Background: Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is an inflammatory, systemic rheumatic condition that mostly affects the axial skeleton. Tenascin-C (TN-C) is a hexameric glycoprotein of considerable size, upregulated in many inflammatory conditions, while Interleukin-17 (IL-17) a cytokine that plays an important role in SpA symptoms. Objective: to investigate the upregulation between the serum levels of TN-C and IL-17 in Iraqi axSpA patients and the disease characteristics. Patients and Methods: Seventy-four axSpA patients and 28 matched controls were studied. Fifty-four patients received a tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) and 20 did not. Serum TN-C and IL-17 concentrations were determined using the ELISA technique. The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) was assessed. For statistical tests, Chi Square, Mann Whitney, Independent Samples T, and Pearson's correlation tests are used. Results: Patients mean age was 35.6±0.9 years, 65 males and 9 females, and disease duration was 5.18±0.6 years. 47.4% were smokers, 47% had inflammatory low back pain, and HLA-B27 was present in 91%. BASDAI mean was 6.1±0.4 in non-TNFi and 2.6±0.3 in those on TNFi. The serum TN-C concentration was significantly increased in patients, especially those on non-TNFi (79±9.6 pg/mL) compared to those on TNFi (69.1±3.2 pg/mL) and control (53±3.9 pg/mL) (p=0.003). Serum IL-17 was significantly elevated in those receiving TNFi (877.9±257 pg/mL) compared to non-TNFi (487.2±234 pg/mL) and control (182.4±36.6 pg/mL) (p=0.033). The TN-C significantly correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r=0.27, p=0.02) and with hemoglobin (Hb) concentration (r=0.26, p=0.02). TN-C and IL-17 were non-significantly related (r=0.14, p=0.2). Conclusions: axSpA Patients demonstrated high levels of serum TN-C, particularly in those not receiving TNFi, and high IL-17 levels in those receiving TNFi, suggesting that there is an association with tissue injury from the disease and stimulation of immunological and resident tissue cells. Patients who had not received TNFi showed significantly higher disease activity than others.
S Khalifa E, AM Sabeeh A, AN Adil A…, 2007
Background: Although the new treatment methods developed in recent years are aiming to minimize the need for cooperation of the patients; however, the latter still important factor the treatment. The aim of the study was to evaluate the cooperation level of Class III maloc-clusion patients with orthodontic treatment. Materials and methods: This study followed a cross-sectional style; the targeted population was patients with Class III malocclusion who were treated with three different types of orthopaedic appliances. Four questionnaires were delivered to the patient, patient’s parents, and orthodontists. Statistical analyses of the study were performed with SPSS 20.0 software. Descriptive analyses were presented using fre-quency, percenta
... Show MoreObjective: To evaluate the nurse's practices and it's relationship between with thier demographic characteristic.
Methodology: A descriptive study was carried out , from January 15th 2002 to April 15th 2002 , to evaluate the
nurse’s practices toward patients who undergo cardiac catheterization . A purposive sample of ( 65 ) nurse , was
selected out of three teaching hospitals in Baghdad city . These nurses were worked at the catheterization units
and catheterization labs .A questionnaire was constructed for the purpose of the study , which comprised of three
major parts in which there were ( 45 ) items . Reliability and validity of the questionnaire were determined
through the conduct of a pilot study .
Data were c
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 teachi
... Show MorePracticing physical activity is a very necessary requirement for all segments of society. . Many individuals, regardless of environment, age and gender, are exposed to joint diseases and injuries and pain in the neck for many and varied reasons. Treatment methods and techniques vary according to the severity of the injury, as therapeutic exercises, including stretching exercises, specifically fixed ones, are one of the ways to eliminate cases of muscle and joint dysfunction. Many individuals, regardless of environment, age and gender, are exposed to joint diseases and injuries and pain in the neck for many and varied reasons. Treatment methods and techniques differ according to the severity of the injury, as therapeutic exercises, including
... Show MoreConsidering the expanding frequency of breast cancer and high incidence of vitamin D3 [25(OH)D3] insufficiently, this investigate pointed to explain a relation between serum [25(OH)D3] (the sunshine vitamin) level and breast cancer hazard. The current study aimed to see how serum levels of each [25(OH)D3], HbA1c%, total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglyceride (TG) were affected a woman’s risk of getting breast cancer. In 40 healthy volunteers and 69 untreated breast cancer patients with clinical and histological evidence which include outpatients and hospitalized admissions patients at the Oncology Center, Medical City / Baghdad - Iraq. Venous blood samp
... Show MoreThe aim of this study is to evaluate oxidative stress in diabetes mellitus (DM) Type1 by the measurement of Glucose-6-phosphate Dehydrogenase (G-6-PD), an enzyme expressed in human RBCs, is important in the generation of reduced glutathione which is the key product in oxidative stress controls. The Study was carried on 80 samples of blood and serum of National Diabetes Center (NDC). The study groups under fasting conditions and they divided as:20 samples of diabetes mellitus patients without complications and 20 samples of diabetes mellitus with cardiovascular (CV) complications and 20 samples of diabetes mellitus with Nephropathy (Neph) complications compared with 20 control group with average age (13-67) years.. The results sh
... Show MoreBackground: The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov2) which utilizes angiotensin converting enzyme2 (ACE2) to invade the host cells. This membrane-bound peptidase is widely distributed in the body; its activity antagonizes the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). Once SARS-Cov2 enters the cell, it causes downregulation of ACE2, resulting in the unopposed activation of RAAS. The unregulated activity of the RAAS system can deteriorate the prognosis in COVID-19 patients. A soluble form of ACE2 (sACE2) was reported to have a role in the SARS-Cov2 invasion of the susceptible cells.
Aim of the study: This study aims to inve
... Show MoreBackground: To evaluate the bony supports of the teeth adjacent to the area of cleft in patient with unilateral cleft lip and palate and to compare these measurements with the measurements of the same teeth in non-cleft side by using CBCT. Materials and methods: The CBCT scans of 30 patients having cleft lip( unilateral) and palate(unilateral), were analyzed and the measurements of the alveolar bony support for teeth that are adjacent to the cleft area were measured with those teeth located on opposite side (non- clef) side. For each tooth, the measurements will taken for the distance between the( cementoenamel junction) (CEJ) and the bony crest (AC) at the( buccal area) was measured and the thickness of the buccal plate At zero, one, tw
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