Celiac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated disorder caused by gluten in genetically susceptible individuals characterized by chronic inflammation that essentially affects the small intestine. Objective: this study was designed to measure the potential role of some serological biomarkers including vitamin B12 and homocysteine (HCY) in the progression of CD as well as their relations to global DNA methylation (5mC). Materials and methods. Forty CD patients were enrolled in the study with an average age of (36.60 ± 2.03) years (range between 15 and 60). The diagnosis of the disease was confirmed by serological examinations and intestinal endoscopy in Gastroenterology and Liver Teaching Hospital in the Medical City Hospital in Baghdad city. Also, 40 healthy subjects were included in this study as control group with an average age of (32.22 ± 1.97) years (range between 16 and 59). The blood serum was checked for serological biomarker levels using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Also, DNA extracted from whole blood and the levels of 5mC were evaluated. Results. The analysis of serological biomarker data has shown that the mean vitamin B12 significantly decreases in CD patients compared to healthy controls: (109.80 ± 2.53) and (143.65 ± 2.36) pg/ml. Also, the results demonstrated a significant increase in HCY in CD patients compared to healthy controls — (10.60 ± 0.41) and (3.92 ± 0.23) umol. The results of global DNA methylation showed a highly significant decrease (P ≤ 0.01) in blood samples of patients with celiac disease (0.435 ± 0.020) vs. controls (0.594 ± 0.040). Conclusions. The findings of this study suggest that the differences in global DNA methylation levels may be used as a risk factor for developing CD, which indicates the involvement of vitamin B12 and HCY in CD progression.
Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy affecting the Iraqi population and the leading cause of cancer related mortality among Iraqi women. It has been well documented that prognosis of patients depends largely upon the hormone receptor contents and HER-2 over expression of their neoplasm. Recent studies suggest that Triple Positive (TP) tumors, bearing the three markers, tend to exhibit a relatively favorable clinical behavior in which overtreatment is not recommended. Aim: To document the different frequencies of ER/PR/HER2 breast cancer molecular subtypes focusing on the Triple Positive pattern; correlating those with the corresponding clinico-pathological characteristics among a sample of Iraqi patients diagnosed with th
... Show MoreVitamin A, namely retinol is still the most proper agent for modulating so many biochemical reactions and biological functions in different tissues and organs. In addition to the provitamins A and α, βand γ-carotenoids that are present in various foods from either animal or plant origin, retinoids and rexinoids form the natural and synthetic analogs that are chemically related or unrelated and can be added as food supplements for deficiency disorders of vitamin A or used to alleviate or treat certain health problems such as skin carcinoma, acne, skin aging and dermatitis.
Asprosin was a novel adipokine that was released by white adipose tissue. It was activated by fasting and attracted to the liver, which allowed the liver to rapidly release glucose into the bloodstream. White adipose tissue was the source of asprosin. When people go on a fast, their blood sugar levels drop, which causes levels of the hormone asprosin to rise. It does this by binding to a G-protein-coupled receptor in the liver known as OR4M1, which in turn activates a cascade that involves the G -protein-cAMP-PKA pathway. Because of this, the glucose that is stored in the liver is released. We anticipate that by investigating the changes that occur in asprosin levels in hypothyroidism patients, we will be able to make a significant
... Show MoreObjectives: Many medication errors occur in the hospital, and these can endanger patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of medication errors in hospitalized patients, and to categorize the most frequent types of errors, and to asses the possible measures that may prevent the occurrence of such errors.
Methods: A prospective, exploratory, and evaluative study, using direct observation method to detect medication errors in adult hospitalized patients in medical and surgical units in Baquba Teaching Hospital- Diyala-Iraq.. The files of 299 patients had been reviewed from July 2009 to September 2009, including medication orders and treatment sheets to detect existing errors. The detected errors were recorded and
Background: Acute appendicitis is a common surgical
problem that is associated with an acute-phase reaction.
Previous studies have shown that cytokines and acutephase proteins are activated and may serve as indicators for
appendicitis.
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate of serum
levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in correlation to the severity
to acute appendicitis.
Methods: This is a prospective study from December 2008
to March 2009 of patients who had appendectomy in
Department of Surgery, Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital -
Baghdad/Iraq. Serum for estimating levels of interleukin-6
(IL-6) was taken pre-operatively. Depending on the
macroscopic evidence during the operation and the
histopathol
Background: Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy and the second leading cause of mortality among women in Iraq forming 23% of cancer related deaths. The low survival from the disease is a direct consequence to the advanced stages at diagnoses. Aim: To document the composite stage of breast cancer among Iraqi patients at the time of diagnosis; correlating the observed findings with other clinical and pathological parameters at presentation. Patients and Methods: A retrospective study enrolling the clinical and pathological characteristics of 603 Iraqi female patients diagnosed with breast cancer. The composite stage of breast cancer was determined according to UICC TNM Classification System of Breast Cancer and the Ameri
... Show MoreObjective: to evaluate the increase in weight after biological agents and the association of weight gain with the body mass index among a sample of patients attending Baghdad Teaching Hospital Methods: A prospective study is carried out in Baghdad teaching hospital biological units and outpatient clinic of rheumatology for a period of one year starting On April 2015 and ending on March 2016. 120 patients were included in the study 40 psoriatic arthritis .40 ankylosing spondylitis and 40 rheumatoid arthritis Results : The study findings indicate that significance differences are seen regarding weight gain and b
Background: Behçet’s disease (BD) is a disorder of systemic inflammatory condition. Its important features are represented by recurrent oral, genital ulcerations and eye lesions. Aims. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate and compare cytological changes using morphometric analysis of the exfoliated buccal mucosal cells in Behçet’s disease patients and healthy controls, and to evaluate the clinical characteristics of Behçet’s disease. Methods. Twenty five Behçet’s disease patients have been compared to 25 healthy volunteers as a control group. Papanicolaou stain was used for staining the smears taken from buccal epithelial cells to be analyzed cytomorphometrically. The image analysis sof
... Show MoreCoronary artery disease (CAD) is a condition of an inadequate supply of oxygenated blood to a portion of the myocardium. It typically occurs when there is an imbalance between supply and demand of myocardial oxygen. The most common cause of myocardial ischemia is atherosclerotic disease of an epicardial coronary artery or arteries which is sufficient to cause a regional reduction in myocardial blood flow and inadequate perfusion of the myocardium supplied by the involved coronary artery. Fifty CAD subjects (23 females and 27 males) were enrolled in this study in addition to thirty healthy control subjects (13 female and 17 male). This study aimed to measure the serum levels of interleukin IL- 33, C- reactive prot
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