Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common disease and it accounts for over 10% of all hospital medical admission. Cigarette smoking is the most important risk factor. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PHT) is a common complication of COPD and the increase in pulmonary artery pressure is often mild to moderate. The presence of pulmonary arterial pressure and its severity is readily and reliably determined by transthoracic echocardiography in majority of COPD patients.
Patients and Methods: This study included 55 patients with mean age 65.6 ±8.2 years .The mean duration of symptoms was 18 ±10 months. 32 patients (58%) were current smoker, 18 patients (33%) were exsmoker and 5 patients (9%) were non smoker. The mean intensity of smoking for smoker was 49.5 ± 22.2 pack- years. For all patients, history, clinical examination, ECG, CXR, and routine blood tests were done. For all patients pulmonary function tests were done and patients were classified according to GOLD criteria into 4 stages. Echocardiography was done for all patients; ventricular and atrial dimensions were taken, and using Doppler technique to detect tricuspid and pulmonary regurgitation, estimation of pulmonary artery
systolic and/or diastolic pressure using special formulas was undertaken.
Results: Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) jet was found in 70.9% of patients with COPD. Increased pulmonary artery systolic pressure was found in 51% of patients with TR (36% of total patients) and increased pulmonary vascular resistance was found in 48.7% of patients with TR (34.5% of total patients). There were significant associations between echo findings of increasing RV size, TR, increased pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance with decrease in FEV1, FEV1/VC and oxygen saturation. There was no significant association with decrease in vital capacity.
Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of pulmonary arterial hypertension with increasing severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
To determine the important pathogenic role of celiac disease in triggering several autoimmune disease, thirty patients with Multiple Sclerosis of ages (22-55) years have been investigated and compared with 25 healthy individuals. All the studied groups were carried out to measure anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies IgA IgG by ELISA test, anti-reticulin antibodies IgA and IgG, and anti-endomysial antibodies IgA and IgG by IFAT. There was a significant elevation in the concentration of anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies IgA and IgG compared to control groups (P≤0.05), there was 4(13.33%) positive results for anti-reticulin antibodies IgA and IgG , 3(10%) positive results for anti-endomysial antibodies IgA and IgG . There were 4 pos
... Show MoreTo determine the important pathogenic role of celiac disease in triggering several
autoimmune disease, thirty patients with Multiple Sclerosis of ages (22-55) years
have been investigated and compared with 25 healthy individuals. All the studied
groups were carried out to measure anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies IgA IgG
by ELISA test, anti-reticulin antibodies IgA and IgG, and anti-endomysial
antibodies IgA and IgG by IFAT. There was a significant elevation in the
concentration of anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies IgA and IgG compared to
control groups (P≤0.05), there was 4(13.33%) positive results for anti-reticulin
antibodies IgA and IgG , 3(10%) positive results for anti-endomysial antibodies
Abstract
Background: A significant proportion of patients with ischemic heart disease have been associated with peripheral arterial disease, yet it is still underestimated by our health system as many of patients are asymptomatic and this condition remains under diagnosed and therefore undertreated.
Objective: To study prevalence of peripheral arterial disease of the lower limbs in patient with acute coronary syndrome and its association with certain risk factors.
Method: A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted in the coronary care unit at Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital from the 1st of January 2016 to the 1st of Novem
... Show MoreSerum samples were obtained from patients suffering from chronic Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) disease. They were divided into three groups; 20 patients with RA taking biological treatment Etanercept (Enbrel), 20 patients with RA not taking biological treatment (disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug) and 10 people as healthy control group. The ages of these patients and control group were between 46-50 years old; one male and 19 female in each group. The samples were used for measuring the levels of Interleukin (IL)-1 Beta and Interleukin-10 using the Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay technique. Both interleukins were at their highest levels in the group of RA patients treated with biological treatment followed by the RA patients group that
... Show MoreIn this paper, the restricted least squares method is employed to estimate the parameters of the Cobb-Douglas production function and then analyze and interprete the results obtained. A practical application is performed on the state company for leather industries in Iraq for the period (1990-2010). The statistical program SPSS is used to perform the required calculations.
IGF-1 is a protein produced by the liver in response to growth hormone stimulus.One important key in effectively preventing and treating osteo arthritis, is establishing a healthy balance of IGF-1. Leptin is a hormone produced by adipose tissue, acting as a sensor of fat mass in part of a negative feedback loop that maintains a set point for body fat stores. Leptin plays an important role in &nbs
... Show MoreBackground: 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).
... Show MoreBackground: Left ventricular function and volumes have major diagnostic and prognostic importance in patients with various cardiac diseases, such as ischemic heart disease which is a life-threatening heart disease condition characterized by systolic dysfunction and a decrease in cardiac output.
According to left ventricular ejection fraction, the degree of ischemic heart disease was classified as mild, moderate, and severe. To determine cardiac function and hemodynamics, the echocardiography technique is used, which is a noninvasive diagnostic method.
Patients and Methods: The study included 216 patients between 25 and 75 years old; 121 males and 95 females; 265 normal individuals (age range: 25 to 75 years ol
... Show MoreAbstract
Objective(s): A descriptive study aimed to determine nurses' knowledge about chest physiotherapy techniques for patients with Corona virus disease and observe the relationship between nurses' knowledge and their socio-demographic characteristics.
Methodology: The study was directed in isolation units of Al- Hussein teaching hospitals in Thi-Qar, Iraq for the period from June 1st, 2022 to November 27th, 2022. Non- probability (purposively) sample comprised 41 nurses. A questionnaire was used for data collection and it consists of two parts: the first part comprises socio demographic features, the second part includes self- administered questionnaire sheet wa
... Show MoreBackground: Among individuals who have a stenotic aortic valve, a precise assessment of aortic valve area is essential for clinical judgment. So far, no studies have been conducted to investigate and assess the role of the three dimensional echo-cardiography in the assessment of the valve stenosis. This study aims to compare and assess the precision of the measurement of the stenosis area of the aortic valve by 2D versus 3D echo-cardiography.