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
Objective To highlight the main demographic characteristics and clinical profiles of female patients registered with breast cancer in Iraq; focusing on the impact of age.Methods This retrospective study enrolled 1172 female patients who were diagnosed with breast cancer at the Main Center for Early Detection of Breast Cancer/Medical City Teaching Hospital in Baghdad. Data were extracted from an established information system, developed by the principal author under supervision of WHO, that was based on valid clinical records of Iraqi patients affected by breast cancer. The recorded information regarding clinical examination comprised positive palpable lumps, bloody nipple discharge, skin changes, bilateral breast involvement, tumor
... Show MoreObjectives: This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential effects of ascorbic acid or and pyridoxine on diabetic renal microalbumiuria. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study on patients with diabetes mellitus at Al-Yarmouk teaching hospital from January to December 2012, Iraq-Baghdad. Twenty one patients with diabetes mellitus (D.M), 8 IDDM and 13 IDDM were selected from, the duration of disease were ranged from 2-12 years for both type (10 females and 11males) and all enrolled patients ages were ranged from 28-65years. The concentration of total protein in urine was calculated by a biuret colorimetric assay and the urine creatinine level was measured by a modified Jaffe test. Statistical analysis: results are expressed as mean
... Show MoreThe osseodensification (OD) drilling technique was suggested as an alveolar ridge expansion technique, so the aim of this prospective clinical study was to evaluate the amount of bone expansion obtained by the OD drilling technique and its effect on implant stability in patients with narrow alveolar ridges. The width of the alveolar ridge was measured at the crest before and after implant site preparation, whereas the implant stability was measured using Osstell Beacon implant stability quotient (ISQ). The ISQ values were recorded immediately postoperatively and after 16 weeks. Twenty-three patients were included; they received 40 implants. The mean (± standard deviation [SD]) amount of expansion was 1.29 (± 0.41) mm, and the difference b
... Show MoreThe cost-effective carbon cross-linked Y zeolite nanocrystals composite (NYC) was prepared using an eco-friendly substrate prepared from bio-waste and organic adhesive at intermediate conditions. The green synthesis method dependent in this study assures using chemically harmless compounds to ensure homogeneous distribution of zeolite over porous carbon. The greenly prepared cross-linked composite was extensively characterized using Fourier transform infrared, nitrogen adsorption/desorption, Field emission scanning electron microscope, Dispersive analysis by X-ray, Thermogravimetric analysis, and X-ray diffraction. NYC had a surface area of 176.44 m2/g, and a pore volume of 0.0573 cm3/g. NYC had a multi-function nature, sustained at a long-
... Show MoreBackground: the primary objective for many researches carried out in dental implantology was to reduce the period needed for functional implant loading, simvastatin (cholesterol lowering medication) had many pleiotropic effects, one of which was increasing bone density around titanium implants (1) and subsequently establishing faster osseointegrated dental implants (2,3). This study aims to reduce the period of time needed to establish secondary stability of dental implant measured in ISQ (Implant Stability Quotient) by investigating the effect of orally administered simvastatin on bone. Materials and methods: simvastatin tablets (40mg/day for three months) were administered orally for 11 healthy women aged (40-51) years old who received 1
... Show MoreThe study included 176 patients attended to Iben AL-Haithem hospital of ophthalmology in Baghdad city , at age of (14-77) years from the period from September 2016-April 2017, there were 138(78%) patients having a positive culture of ocular bacterial infections. Men were representing 41% while women 59%, the patients with bacterial ocular infection from Baghdad were55% while the internally displaced were 45% , the patients with ocular bacterial infections were representing 20% at mean age of 21.6±0.3y, 26% at 37.5±0.21y , 24% at53.5±0.23 y and 30% at69.5±0.10 y. The results showed 37% of the patients with ocular bacterial infections were having a history of diabetes mellitus and 44% with high blood pressure at mean age of 69.5±0.10
... Show MoreDuring 2011, 1900 clinical specimens (urine, wounds, burns, blood and sputum) and
240 hospital environment specimens were collected from four hospitals in
Baghdad/Medical city including: Baghdad Teaching Hospital, The Martyr Gazi Al-
Hariry Hospital, Welfare Teaching Hospital and The Burn Specialist Hospital. All
specimens were cultured and 128 Acinetobacter baumannii were obtained from
clinical and environmental specimens in a ratio of 6.05% (n=115) and 5.42%
(n=13), respectively. These isolates were identified using microscopic examination,
biochemical tests and Api 20 E system.The slide agglutination technique for rabbit
immune sera and A. baumannii bacteria was used and our data analysis revealed a
serologi
The treatment of migraine headache targets the neurovascular mechanism and involves the use of serotonin receptor antagonists. Some of these drugs are used for the treatment of acute attacks; while others are effective as prophylactic measures to decrease the duration and frequency of attacks. Pizotifen, a 5-HTA antagonist, is one of the prophylactic drugs for which the clinical use resulted in low outcomes in reducing migraine symptoms. Melatonin, a serotonin derived neurohormone, was reported to exert many functions like sleep induction, anti-inflammatory, neurovascular regulation, cytoprotection and modulation of neurotransmitter release. In the view of the involvement of serotonin in the pathophysiology of migraine a
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