Vitiligo is an acquired idiopathic skin disorder characterized by depigmented macules due to loss of cutaneous melanocytes. A potential role of the immune dysfunction has been suggested in vitiligo, so to test this hypothesis, certain cytokines (IL-17A and TNF-?) and immunoglobulins (IgM, IgG, IgA and total IgE) were investigated in all participants. The study included: 60 patients with age range between (6-55) year; 30(11 males and 19 females) were untreated and 30(12 males and 18 females) were treated with Narrow Band Ultraviolet-B (NB-UVB) and 30 (14 males and 16 females) apparently healthy control. Serum was separated and cytokines (IL-17A and TNF-?) and total immunoglobulin E (IgE) were detected by using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA); while immunoglobulins (IgM, IgG and IgA) were detected by using Single Radial Immunodiffusion (SRID) method. The results showed that the mean levels of serum IL-17A and TNF-? in both untreated and NB-UVB treated vitiligo patients were increased significantly (p ? 0.05) as compared with healthy control. The mean levels of serum IgG and IgA in untreated vitiligo patients showed non significant decreased (P<0.05) as compared to healthy control; while serum IgM and IgE levels were found to be increased, but the increase was statistically non significant (P<0.05). The mean levels of serum IgM and IgG in NB-UVB treated vitiligo patients showed a significant increased (p ? 0.05) as compared to both untreated vitiligo patients and healthy control, while serum IgA level found to be increased, but the increase was statistically non significant (P<0.05) as compared to untreated vitiligo patients. From these findings we can conclude that marked high serum levels of IL-17A and TNF-? in vitiligo patients clarify their important participation in the pathogenesis of vitiligo, also the alteration in the mean levels of serum immunoglobulins indicate the role of humoral immunity in vitiligo patients. Among the treatment options available in vitiligo, phototherapy especially NB-UVB was one of the safest and most effective especially in patients with generalized vitiligo.
Background: Hand osteoarthritis (HOA) is a common joint disorder leading to considerable pain and with substantial impact on hand function. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a measurable index of the presence of atherosclerosis. Increased CIMT is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality and morbidity, so early diagnosis and management may improve quality of life.
Objective: To assess the relationship between carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and hand osteoarthritis (HOA), and to evaluate the predictors of this relationship.
Patients and Methods: One hundred Iraqi HOA patients and 100 healthy controls were included in this study. Full history was taken and complete clinical examination was done for all patients
Background: Factor V Leiden is considered the most common inherited risk factor for venous thrombosis in Caucasian populations, including those in the Eastern Mediterranean region. While several studies have addressed Factor V Leiden prevalence in patients with venous thrombosis in the Eastern Mediterranean countries, none have been reported from Iraq.
Objective: To study the prevalence of Factor V Leiden in an unselected group of Iraqi patients with Deep Venous thrombosis.
Materials and Methods: A total of 50 unselected patients with deep venous thrombosis referred to the Medical City Teaching Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq, as well as 40 age and sex matched controls, were enrolled. The evaluation included in addition to detailed histo
The use of antibiotics (AB) in surgery focused in either treating established infection or to prevent suspected post-operative infection. Inappropriate use of antibiotic for treatment of patients with common infections is a major problem worldwide, with great implications with regards to cost of treatment and development of resistance to the antimicrobial agent. Moreover, antibiotics may often be dispensed without a clear clinical indication. This study was conducted to estimate the medication errors in using antibiotic for surgery patients which may effect their wound healing. A 260 patients with clean-contaminated and contaminated surgery were included from two teaching hospitals, 160 patient from Medical city hospital and 100 fro
... Show MoreEndometriosis, an autoimmune disease is among one of the most challenging of the 21 st century that affects women in reproductive age. The aim of the present study is to highlight the role of IL-36γ, and its relationship with other cytokines (Ang-2 and TNF-α) in the pathogenesis of endometriosis . Seventy five (75) consecutive women patient of reproductive age (25-40) years were enrolled in this study , Patients were divided into three groups , group 1 (G1) included (25) newly diagnosed endometriotic patients , that were not given any treatment related to Gynecology or anti-inflammatory medications . Second group : group 2 (G2) consists of (25) endometriotic patient who were treated with zoladex
... Show MoreThe modernity of election practices of the elections in Iraq, according to the democratic approach, has led to a struggle between political rival forces reflecting a deep pressure on the tools involved in the management, marketing or control of these elections across the general social level. Hence the problem of research resides in answering the following question: What is the nature and size of the pressures affecting the media performance of Al-Iraqia News channel before the legislative elections of 2018 in Iraq?
The objectives of the research were the following:
1. to identify the nature of the pressures that limit the Al-Iraqia News channel’s perfo
The present research design examines the relationship between SCARB1 gene expression and the progression of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in Iraqi patients. The variations in gene expression between patients with CML and healthy controls were investigated. The gender and age correlations with CML patients were included, as was the association of gene expression folding of the SCARB1 gene with clinical data (WBC, RBC, hemoglobin, platelets, and BCR-ABL gene). The results displayed a significant difference in the mean gene expression level (∆Ct) of the CML group when compared to the matching ∆Ct values in the healthy control group. The gene expression folding of the SCARB1 gene indicates considerable changes in expression, wh
... Show MoreBackground: Because of its clinical and surgical importance and lack of precise information about this rare and important anatomical landmark, this study was designed to detect the presence, configurations and length of Mandibular Retromolar Canal (MRMC) with aid of CBCT visualization. Materials and methods: In this retrospective study the data was obtained from Specialist Health Center in AL-Sadder city in Baghdad for (100) patients with 200 inferior dental canal, all of them referred to CBCT scan (Kodak 9500, French origin). The scanning was done with tube voltage 90 kVp, tube current with 10mA and exposure time was 10 s., the field of view was measured with 5cm x 3.7cmwith 0.03mm voxel size Results: In the present study the prevalence of
... Show MoreIn order to investigate the levels of reduced glutathione GSH and α1-antitrypsine in the sera of 20 type 2 diabetic patients and 10 healthy subjects, were enrolled in this study. A significant reduction in GSH level was found in the patient group compared with control. On the other hand a significant elevation in α1-antitrypsine in patient compared with control was observed. Correlation between α1-antitrypsine and reduced glutathion was found to be positive (+Ve) for diabetes mellitus type2 patients and negative (-Ve) for healthy control with r values 0.257 and – 0.339 respectively. In conclusion the depletion of GSH as antioxidant defense insured higher free radical generation in diabetic patients
... Show MoreThis paper aims to find out if FOXP-3 was expressed in samples from Iraqi cervical cancer patients. Expression of FOXP-3 was detected in 55 cervical tissue samples by immunohistochemistry. Since thirty-five cases of aggressive cervical cancer were included, along with 20 normal samples used as controls. The nucleus and cytoplasm levels of FOXP-3 were counted, considering the ratio of positive cells and intensity. FOXP3 cytoplasmic staining was found in 27 out of 35 cases. Only 11 out of 35 samples displayed nuclear lymphocyte staining. Furthermore, four samples expressed this marker in both the nuclear and cytoplasm of the cervical cells. There is a highly significant difference in FOXP3 expression in the cytoplasm of
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