Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive airflow limitation that is preventable but not curable. It is associated with persistent symptoms that cause a considerable burden on individual productivity at work, and daily activities, and reduced quality of life, also burdening the healthcare system and society. Objectives: The study aims to measure the burden of COPD on patients in terms of daily activities and work productivity. It also seeks to investigate some inflammatory biomarkers' levels and their correlation with selected outcomes. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study on 120 stable COPD patients who were diagnosed and treated according to the GOLD guidelines at Kirkuk General Hospital's chest and Internal Medicine consultation clinics, and in private internist clinics in Kirkuk City, Iraq between January and April 2023. The Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire (WPAI-COPD) measured the Burden of COPD. The symptom burden was assessed by the COPD assessment test (CAT). The level of IL-6 monoclonal antibodies was measured via a Roche Cobas 6000 analyzer and TNF-α using the ELISA sandwich technique. All these devices and machines were authorized by the Ministry of Health, Iraq. Results: The mean age was (54.1 ± 8.12) years, 62.5% being males and 37.5% being females; 41.7% were public sector employees, and 39.2% were self-employed. Due to COPD, the overall work loss was (45.9±18.91) days, the mean percentage of absenteeism was (10.9% ± 12.31%), activity impairment was (47.5% ±17.79%) among all patients, presenteeism was (40.8 ± 15.05%,) and COPD-related retirees were 14.2% of the study group. The mean CAT score (19.3±5.63) was high and the most troubling symptom among patients was chest tightness. WPAI-COPD scores were higher in older age and longer disease duration. The levels of biomarkers were above the reference ranges, the mean IL-6 level was (69.4 ± 35.29) pg/ml, and the mean TNF-α was (72.3 ± 22.45) pg/ ml. Conclusions: COPD patients exhibit a disease burden in terms of productivity loss at work and activity impairment that increases with aging and disease duration. COPD patients with low BMI are more prone to a decline in lung functions and to worse symptoms.
From a health standpoint, fluoride (F) is a vital element for humans. It had harmful effects on numerous organs when consumed in high dosages. Fluoride poisoning has been linked to liver damage. The purpose of this study was to see how sodium fluoride (Naf) affected liver function and the glycemic index in adult male albino rats. Fourteen (14) adult male Wistar albino rats were randomly and evenly divided into two groups and given the following treatments for thirty (30) days: G1 Group (Control group), were given distilled water and fed a balanced diet, G2 rats were administered water that contained 100 ppm Naf. The animals were fasted for 8-12 hours before being anesthetized and blood samples were taken by heart puncture technique
... Show MoreBackground. Echinococcosis/ hydatitdosis is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by the infestation of the larval form of the tapeworm of the genus Echinococcus .The Liver, lungs, and kidneys are the common areas of infestation.Objectives: To describe hydatid disease in hospitalized patients from a clinico-epidemiological perspectives.Methods:: A retrospective study was conducted over a period of 6 months extending from 15th of November 2011 to the 15th of May 2012 by reviewing records of 125 patients who were hospitalized at Baghdad Teaching Hospital during 2011and received medical and surgical treatment for hydatid cyst disease. The information covered the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of the patientsResults:.The presen
... Show MoreDuring more than (50) years past, India has achieved considerable social and economic progress. It is also generally assumed that the future progress will be even more rapid and that India will be an important player in the global market. India has only (2.5) percent of global land whereas it has to provide home for one-sixth of world's population .On examining the past trends of India's population ,it may be observed that during the latter half of the twentieth century ,about (650) million populations were added to the country ,thus living in a country with a high population density and high growth rate , India in need a transition from high fertility high mortality to a low fertility low mortality and towards stable population situatio
... Show MoreSalivary peroxidases have biological functions of particular importance to oral health. The aim of this paper is to shed the light on saliva and serum total peroxidases activity as well as the activity of each of salivary peroxidase (SPO) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) in patients with oral tumors. The studied participants were divided into two groups: the first group included 18 oral squamous cell carcinoma patients and 20 age and gender-matched healthy controls while the second group consisted of 20 oral ossifying fibroma patients and 23 age and gender-matched healthy controls. Total peroxidases activity was determined, and its specific activity was calculated in serum and whole mixed saliva as well as in the supernatant and pellet fractions
... Show MoreA mathematical eco-epidemiological model consisting of harvested prey–predator system involving fear and disease in the prey population is formulated and studied. The prey population is supposed to be separated into two groups: susceptible and infected. The susceptible prey grows logistically, whereas the infected prey cannot reproduce and instead competes for the environment’s carrying capacity. Furthermore, the disease is transferred through contact from infected to susceptible individuals, and there is no inherited transmission. The existence, positivity, and boundedness of the model’s solution are discussed. The local stability analysis is carried out. The persistence requirements are established. The global behavior of th
... Show MoreThis study was carried out to determine the effects of some environmental variables on biodiversity index value of benthic invertebrates' community in samples that collected monthly from two adjacent sites nearby the confluence of Tigris and Diyala rivers within Baghdad city that’s from November 2007 - October 2008. Results showed differences in chemical and physical characteristics for each river. Where the annual averages of these characteristics in Rivers Tigris and Diyala respectively for: water temperature (20, 19) Cº, pH (8, 8), Dissolved oxygen DO(8,4 ) mg/l , EC(1152,2979)µc/cm , Turbidity (28,74) NTU, Total Hardness of CaCO3 (485,823)mg/l, and finally NO3 (4,6)mg/l. Concerning the biological groups, included types of Insect
... Show MoreBackground: Obesity and diabetes mellitus are the common health problems,and obesity is common cause of the insulin resistance. Aim of studv: Aim of the study is to find any correlation between obesity (insulin resistance) and type I diabetes in children. Patients and methods: This study included (40) children with type I diabetes, in addition to (40) children as control.The age of all studied groups ranged from (8-18) years.This study was attemted from Ibn AlBalady Hospital during from 20 August to 9 Novembar,2008. The subjects wrer divided into (4) groups according to their BMI:- * Obese children,diabetes,n=2O,BMI>30. * Non obese children, diabetes, n=20,BMI<25. Obese children, non diabetes, n=20,BMI>30. * Non obese children,non diabetes
... Show MoreBackground: Genetic factors play an important role in susceptibility to Guillain Barre' syndrome. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) as part of immune system has a role in the disease process.Aim of the study: to assess the relationship between HLA-A alleles with Guillain Barre' syndrome (GBS) compared with a healthy control group using PCR-SSOP method.Type of the study: Cross-sectional study.Patients and methods:Patient's group consisted of 30 Iraqi Arab Muslims patients with Guillain Barre' syndrome that consulted the Neurological department in Neurosciences Hospital between January-2013 to January- 2014 were genotyped for HLA-A alleles. A control group consisted of 30 healthy volunteers among the staff of AL-Kindi College of Medicine that
... Show MoreThe formal investigation of the interior spaces of the residential bedrooms for children with autism is one of the basic tasks that should be known by the interior designer. Achieving an atmosphere compatible with his health condition, which contributes to generating a sense of spatial intimacy through the design dimension provided by the interior designer and his tireless endeavor to meet the needs of the child in an internal environment that achieves the functional dimension and spiritual approaches that enhance the child’s sense of spatial belonging and contribute to improving his mood and this positively reflects on his behavior and social integration. The current research has reached the most important design criteria that must be
... Show More