HBV and HCV are the major causes of chronic liver diseases throughout the world, and constitute a major global health risk. There is accumulated evidence that the imbalance of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine production may play an important role in the pathogenesis of viral hepatic infections and may influence the clinical outcome and disease progression. This study was undertaken to analyze the circulating levels of Tumor Necrotic Factor (TNF-α) and Th2 cytokine IL-10 in patients infected with Hepatitis B and C virus. The study population consisted of 30 patients with chronic HBV, in addition to other 30 patients with chronic HCV infection were recruited on their first examination at the Al-Kindy General Hospital in Baghdad city. Another 12 healthy individuals with negative hepatitis serology as normal controls were observed. TNF-α level was significantly increased in chronic HBV infected patients compared with normal controls (6.81± 1.25 vs. 5.62± 1.71 pg/ml, p= 0.001). Similarly, the levels of the TNF-α was significantly elevated in HCV patients (8.62± 0.79 pg/ml) after comparison with its level in HBV patients (p= 0.023). Serum levels of Th2 cytokines IL-10 were also elevated in chronic HBV infected patients (25.05± 3.90 pg/ml) and in HCV infected patients (28.07± 3.35 pg/ml)
Tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis; it is considered as one of the most common, infectious diseases and major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. A prospective study was conducted to obtain more clarification about the impact of causative agent and its treatment to enhance autoantibodies production such as ANCA and BPI which used as diagnostic markers for several diseases, and to provide further insight into the classical risk factors (age and sex).Seventy patients with tuberculosis involved in this study, 35 of them were untreated and 35 with treatment administration these patients were attending to directorate of general health national reference laboratory in Baghdad during the period between November/ 2012
... Show MoreBackground: Cytokines produced by inflammatory cells play a pivotal role in synovial inflammation and joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis.
Patients and Methods: The cytokine serum levels were measured by EASIA (Enzyme amplified sensitivity immunoassay) in sera from 50 RA patients, and 40 healthy donors. Cytokine levels were compared in different RA subpopulations (positive or negative rheumatoid factor (RF), long term or recent onset disease, high or low disease activity). In addition, the possible association with other demographic and clinical parameters (gender, age, etc) was also analyzed.
Results: It was demonstrated that IL-2, IL-6 and IFN-δ levels were elevated in serum samples of RA pati
Background: The coexistence of renal and heart failure carries an extremely bad prognosis. The exact cause of deterioration of kidney function and the mechanism underlying this interaction are complex, multifactorial in nature, and still not completely understood. Both the heart and the kidney act in tandem to regulate blood pressure, vascular tone, diuresis, natriuresis, etc.
Patients and methods: Sixty patients mean age 65.5 year were complaining heart failure duo to different causes assessed for renal function (blood urea &creatinine) and cardiac function by echocardiography in day 0 and 10 day after treatment of heart failure.
Results: The mean value (±S.D) of blood urea and serum creatinine on day 0 were 64.17mg/dL (±30.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus is the most common cause of acute viral bronchiolitis and pneumonia in infants and young children. This study is designed to examine the presence of anti-RSV IgM and IgA antibodies in infants and young children aged between 2 months up to 5 years old. ELISA was used to examine the levels of IgM and IgA antibodies in the serum samples from 90 individuals (60 are with respiratory symptoms and 30 healthy as controls). The results were analysed by systematically dividing those individuals into two groups according to their age and clinical status. The age groups included infant between 2 months and 1 year of age and young children between 2-5 years whereas the clinical grouping includes the severity of infection o
... Show MoreAwsaj (Lycium barbarum) is a plant belong to family Solanaceae serves as a good source of bioactive compounds like phytosterols which have many important biological activity. Literature survey available so far revealed that there was no studies about Iraqi wild Awsaj phytosterols especially B-sitosterol, there for the objective of this study was to examine the efficiency of ultrasound assisted extraction (probe and bath) as compared to the conventional (Soxhlet) extraction method for extraction of phytosterols especially B-sitosterol from fruits, leaves, stems and roots of Iraqi wild Awsaj plant. This goal was achieved by comparing the extraction mass yield, also by a quick and easy approach for identification and quantification of bioac
... Show MoreCeliac disease (CD) is an inflammatory small intestinal disorder that can lead to severe villous atrophy, and malabsorption . Since the measurement of α-amylase activity is the most widely used biochemical test for the diagnosis of pancreatic and non pancreatic disease , therefore serum α-amylase were studied in the present study in an attempt to evaluate the usefulness of this enzyme in the diagnosis of celiac disease and its relationship with anti gliadin IgA and IgG and serum glucose . Thirty one patients with celiac disease were studied and compared with twenty four healthy individuals . Significant elevation of α-amylase activity , glucose and anti gliadin IgA and IgG were observed in the sera of patients with celiac diseas
... Show MoreCholelithiasis is one of the commonest surgical problems and one of the most common gastrointestinal diseases throughout the world but its pathogenesis remains unclear. Many theories have been proposed forward to explain the mechanism of stone formation. It is not fully clear if symptomatic gallstone disease is associated with a specific pattern of some biochemical abnormalities, as lipid profile and fasting blood sugar in serum of patients.
This study was designed to estimate lipid profile and fasting blood sugar in the sera of patients with cholelithiasis in comparison with normal individuals (control).
In this study, 104(male=16, female=88) were symptomatic gallstone patients (aged 42.79± 12.18 years), and 38(male=6
... Show MoreAcute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is one of the most common diseases , so in this study the serum level of malondialdehyde and its relationship with metanephrine was investigated in acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients over one month of treatment. Some biochemical parameters (serum glucose , total serum protein , malondialdehyde ,vitamin C, and metanephrine) changed as well as white blood cell count and blood hemoglobinlevelswere analyzed in sixty patients diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia over one month of treatment compared to healthy control group.Statistically significant increases (p<0.01) in white blood cell (WBC) count, mean concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) (p< 0.05) and metanephrine (p< 0.001) were observed in
... Show MoreBackground:
Background: Migraine is a common debilitating disorder characterized by attacks of mostly unilateral, moderate to severe, throbbingheadaches. The diagnosis of migraine is made according to the third edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders developed by the International Headache Society. There are several types of migraine, the most common of which are migraine without aura and migraine with aura.
Objectives: This study aims to find the correlations between quantitative EEG changes and cognition in migraine patients.
Patients and Methods: The study included 20 migraine patients,10 during pain attack (ictal phase) and 10 during pain-free period (inte
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