Background: Since the introduction of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) inhibitors including etanercept, their efficacy and safety in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have been studied in many randomized controlled clinical trials. However, data regarding predictors of clinical response to anti-TNF therapy are still sparse.
Objective: To assess the predictors of response to etanercept in treatment of Iraqi patients with active RA.
Methods: An open label single group prospective study was conducted over 15 months on 190 Iraqi patients with RA. All the included patients were given etanercept at a dose of 50 mg by subcutaneous injection on
a weeklybases. Each patient was followed at regular intervals of bas

Background: . Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is an unresolving inflammation of the liver of unknown cause associated with interface hepatitis on histological examination,hypergammaglobulinemia and presence of circulating autoantibodies. Antibody-mediated tissue injury might be responsible for tissue injury in AIH therefore; a number of studies have been focused on the complement system in these patients .
The aim of the study is to estimate the level of complement (C3 and C4) in different types of Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH).
Methods: The study M’as performed on 73 Iraqi patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), attending the teaching hospital for gastroenterology and liver disease in a period betM'een November 2003 and July 2004. : A

Background: Dysfunction of sinoatrial node is a set of abnormal rhythms which are resulted from the sinoatrial node malfunctionof the sinus node, the chief natural cardiac pacemaker. The common, and occasionally, the single method for treatment of heart arrhythmias wasimplantation of pacemaker, which reduce symptoms exactly occurs after implantation. Aim: To detect the association between red cell width diameter (RDW) and some cardiac electrophysiology parameters in sinus node dysfunction in Iraqi patients such as SNRT and AH. Methods: A cross sectional study, was conducted on 59 patient ranging between 20-50 years old and involving 35 female and 24 male patients, suffering from an unexplained symptoms of sinoatrial node dysfunction (SND).

The present study was conducted with a view to determine whether focal laser therapy result in visual recovery and regression of macular edema in patients with non proliferative diabetic retinopathy and maculopathy ,and whether combined focal and scatter laser therapy in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy and maculopathy results in visual recovery ,regression of macular edema and regression of the risk factors. In the present work, a frequency doubled Nd: YAG laser was used for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy. The study evaluates 41 eyes of 33 diabetic patients both with Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus IDDM, (n=16) and Non Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus NIDDM, (n=17) with diabetic retinopathy divided into two

Background: Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the most commonly encountered valve lesion in modern clinical practice. Severe mitral regurgitation may cause systolic dysfunction. Left ventricular ejection fraction may not be an accurate measurement of LV function in patients with mitral insufficiency. Myocardial performance index (MPI) is a simple non invasive measure of myocardial function. Methods: The study involved 50 patients with valvular mitral regurgitation and 50 healthy subjects as a control group. Transthoracic echocardiography was carried out for all patients and control group. The echocardiographic measurements included left ventricular end diastolic and end systolic dimensions, left atrial diameter, ejection fraction (EF), and myoca

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia in daily practice and one of the heart disorders with the highest morbidity and death rates, as it is responsible for a huge number of negative consequences. In our country, there is limited information on the prevalence or natural history of the less well-defined clinical types.

Objective: to evaluate the clinical profile and coronary artery findings in atrial fibrillation patients.

Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted during the period from the first of October 2019 to end of July 2021 at the Iraqi Center for the heart disease at Baghdad Medical City. Included 32 Iraqi patients with atri

Background:-M. pneumoniae is an important human pathogen that produces community-acquired respiratory tract infection. Diagnosis of M. pneumoniae infection is challenging and crucial for the timely initiation of the effective antibiotic therapy.
Objective: This study has been undertaken to detect M. pneumoniae in respiratory samples (throat swabs, throat wash and sputum) in patients with respiratory tract infection qualitatively by conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Also, more advanced one, real time PCR was used to determine mycoplasmal target gene qualitatively and quantitatively.
Patients and methods: The study was performed on Seventy-five patients and thirty healthy subject as control. Genomic DNA was extracted and

Introduction: Selenium is an essential trace element involved in different physiological functions of the human body. An inverse relationship between serum selenium levels and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia has been reported. cervical intraepithelial neoplasia is regarded as a potentially premalignant transformation of squamous cells of the cervix. Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between the serum level of selenium and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Methods: A case-control study was conducted at Baghdad Teaching Hospital and Iraqi National Cancer Research Center in the University of Baghdad during the period from July 2021 to July 2022. A convenient sample of 100 women was enrolled in the current study and included