Anemia of chronic disease (ACD) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) are the two most important types of anemia in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Functional iron deficiency in ACD can be attributed to overexpression of the main iron regulatory hormone hepcidin leading to diversion of iron from the circulation into storage sites resulting in iron-restricted erythropoiesis. The aim is to investigate the role of circulating hepcidin and to uncover the frequency of IDA in RA. The study included 51 patients with RA. Complete blood counts, serum iron, total iron binding capacity, ferritin, and hepcidin- 25 were assessed. ACD was found in 37.3% of patients, IDA in 11.8%, and combined (ACD/IDA) in 17.6%. Serum hepcidin was higher in ACD than in control and the other groups (P ≤ 0.001). It was strongly and positively correlated with ferritin (P < 0.001), while hemoglobin, serum iron, and total iron binding capacity were negatively correlated with hepcidin (P = 0.016, 0.022 and <0.001, respectively). High serum hepcidin was significantly associated with ACD in RA. IDA alone or combined with ACD was encountered in about a third of patients.
Free radicals and oxidative damage caused by them have being suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of migraine. These may result from distorted equilibrium of pro-oxidant/anti-oxidant system that continuously generates and detoxifies oxidants during normal aerobic metabolism. Escape of such system from equilibrium leads to damage of cellular elements with the depletion of cellular stores of anti-oxidants material such as glutathione and vitamin E. Therefore, free radical scavengers (vitamin E or melatonin) seems to be of potential benefit as prophylactic anti-migraine therapy by neutralizing free radicals overproduction and possibly preventing formation of highly toxic intermediates (such as nitric oxide). In addition of being pow
... Show MoreCoronavirus diseases 2021 (COVID-19) on going situation in Iraq is characterized in this paper. The pandemic handling by the government and the difficulties of public health measures enforcement in Iraq. Estimation of the COVID-19 data set was performed. Iraq is endangered to the pandemic, like the rest of the world besides sharing borders with hotspot neighbouring country Iran. The government of Iraq launched proactive measures in an attempt to prevent the viral spread. Nevertheless, reports of new cases keep escalating leaving the public health officials racing to take more firm constriction to face the pandemic. The paper bring forth the current COVID-19 scenario in Iraq, the government measures towards the public health challenges, and
... Show MoreBackground: Several infectious lung diseases often develop in patients with Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), especially during immunosuppressive medication, including disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). The present study aimed to determine the role of respiratory tract bacterial infection in RA activity. Methods: Blood and sputum samples were collected from 31 patients with RA and 12 healthy subjects as control. The bacterial isolates were isolated and identified in collected sputum by biochemical tests and Vitec 2 system. Results: In the present study, thirty-one patients with RA were compared with 12 healthy subjects. Eight patients with RA were not infected with pathogenic bacteria (RA-NIPB) (25.8%). Twenty-three RA patients wer
... Show MoreThis work aimed to study the effect of laser surface treatment on the mechanical characteristics and corrosion behaviour of grey cast iron type A159. Many technical applications used conventional surface treatment, but laser surface hardening has recently been used to enhance the surface properties of many alloys. The mechanical characteristics, including microstructure, microhardness, and wear resistance of A159 grey cast iron, were studied, in addition to corrosion behaviour. The experimental laser parameters in this work were 0.9, 1.2, and 1.5 KW power with continuous wave carbon dioxide lasers with scanning speeds of 10 and 12 mm/s were used. The results found that phase-transitional alterations in microstructure were influenced by lase
... Show MoreBackground: 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
... Show MoreTo determine the important pathogenic role of celiac disease in triggering several autoimmune disease, thirty patients with Multiple Sclerosis of ages (22-55) years have been investigated and compared with 25 healthy individuals. All the studied groups were carried out to measure anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies IgA IgG by ELISA test, anti-reticulin antibodies IgA and IgG, and anti-endomysial antibodies IgA and IgG by IFAT. There was a significant elevation in the concentration of anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies IgA and IgG compared to control groups (P≤0.05), there was 4(13.33%) positive results for anti-reticulin antibodies IgA and IgG , 3(10%) positive results for anti-endomysial antibodies IgA and IgG . There were 4 pos
... Show MoreTo determine the important pathogenic role of celiac disease in triggering several autoimmune disease, thirty patients with Multiple Sclerosis of ages (22-55) years have been investigated and compared with 25 healthy individuals. All the studied groups were carried out to measure anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies IgA IgG by ELISA test, anti-reticulin antibodies IgA and IgG, and anti-endomysial antibodies IgA and IgG by IFAT. There was a significant elevation in the concentration of anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies IgA and IgG compared to control groups (P≤0.05), there was 4(13.33%) positive results for anti-reticulin antibodies IgA and IgG , 3(10%) positive results for anti-endomysial antibodies IgA and IgG . There were 4 pos
... Show MoreBackground: Recent studies suggest that chronic periodontitis (CP) and type2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are bidirectionally associated. Analysis of saliva as a mirror of oral and systemic health could allow identification of α amylase (α-Am) and albumin (A1) antioxidant system markers to assist in the diagnosis and monitoring of both diseases. The present study aims at comparing the clinical periodontal parameters in chronic periodontitis patients with poorly or well controlled Type 2Diabetes Mellitus, salivary α-Am, A1, flow rate (FR) and pH then correlate between biochemical, physical and clinical periodontal parameters of each study and control groups. Materials and Methods: 80 males, with an age range of (35-50) years were divide
... Show MoreBackground: Patients with chronic kidney
disease have different grades of sensorineural
deafness .
Objective: To study the incidence of
sensorineural hearing loss and possible contributing
factors in patients with chronic kidney disease.
Methods: A total of 100 patients with chronic
kidney disease were studied. All of them were
males. 92 of them were on regular haemodialysis
programme. Only 8 patients were on conservative
management the age range of the study patients was
18-40 year patients were divided into three groups
according to age. All patients were assessed
clinically and were evaluated by audiometry , and
analysis was made on bone conduction threshold
.The mean follow up period was 2
Background:Periodontal diseases are infectious diseases in which periodontalpathogens trigger chronic inflammatory and immune responses. Interleukine-6 is a multifunctional cytokine playing a central role in inflammation and tissue injury.The aim of the study IS to determine the level of Interleukin-6(IL-6) in saliva of patients with chronic periodontitis compared to healthy subjects. Materials and Methods:The total subjects of the present study is 60, divided into 3 groups; 20 patients with chronic periodontitis with pocket depth(PD ≥4 mm)(group I), 20 patients with pocket depth(PD <4 mm) with clinical attachment loss (group II), and 20 healthy controls with pocket probing depth (PPD ≤ 3 mm) without clinical attachment loss (g
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