Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging zoonotic disease caused by the new respiratory virus SARS-CoV2. It has a tropism in the lung tissues where excess target receptors exist. Periostin plays a role in subepithelial fibrosis associated with bronchial asthma. Since the Coronavirus's target is the human respiratory system, Periostin has been recently described as a valuable new biomarker in the diagnosis and evaluation of disease in patients with COVID-19 lung involvement. Objectives: To assess the level of Periostin in the serum of COVID-19 patients and to correlate its role in disease severity and prognosis. Subjects and Methods: Periostin serum levels were measured for 63 patients attending three main COVID-19 Control Centers in Baghdad, compared to 25 healthy subjects, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) from January 2021 to April 2022. Results: Serum levels of Periostin among studied groups with (mild - moderate, severe - critical, post-COVID, and controls) were (17.3, 664, 597, and 48) ng/dl respectively. The serum concentration of Periostin was highly significant in (severe- critical and post-COVID) than in other groups. Conclusions: The elevated level of serum Periostin in COVID-19 patients correlated with disease severity and post-COVID lung complications. The high Periostin level is consistent with high inflammatory markers, which might be used as an indicator of COVID-19 severity and predict a bad prognosis.
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused an unprecedented disruption in medical education and healthcare systems worldwide. The disease can cause life-threatening conditions and it presents challenges for medical education, as instructors must deliver lectures safely, while ensuring the integrity and continuity of the medical education process. It is therefore important to assess the usability of online learning methods, and to determine their feasibility and adequacy for medical students. We aimed to provide an overview of the situation experienced by medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of medical students regarding electronic medical education.
... Show MoreObjective(s): to assess the factors which are associated with the prolonged prehospital delay of patients with
acute myocardial infarction.
Methodology: A descriptive study was conducted at the Coronary Care unit (CCU) in Al-Yarmok Teaching
Hospital, Ibn AL-Nafis Hospital for Cardiovascular Diseases, AL-Kadumia Teaching Hospital, Baghdad Teaching
Hospital, and AL-Kindy Teaching Hospital during the period of the study from February 2
nd
, 2009 to October 30th
,
2009. A random sample of (160) paƟent who were admiƩed to the hospitals were selected one by one. A
questionnaire was constructed for the purpose of the study, which is comprised of four parts that include (1)
sociodemographic data; (2) prehospital d
Background: Bell's palsy was defined as facial weakness of lower motor neuron type caused by idiopathic facial nerve involvement outside the central nervous system without evidence of aural or more widespread neurologic disease. The cause is unclear, but the disorder occurs more commonly in diabetics.Objectives: to differentiate cases of idiopathic Bell's palsy from diabetic mononeuropathy presented with Facial nerve palsy by assessing the taste, because they differ in etiology, management & prognosis.Patients &Methods: One hundred and fifteen consecutive patients were referred for the treatment of facial palsy, from May the 5th 2012 to April 12th 2013 in Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital and The Neurosciences Hospital, in Baghdad / Ira
... Show MoreIschemic heart disease is a major causes of heart failure. Heart failure patients have predominantly left ventricular dysfunction (systolic or diastolic dysfunction, or both). Acute heart failure is most commonly caused by reduced myocardial contractility, and increased LV stiffness. We performed echocardiography and gated SPECT with Tc99m MIBI within 263 patients and 166 normal individuals. Left ventricular end systolic volume (LVESV), left ventricular end diastolic volume (LVEDV), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were measured. For all degrees of ischemia, there was a significant difference between ejection fraction values measured by SPECT and echo
In this study serum total sailie acid concentration were tested as a scrological marker of discases activity to cvalute the result of the test in the diagonosis oe enteric fever(TSA) was measured in the serum od (50) patines with typhi fever(50)pa-tients
The study aimed to assess the expression of CD49d and CD26 in newly diagnosed CLL patients and find their correlation with clinical Binet stage, and other clinical parameters. This study was conducted on 51 newly diagnosed CLL patients based on lymphocyte count > 5×109/L and immunophenotyping. The expression of CD49d, and CD26 were investigated using eight-color flow cytometer. The expression of CD49d and CD26 were detected in 56.9 %, 68.8 % of CLL patients, respectively. The correlation between CD49d expression and CD26 expression was statistically significant (p < 0.001) with high concordance rate between them. The positive expression of both CD49d and CD26 had statistically significant association with clinical Binet staging (p < 0.001,
... Show MoreVisceral leishmaniasis (VL) or kala-azar is one of the worlds most neglected tropical diseases in mortality and fourth in morbidity, rK39 dipstick was used to diagnose the suspected infected patients as cheapest simple technique which can differentiate recent from chronic infection, for disease out-coming, naïve T-lymphocyte cells should be differentiated into pathogen-specific immunity responses, such as T-helper 1(Th-1) or (Th-2). HLA-G is a special protein defined as nonclassical HLA class I molecule can suppress the immune system through prevention of T-cell function by foul all T-cell mechanisms. So, this study aimed to detect and evaluate the level of sHLA-G in the sera of patients infected with VL. The results showed that there was
... Show MoreObjectives: To assess the quality of life for adult patients with peptic ulcers in the city of Sulaimani.
Methodology: A descriptive study, using the assessment approach was conducted on patients with peptic ulcer
disease from January 12th, 2009 to September 30th, 2009. A purposive "non-probability" sample of (100) paƟents
(males and females) with peptic ulcers who attended Kurdistan Center for Gastroenterology and Hepatology were
selected for the study. A questionnaire was adapted from the World Health Organization quality of life questionnaire
(1998) for the purpose of the study. It is comprised of (3) parts that included sociodemographic characteristics form,
medical history form and adult peptic ulcers patients' qu
This study included 46 patients with liver hydatid cyst diagnosed clinically and surgically, control group consist of 22 were naïve from infection had been confirmed by specialist. The patients were divided according to the size of the cysts into more and less than 5 cm diameter size, were 33 and 13 respectively. Also it divided into primary and secondary hydatid cyst infection which were 30 and 16 respectively. The role of immunological response against hydatid cyst parasite, showed a significant increased in humoral immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgM and IgE) which were significantly higher in the hydatid cyst infection than control. Also significant increased in immunoglobulins in secondary infection than primary infection, beside significa
... Show More