Background: Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an autoimmune vesiculobullous mucocutaneous disease with life-threatening consequences. Rituximab (RTX) has recently emerged as an effective treatment for PV. Objectives: This study aims to determine changes in neutrophil and platelet counts for PV patients treated with RTX or corticosteroids combined with Imuran (azathioprine). Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Dermatology at Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq. Thirty PV patients received two types of treatment: 15 patients were administered RTX and 15 patients took corticosteroids with Imuran (azathioprine). Neutrophil and platelet counts were detected at the hospital laboratory. Results

Background: Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE)-derived mitral annular displacement (MAD) utilizes the speckle tracking technique to measure strain vectors, which provides accurate estimates of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).Objectives: To validate the accuracy of mitral annular displacement (MAD), assessed by Speckle Tracking Echocardiography (STE), as a surrogate for determination of left ventricular systolic function in comparison to 2-Dimensions Simpson method in patients with different heart diseases.Methods : This cross-sectional study included patients who referred to outpatient department of Ibn Albitar Center for Cardiac Surgery, Baghdad, Iraq, between October 2012 and April 2013. STE continuously tracked annular

The neutrophil/ lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have the potential to be inflammatory markers that reflect the activity of many inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the NLR and PLR as potential markers of disease activity in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Background: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is one of the most common oral mucosal disorders with a prevalence of 50-66%. The prevalence of hematinic deficiencies including ferritin and vitamin B12 deficiencies and their role in the prophylaxis and development of RAS is not well known. Many studies have demonstrated a high prevalence of hematinic deficiencies in patients with RAS. This study aimed to compare the serum level of ferritin and vitamin B12 in patients with recurrent aphthous ulcers and healthy controls. Subjects, Materials and Methods: The data were collected from patients who needed blood analysis to exclude anemia from November 2020 to May 2021. The study was approved by the institutional ethics committee. After recordi

This study is the first investigation in Iraq dealing with genotyping of IL-4 −590 (C>T) gene, especially in Iraqi patients with asthma. We studied forty-eight blood samples collected from patients with asthma and compared with age-matched 25 healthy individuals as controls. The polymorphism results of IL-4 −590 (C>T) gene by using amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS-PCR) showed the presence of C and T alleles and three genotypes (CC, CT, and TT). Interestingly the frequency of C allele and CC genotype was higher in patients with asthma in comparison with the same allele and geno

Multiple myeloma is hematological disease produces many complications in the bone, kidney, neural and other complications. The study aims to measure serum biomolecules like fetuin-A and resistin and determined the possibility to use these biomarkers as disease predictor. blood samples were isolated from 58 patients and 24 sex and age-matched control, serum then isolated, and proper ELISA kit then used to a determined level of B2 microglobulin, resistin, and fetuin-A. The result demonstrated significant increase in   B2 microglobulin, fetuin-A and resistin in patients compare to control (1.3470.714 vs. 0.9130.253), p = 0.000, (14.00310.352 vs. 9.2594.264), p= 0.005, (1.9673.595 vs. 0.6040.622), p = 0.009, respectively. &

Multiple myeloma is hematological disease produces many complications in the bone, kidney, neural and other complications. The study aims to measure serum biomolecules like fetuin-A and resistin and determined the possibility to use these biomarkers as disease predictor. blood samples were isolated from 58 patients and 24 sex and age-matched control, serum then isolated, and proper ELISA kit then used to a determined level of B2 microglobulin, resistin, and fetuin-A. The result demonstrated significant increase in   B2 microglobulin, fetuin-A and resistin in patients compare to control (1.3470.714 vs. 0.9130.253), p = 0.000, (14.00310.352 vs. 9.2594.264), p= 0.005, (1.9673.595 vs. 0.6040.622), p = 0.009, respectively.   These di

To determine the relationship between chronic hepatitis B virus and autoimmune celiac disease, seventy five patients with chronic hepatitis B virus of ages (8-70) years have been investigated and compared with 50 healthy individuals. All the studied groups were carried out to measure antiGliadin antibodies IgA and IgG by ELISA test and anti-reticulin antibodies IgA and IgG by IFAT. There were significant elevation (P<0.05) in the concentration of AGA IgA and IgG antibodies compared to control group. The prevalence of AGA antibodies IgA and IgG was 8% and 9.33% respectively. There were a highly significant differences (P<0.01) between studies groups. The prevalence of antireticulin antibodies ARA IgA and IgG was 6.67% and 4.0% respectively i

Background: Refractory/relapsed acute leukemia has always been a challenging problem for hematologist. Over the past decade emphasis has been made in the development of regimens containing fludarabine, combined with cytosine arabinoside for the treatment of refractory/relapsed acute leukemias. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of the combination of fludarabine, high dose cytarabine, and granulocyte colony stimulating factor in refractory relapsed cases of acute leukaemia,
Methods: a prospective study is being conducted at the national center of hematology and hematology unit /Baghdad teaching hospital from July 2008 to July 2010.Twenty Patients with refractory/relapsed acute leukemia were treated with flud