Background: Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE)-derived mitral annular displacement (MAD) utilizes the speckle tracking technique to measure strain vectors, which provides accurate estimates of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).Objectives: To validate the accuracy of mitral annular displacement (MAD), assessed by Speckle Tracking Echocardiography (STE), as a surrogate for determination of left ventricular systolic function in comparison to 2-Dimensions Simpson method in patients with different heart diseases.Methods : This cross-sectional study included patients who referred to outpatient department of Ibn Albitar Center for Cardiac Surgery, Baghdad, Iraq, between October 2012 and April 2013. STE continuously tracked annular

Background: Human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G)and Toll-like receptor-9 (TLR-9)play a role in the regulation of autoimmune diseases and inflammatory processes. Aim of the study: To detect the HLA-G + 3142G > C gene polymorphism that associated with the susceptibility to SLE patients and associated with Hepatitis B infection and TLR-9 serum level. Patients and methods: This study was done on 75 SLE patients and 75 healthy control groups. Genotyping of HLA-G + 3142G > C were detected by PCR and PCR-RFLP methods. In addition to the estimation of Hepatitis B surface (HBs)antigen status by immunochromatography technique and TLR-9 serum level by ELISA technique. Results: The HLA-G + 3142G > C gene polymorphism between the SLE patients and controls

         Long-term use of sulfonylureas including chlorpropamide, is known to potentiate the antidiuretic action of arginine vasopressin (AVP), predisposing to hyponatremia.The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of long term use of glibenclamide on serum and urinary levels of sodium and potassium in Type 2 DM patients in Iraqi DM centers. Ninety eight patients with Type 2 DM who were maintained on different doses of glibenclamide for at least 1 year, attending the centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology in Al-Rusafa, Baghdad, were enrolled in the study, in addition to 15 normal healthy subjects. Patients were allocated into three groups according to the dose of glibenc

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

Objective: Detection the presumptive prevalence of silent celiac disease in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus with determination of which gender more likely to be affected.
Methods: One hundred twenty asymptomatic patients [75 male , 45 female] with type 1 diabetes mellitus with mean age ± SD of 11.25 ± 2.85 year where included in the study . All subjects were serologically screened for the presence of anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA antibodies (anti-tTG antibodies) by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) & total IgA was also measured for all using radial immunodiffusion plate . Anti-tissue transglutaminase IgG was selectively done for patients who were expressing negative anti-tissue transglutaminase IgA with low tot

Objective: Detection the presumptive prevalence of
silent celiac disease in patients with type 1 diabetes
mellitus with determination of which gender more
likely to be affected.
Methods: One hundred twenty asymptomatic patients
[75 male , 45 female] with type 1 diabetes mellitus
with mean age ± SD of 11.25 ± 2.85 year where
included in the study . All subjects were serologically
screened for the presence of anti-tissue transglutaminase
IgA antibodies (anti-tTG antibodies) by Enzyme-
Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) & total IgA
was also measured for all using radial
immunodiffusion plate . Anti-tissue transglutaminase
IgG was selectively done for patients who were
expressing negative anti-