End Stage Renal Disease is a well-known global public health problem. Maintenance hemodialysis is considered a life-saving treatment for patients with such disease. This treatment method that requires patients to be adherent to hemodialysis attendance, dietary and fluid recommendations as well as adherence to prescribed medications to ensure success. The aim of the current study was to assess adherence, perception, and counseling among hemodialysis patients to different modalities of treatment (fluid restriction, dietary recommendations, medications, and hemodialysis schedules). A cross-sectional study carried out on hemodialysis patients who attended to the dialysis centers at al- Karama teaching hospital and Madinat Al- Imamain Al- Kadhimain teaching hospital. The Arabic version of the “ end stage renal disease-adherence questionnaire ” was used in assessing adherence, perception, and counseling. The number of recruited patients were 200 adult patients (113 men and 87 women). The average of the total adherence score lies within the moderate adherence (984.9 ±174.2). Patients adherence to the hemodialysis session was good as representing by high scores of adherence for (hemodialysis-attendance, episode of hemodialysis-shortening and duration of hemodialysis-shortening) while the lowest adherence score (126.0 out of 200) was for following the fluid restriction. In terms of adherence categories, the majority (61%) of the patients had good adherence, 33.0% had moderate adherence with 6% had poor adherence. Age had significant positive association with the total adherence score. All patients perceived their hemodialysis management as highly/very important. On the other hand, some patients perceived their adherence to the recommended diet as moderately (7%) or less important (7%). Regarding the frequency of counseling received by patients for different treatment modalities. The negative answers represented 58.5% of answers about the how important is to follow a proper diet, and 25.0% of answers about the importance of taking prescribed medications as ordered. Accordingly, the overall adherence of hemodialysis patients to different treatment modalities was less than optimum with fluid and diet adherence representing most challenging tasks in the health care of hemodialysis patients.
The aim of this study is to compare the effects of three methods: problem-based learning (PBL), PBL with lecture method, and conventional teaching on self-directed learning skills among physics undergraduates. The actual sample size comprises of 122 students, who were selected randomly from the Physics Department, College of Education in Iraq. In this study, the pre- and post-test were done and the instruments were administered to the students for data collection. The data was analyzed and statistical results rejected null hypothesis of this study. This study revealed that there are no signifigant differences between PBL and PBL with lecture method, thus the PBL without or with lecture method enhances the self-directed learning skills bette
... Show MoreBackground: Dental caries is generally given the highest priority in national oral health services for adult populations. Yet, there is no study which has explored the impact on quality of life specifically related to dental caries in samples of dental students. The purpose of the current study was to assess the impact of caries experience on quality of life among dental students in three governorates in Iraq. Materials and Methods: This observational study included 1364 dental students aged 18–22 years old, from three governorates. Information on quality of life was obtained from a structured, self-administered questionnaire from the students who were willing to participate in the study. The data was collected, summarized and sta
... Show MoreBackground: Errors of horizontal condylar inclinations and Bennett angles had largely affected the articulation of teeth and the pathways of cusps. The aim of this study was to estimate and compare between the horizontal condylar (protrusive) angles and Bennett angles of full mouth rehabilitation patients using two different articulator systems. Materials and Methods: Protrusive angles and Bennett angles of 50 adult males and females Iraqi TMD-free full mouth rehabilitation patients were estimated by using two different articulator systems. Arbitrary hinge axis location followed by protrusive angles and Bennett angles, estimation was done by a semiadjustable articulator system. A fully adjustable articulator system was utilized to locate th
... Show MoreBackground: This study evaluate the immunohistochemical expression profile of transforming growth factor beta-1 in inflamed gingival tissue of patients with gingivitis and chronic periodontitis compared to healthy subjects and, determine the correlation between this cytokine and the clinical periodontal parameters, intensity of inflammation and chronic periodontitis severity. Materials and methods: Gingival tissue specimens were taken from 23 chronic periodontitis patients, 20 gingivitis patients and 20 periodontally healthy subjects. The periodontal status was evaluated by dichotomous measurements of the clinical periodontal parameters (PLI, GI, BOP, PPD, CAL). The gingival specimens were fixed immediately in 10% formalin and processed ro
... Show MoreCertain bacterial and viral infectious agents may play a role in the activation of inflammation in atherosclerosis lesions. Epidemiological studies indicate that infectious agents may predispose patients to atherosclerosis as Infections have been associated with an increased risk of this disease. Moreover, a positive antibody status has been detected against some infectious organisms associated with atherosclerotic rupture. Infectious agents found in human atheroma, which may directly cause or accelerate atherosclerosis , include many pathogens but the present study focused on Helicobacter pylori, hepatitis B virus surface antigen and C. In order to evaluate the possible association between H. pylori, HBV, and HCV infections and the risk of
... Show More313 blood samples were collected from bacteremia patients, including 146 samples (30 from patients and 116 from outpatients) from Azadi teaching hospital, 36 samples from the dialysis unit at Kirkuk General Hospital, 126 samples (42 from inpatients and 84 from outpatients) from the Children's Hospital, and 5 samples from the Women's and Obstetrics Hospital in Kirkuk province, for the period from January 24, 2022, to September 10, 2022. The study, including the isolation and diagnosis of bacteria and the study of their resistance to antibiotics, The results show that 32 (17.87%) positive growth cultures were obtained from febrile patients, 3 (8.33%) from dialysis patients in the dialysis unit, and 15 (65.21%) from burn and wound patients.
... Show MoreIn individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CNR1) gene polymorphism has been linked to diabetic nephropathy (DN). Different renal disorders, including DN, have been found to alter cannabinoid (CB) receptor expression and activation. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the relationship between CNR1 rs1776966256 and rs1243008337 genetic variants and the risk of developing DN in Iraqi patients with T2DM. The study included 100 patients with T2DM, divided into two groups: 50 with DN and 50 without DN. Genotyping of CNR1 rs1776966256 and rs1243008337 polymorphisms was conducted using PCR in DN patients and control samples. The distribution of rs1776966256 and rs1243008337 genotypes and alleles bet
... Show MoreBackground: Chronic periodontitis (CP) is greatly prevalent condition of inflammatory behavior. Salivary biomarker total antioxidants capacity (T-AOC) status, may be related to both periodontal condition and oral hygiene. Aims of the study: To assess the level of salivary T-AOC of patients with chronic periodontitis in comparison to healthy control and to correlate between the level of this marker with the clinical periodontal parameters (plaque index (PLI), gingival index (GI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing pocket depth (PPD), and clinical attachment level (CAL)). Materials and Methods: Ninety subjects of males and females with an age ranged between (35-55) years were participated in this study. Participants were divided into two grou
... Show MoreWhile hepatitis viruses A–E are established, emerging evidence points to additional, novel viral hepatitis agents. The torqueteno virus (TTV) has garnered interest due to its prevalence among patients with hepatitis, suggesting potential hepatotropism.
This study was conducted to detect TTV antigens in individuals infected with chronic hepatitis B (HBV) and/or C (HCV) using molecular diagnostics and to explore any associations between TTV presence and demographic characteristics of the cohort.