Background: Rituximab is a chimeric IgG1 kappa immunoglobulin that has been genetically modified to incorporate human constant region sequences together with murine light- and heavy-chain variable region sequences. People use it to treat rheumatoid arthritis and certain malignancies. Objective: The study aimed to assess the potential association between the serum levels of Factor I, CD59, interleukins (IL)-6, and interferon-gamma (IFN)-γ and the response to Rituximab treatment in Iraqi rheumatoid arthritis patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the rheumatology center at Baghdad Teaching Hospital. Ninety adult patients who have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and are receiving Rituximab intravenous infusions were included. The enrolled patients were divided into a responder group (45 patients) and a non-responder group (45 patients). The response to Rituximab was assessed according to the 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28). Results: The serum levels of Factor I and CD59 were significantly higher in the non-responders group in comparison to the responders group. In addition, the serum IL-6 and IFN-γ levels were significantly elevated in the non-responders group in comparison to the responders group. The estimated marker serum levels showed a strong, significant correlation with the 6-month change in DAS28. Conclusions: In Rituximab nonresponder RA patients, serum levels of Factor I, CD59, Factor H, IL-6, and IFN-γ are higher, and they have good potential to be used in the assessment of the response to Rituximab therapy.
Osteoporosis (OP) is a systemic skeletal disease characterized by low bone mineral density and deterioration of bone architecture, resulting in bone strength reduction and increased fracture susceptibility. Estrogen deficiency in post-menopausal women is possibly responsible for the instability between bone formation and resorption, which is managed by specific osteoclastogenic cytokines that may be leading to resorption. This study aims to estimation of the concentrations of interleukins −8, −17, −22, beside to certain parameters in blood serum and explained their roles in the development of osteoporosis pathogenicity in postmenopausal women. Materials and Methods A case-control study included 108 Iraqi postmenopausal women participa
... Show MoreDemocracy in any country is measured by the cultural, social and economic level reached by women in it in general and women with disabilities in particular, and the extent of their participation in political life and political decision-making. As a result of the patriarchal power that societies have known, including Iraq, history has witnessed multiple types and forms of discrimination against women, which differed from one country to another, this matter has pushed women and since the beginning of the last century the issue of women's rights has been raised at the global, regional and national levels, through holding international conferences and agreements In order to empower women in all social, economic and political fields.
... Show MoreThe purpose of the study is to identify the need to improve health services in Iraq by determining the efficiency of service in health care centres and working on exploiting limited resources through choosing the most efficient technological art represented by using precast concrete technology to fill the shortfall in the establishment health centres for primary care and to explain the impact of this on saving resources, time, and increasing production efficiency. To achieve this, the quantitative analysis adopted as a methodology in the study by determining the size of the deficit in the infrastructure of health centres for primary care according to the standard of a he
... Show MoreIntroduction: Cutaneous leishmaniasis is considered a parasitic contagion resulting from the flagellated parasite belonging to the genus of Leishmania. Also, cutaneous leishmaniasis is a zoonotic ailment transmitted through the bloodsucking sand-flies bite (belonging to the Phlebotomus genus). The disease's reservoirs included wild or semi-domesticated animals, in general rodents and dogs. Tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) is one of the extracellular matrix proteins that have a role in vessel wall degeneration and aneurysm development. In addition, it belongs to the zinc-dependent endopeptidases family that are involved in the degradation of connective tissues proteins which are included in vascular integrity maintenance. The Ge
... Show MoreMany pathophysiological processes can affect the pharmacokinetic properties of drugs in people with diabetes. The present study was deigned to evaluate the influence of diabetes mellitus (DM) on the pharmacokinetic parameters of metronidazole administered as single oral dose. Twelve healthy volunteers and twelve diabetic patients were enrolled in the present study. On day 1, a single oral dose of metronidazole 500 mg was administered orally to all participants at 9:00 am after a 10-hour fasting. Over the following 48 hours, blood samples were taken at frequent intervals and serum metronidazole concentrations were measured by a high-performance liquid chromatography method for assessment of pharmacokinetics of metronid
... Show MoreMany pathophysiological processes can affect the pharmacokinetic properties of drugs in people with diabetes. The present study was deigned to evaluate the influence of diabetes mellitus (DM) on the pharmacokinetic parameters of metronidazole administered as single oral dose. Twelve healthy volunteers and twelve diabetic patients were enrolled in the present study. On day 1, a single oral dose of metronidazole 500 mg was administered orally to all participants at 9:00 am after a 10-hour fasting. Over the following 48 hours, blood samples were taken at frequent intervals and serum metronidazole concentrations were measured by a high-performance liquid chromatography method for assessment of pharmacokinetics of metronidazole. The data
... Show MoreForest fires continue to rise during the dry season and they are difficult to stop. In this case, high temperatures in the dry season can cause an increase in drought index that could potentially burn the forest every time. Thus, the government should conduct surveillance throughout the dry season. Continuous surveillance without the focus on a particular time becomes ineffective and inefficient because of preventive measures carried out without the knowledge of potential fire risk. Based on the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI), formulation of Drought Factor is used just for calculating the drought today based on current weather conditions, and yesterday's drought index. However, to find out the factors of drought a day after, the data
... Show MoreThis study investigated the prevalence of quinolones resistance proteins encoding genes (qnr genes) and co-resistance for fluoroquinolones and β-lactams among clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Out of 150 clinical samples, 50 isolates of K. pneumoniae were identified according to morphological and biochemical properties. These isolates were collected from different clinical samples, including 15 (30%) urine, 12 (24%) blood, 9 (18%) sputum, 9 (18%) wound, and 5 (10%) burn. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) assay revealed that 15 (30%) of isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin (≥4µg/ml), 11 (22%) of isolates were resistant to levofloxacin (≥8 µg/ml), 21 (42%) of isolates were re
... Show MoreThe present study conducted on 30 female patients with osteoarthritis 0A a
attending Baghdad teaching hosp ital, in addition to 30 healthy females , all subjects
were ( 35-65) years old.
Some biochemical parameters were measured in the sera of patients and healthy
group s. The parameters were Glutathione (GSH). Ceruloplasmin (Cp) and some trace
elements ,including Copper (Cu) ,Cu/ Cp ratio and Selenium (Se) were determined . The
results revealed a significant reduction in all parameters of patients sera compared to
healthy group .
The reduction in GSH and Cu/Cp ratio confirms tissue damage associated with
oxidative stress injury
A conclusion was obtained hrer ,that Cu wasn’t an important ele
Introduction and Aim: Graves ophthalmopathy is one of the pandemic public health disorders in Iraq. The current investigation attempts to determine the variation in the complete total blood cells on the recovery of individuals with Graves' ophthalmopathy following low and high-dose Radioactive Iodine 131 (RI-131) exposures. Materials and Methods: The complete blood CBC level in people with Graves' illness and healthy, normal controls were quantitatively identified using the CBC counter. Thyroid stimulating hormone was utilized to compare the recovery of ophthalmopathy patients in comparison to a control group. Results: In comparison to healthy controls, patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy disease who received 10 mci of RAI-
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