor feeding had the highest odds as clinical predictors of seizures. Together, those results can help with risk stratification and allocate resources for high-risk cases to improve patient outcomes
BACKGROUND: Acute appendicitis (AA) remains a complex case even for experienced surgeons. Rate of negative appendectomy is 5–40% and delayed intervention result in perforated appendicitis in 5–30% of cases. AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate NPT as a marker for the diagnosis of AA concerning its severity. And compare the diagnostic value of it with the ALV scoring system. METHODS: One hundred twenty patients presented with signs and symptoms of AA and underwent appendectomy, only 84 patients proved to be AA by histopathological examination, were included in the study. Blood samples for neopterin (NPT) estimation and Alvarado (ALV) score was calculated. Control group consists of 45 healthy individual. RESULTS: NPT levels were s
... 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
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Diabetes mellitus is a set of metabolic diseases, the most prevalent of which is chronic hyperglycemia. The culprits include insulin synthesis, insulin action, or both. Osteoporosis is a progressive systemic skeletal disorder defined by decreased bone mass and micro architectural degeneration of bone tissue, resulting in increased bone fragility and fracture risk, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The degree of Nervosa damage determines how much a diabetic patient's body has been compromised. The current study's goal is an estimation: Age, BMI, FBS, HbA1C, D3, ALP, Ca, P, and Osteocalcin in Iraqi T2DM Women's patients with and without Osteoporosis. Three vitamins are required for Osteocalcin biosynthesis: vitamin K for Gla f
... Show MoreBackground: Periodontal diseases (PD) are inflammatory conditions of the tissues supporting the teeth, most often gingivitis and periodontitis. Maxillary chronic rhinosinusitis (MCRS) is the inflammation of the maxillary sinuses which is last for at least 12 consecutive weeks duration. Aims of study: Distribution of periodontal diseases among patients with Maxillary chronic rhinosinusitis according to gender and age. Materials and methods: Males and females subjects (25-45 years), divided into two groups; 150 patients suffer from MCRS and 130 subjects without MCRS. Clinical periodontal parameters; Plaque Index (PL.I), Gingival Index (G.I), Probing Pocket Depth (PPD), Clinical Attachment Level (CAL) and Bleeding On Probing (BOP) recorded f
... Show MoreNatural fractures provide an important reservoir space and migration channels for oil and gas reservoirs and control the reservoir potential. Therefore, it is essential to understand the methods for identifying accurate reservoir permeability and characterizing reservoir fractures. In particular, using conventional measurements to identify permeability and characterize fractures is very expensive. While using conventional logging data is very challenging, and an efficient characterization correlation method is urgently needed. In this paper, we have evaluated reservoir potential based on the sensitivity of sonic scanner tools to fluid mobility, maximum stress direction, and fractures presence. This tool provides a continuous estimat
... Show MoreThe present study was designed to shed light on the molecular effects caused by acute myeloid leukemia (AML). It was also aimed to investigate ASXL1 point mutations in newly AML patients as compared to healthy control. The study comprised of 43 AML Iraqi patients and their ages ranged between 16-75 years. It included 23 females and 20 males compared with 20 healthy controls. Results revealed that the extracted DNA from 30 AML patients and amplified by PCR to obtain ASXL1 gene from exon 12 showed larger bands (479). Among forty three patients, two of them displayed point mutations of deletion and substitution, while the others were normal since no mutations were detected. The total of mutations in two mutated patients was 27 mutations, the m
... Show MoreObjective: The study aims to assess the knowledge and practices of mothers with hemophilia children type - A - ,
socio-economic status and association between mother demographic information with their knowledge and practices
toward their children in Azadi Teaching Hospital in Kirkuk.
Methodology: Descriptive study no probability (purposive) sample. Selected Fifty-five of mothers having hemophilia
children, started from November 2012 to May 2013. Study was carried out in the Azadi teaching hospital in
Kirkuk. By using questionnaire which consists from five parts include demographic characteristics for mother and
children, socio-economic, Knowledge and practices data gathered, by direct interview with the mothers in the
Background: Cigarette smoking is an important risk factor that has a clear strong association with the prevalence and severity of chronic periodontitis (CP). Salivary biochemical parameters may be affected by both smoking and CP together. Materials and methods: Eighty systematically healthy male patients were included in this study. They were grouped based on their periodontal and smoking status. Unstimulated whole saliva (UWS) was collected from all subject. Salivary flow rate (FR) was measured during sample collection. Parameters such as salivary pH, total protein (TP), albumin (Alb), total fucose (TF), protein bound fucose (PBF) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were estimated. Results: Salivary flow rate was not altered regarding to smoking
... Show MoreBackground: Age progression is regarded as a critical risk factor in morbidity and mortality because of a weakened immune system. Although various studies have dealt with electrolyte imbalance in COVID-19 patients, the outcomes of these studies were partially understood. Objective: The current study aims to determine some biochemical parameters in old Iraqi COVID-19 patients and highlight the outcomes according to the aging role in the development of COVID-19 by suggesting new mechanisms. Materials and methods: forty COVID-19 patients were enrolled in the current study and divided into two groups: Gm includes (20) men, and Gf includes (20) women. The parameters (Na+, K+, Cl-, LDH, and Hb ) were determined in sera of patients and c
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