Background: EOS (encoded by the IKZF4 gene) is a member of the zinc finger transcription factor IKaros family, and plays a critical role in Treg suppressor functions, and maintaining Treg stability. IL-6 is a soluble mediator with a pleiotropic effect on inflammation, immune response, and hematopoiesis. Aim: To estimate serum IL-6 level and EOS gene expression in Iraqi patients with psoriasis. Method: Twenty-two patients with psoriasis (8 females, 14 males) with age ranged 18-72 years, were recruited from Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Dermatology Clinic, Baghdad, and 24 healthy donors. The serum levels of IL-6 by ELISA and the gene expression of IKZF4 (EOS gene) by RT-qPCR technique. Results: The results showed a non-significant diffe

Background: β-thalassemia major is a genetic disorder characterized by reduced rate of β-globin chain production. Clinically, β-thalassemia major is a severe, transfusion-dependant disorder; repeated blood transfusion will lead eventually to chronic liver disease.
Patients and Methods: One hundred patients ; 56 males and 44 females who were known cases with β-thalassemia major on regular blood transfusion, aged between 6 months and 18 years, were studied in a private pathology laboratory, between January 2002-January 2006.Blood was drawn to estimate serum glutamic pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) and serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) levels.
Results: Sixty-six patients (66%) had elevated S

Schizophrenia (SZ) is severe mental disorder and characterized by fundamental disturbances in thinking, perception and emotions. Immune deregulation has been postulated to be one of the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. This study hypothesized that interleukins would have a link with schizophrenia patients. The serum IL-2 and IL-10 levels were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in schizophrenia patients (n=60) and healthy controls (n = 30). The results showed that serum IL-2 and IL-10 levels were significantly different among schizophrenia patients. The observations indicate a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in schizophrenic patients serum levels of IL-2 compared with healthy control. Whereas

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an important complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Oxidative stress plays a major role in the development of CVD. Saliva has a diagnostic properties aiding in the detection of systemic diseases. This study aimed to assess the association between salivary oxidative stress markers and the risk of vascular disease (VD) in T2DM patients. Materials and Methods: One hundred T2DM patients and fifty apparently healthy males were enrolled in this study. Saliva sample was collected for assessment of oxidative stress markers including: lipid peroxidation plasma thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), uric acid (UA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels. Arterial stiffness index (ASI

   The aim of this study was to evaluate the biological importance of the magnitude of oxidative stress, antioxidant and the levels of nitric oxide (NO) in the female patients infected with Toxoplasma gondii by analyzing the levels of erythrocyte malondialdehyde (MDA) as an indicator for the oxidative stress and erythrocyte reduced glutathione (GSH) level as indicator for the antioxidant status and serum nitric oxide levels. This prospective study was conducted on fifty female patients with toxoplasmosis and thirty normal healthy females of comparable age and sex were considered as normal control. A statistically significant difference was found between patients and control group in terms of MDA, GSH and NO levels. A decrease i

To investigate the effects of losartan and enalapril on serum uric acid in hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome, one hundred and twenty six newly diagnosed mild hypertensive patients, having markers of metabolic syndrome included  in the study. The patients were divided into two groups. Group 1 (60 patients) was given losartan (50 mg/ day) and group 2 (66 patients)  enalapril (20 mg/ day) for a duration of 2 months. A control group of seventy apparently healthy individuals were included. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed according to diagnostic criteria of metabolic syndrome related to the American National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III. Serum uric acid levels were measured bef

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common cause of anovulation during reproductive life.Resistin can increase ovarian androgen production by directly stimulating ovarian theca cell or indirectly by augmenting pancreatic – B cell production of insulin.
Patients and Methods: Sixty patients with PCOS who were non diabetic and not taking any medicine for the last three months were involved in the study .Thirty normal fertile female serves as control group. Fasting blood samples were aspirated from all individuals from 3rd - 6th day of the menstrual cycle to measure resistin, insulin, glucose, LH, FSH, TT3, TT4, Prolactin , Total Testosterone and lipid profile, by ELISA and rou

Background: Osteoporosis is a frequent disease that is manifested by reduced in mineral density and raised in fracture risk. Recent studies have indicated that osteoporosis is caused by composite connections among local and systemic regulators of bone cell function.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between interleukin-2, interleukin-4, and some biochemical markers in Iraqi patients with osteoporosis.
Patients and Methods: Forty five osteoporotic patients were incorporated in this study (30 women and 15 men). Serum fasting glucose, lipid profile, alkaline phosphatase activity, calcium, magnesium, interleukin-2, and interleukin-4 were measured in osteoporotic patients and compared them with the

Background:

Objectives : This prospective   study aimed to  estimate interleukins 1 and 10  levels in acute  hepatitis (G) in Iraqi patients with leukemiaHepatitis G virus and GB virus C (GBV-C)  RNA viruses that were independently identified in 1995, and were subsequently found to be two isolates of the same virus. Blood transfusion is the main risk factor for HGV transmission Immune-mediated mechanisms are believed to play an important pathogenic role in  hepatitis G virus infection. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) plays an important role in the inflammatory process. implying that IL-1 may play a role in viral clearance and  suggesting that IL-1 has direct antiviral

During infection, T. gondii disseminates by the circulatory system and establishes chronic infection in several organs. Almost third of humans, immunosuppressed individuals such as HIV/AIDS patients, cancer patients, and organ transplant recipients are exposed to toxoplasmosis. Therefore, the study aimed to investigate the possibility that Toxoplasma infection could be a risk factor for COVID-19 patients and its possible correlation with C-reactive protein and ferritin. Overall 220 patients referred to the Al Furat General Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq were enrolled from 2020–2021. All serum samples were tested for T. gondii immunoglobulins (IgG and IgM) antibodies, C-reactive protein and ferritin levels. In patients with COVID-19, the results