The present study aims at assessing the effects of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on thyroid hormone and leptin by evaluating the level of: leptin hormone along with thyroid hormone in CKD patients. The study has been conducted on  70 subjects, 50 patients with an age range between 20-50 years (25  males and 25 females) who were diagnosed to have CKD stage-5, and 20 normal controls whose ages ranged between 20-48 years (10  males and 10 females), who attended  the Nephrology and Transplant Center in Medical City of Baghdad- Iraq from April  2018  to July  2018. The study showed a highly significant (P<0.01) increase in TSH level in CKD patients in comparison with controls. While T3 and T4 levels observed highly significant decrea

Background: Multiple Sclerosis disease is a demyelination process which interferes with the neuronal signal transmission, thus leading to different cognitive and physical dysfunctions like optic neuritis, motor, sensory and coordination problems. Recently many researches have been directed toward studying the relation between some genes and multiple sclerosis. Among the important genes to be studied in multiple sclerosis is the forkhead box P3 gene expression.
Objectives: The aims of the present work were to study the expression of forkhead box P3 gene by real time polymerase chain reaction, and to perform chromosomal analysis on the multiple sclerosis patients peripheral blood lymphocytes.
Patients and methods: A case-control stud

It was aimed to understand the interleukin-4 (IL-4) role in etio-pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Two approaches were adopted. In the first one, a quantitative expression of IL4 gene was assessed by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and such findings were correlated with some demographic, clinical and laboratory parameters, which included gender, duration of disease, disease activity score (DAS-28), rheumatoid factors (RFs), C-reactive protein (CRP) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (ACCP) antibodies. In the second approach, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of IL4 gene (rs2243250) was inspected by DNA sequencing using specific primers. Fifty-one Iraqi RA patients (22 males and 29 fem

Omentin (or intelectin) is a main visceral fat secretory adipokine.  There is a growing interest to link omentin, obesity and co-morbidity factors. The aim of the present study is to evaluate serum omentin and its association to insulin resistance biomarkers, lipid profile and atherogenic indies. This cross – sectional study was conducted in Obesity Research and Therapy Unit-Alkindy College of Medicine by recruiting (115) individuals; 49 males /66 females. Subjects between (20 to 60) years of age were selected and classified into two groups according to their Body mass index (BMI). Group1 involved healthy lean volunteers (25 male/ 36 female; BMI 18.5 - 24.9). Group2 involved obese subjects; (24 male / 36 female with BMI ≥ 30). The s

Background: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a significant role in the activation of adaptive immunity and may have an essential role in the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Objectives: To assess the gene expression of TLR4 in individuals with RA compared to healthy individuals. Methods: From July to December 2022. A total of 100 individuals were encompassed in the study, consisting of 50 individuals diagnosed with RA, of whom 42 were females and 8 were males, with an average age of 45.22 years. Additionally, there were 50 healthy control participants, 40 of whom were females and 10 were males, with an average age of 45.64 years. To assess the TLR4 transcript levels, blood samples were collected from each participant, and RN

Chitinase-3-like 1 protein (YKL-40) is a glycoprotein primarily produced in the arthritic joint and plays a crucial role in inflammatory processes. The aim of the study is to establish the role of YKL-40 as a biomarker for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared to proinflammatory biomarkers and disease activity. The study included 58 patients and 18 control. Diseases activity score (DAS-28) and clinical disease activity index (CDAI) were measured. Serum level of YKL-40, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1B (IL-1β), erythrocyte sedimentation (ESR), rheumatoid factor (RF), C-reactive protein (CRP), and anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) were assessed. The results showed that the median serum YKL-40 level which was 5.42 

This study was conducted to investigate thyroid function and Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) in (Chronic kidney disease) CKD patients by evaluating their levels in CKD patients, 50 patients were diagnosed to have CKD stage-5, their ages ranged between 20-50 years (25 males and 25 females) who attended the Nephrology and Transplant Center in Medical City of Baghdad- Iraq, they were recruited from April 2018 to July 2018 and were enrolled into the study. The control group consisted of 20 healthy individuals, their ages ranged between 20-48 years (10 males and 10 females). The study showed non-significant (p>0.05) increase in AMH level in CKD patients compared to the control group. On the other hand, TSH was recorded a highly significant (

Back ground: Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a common chronic musculo-skeletal disorder resulting in chronic widespread pain impacting on quality life.
Objectives: To assess the relationship between FMS and knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and to evaluate the predictors of this relationship if present.
Patients and Methods: One hundred Iraqi KOA patients and 100 healthy controls were included in this cross-sectional study. Full history was taken and complete clinical examination was done for all patients. Baseline characteristics [age, sex, duration, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, family history (Hx) of KOA, smoking history, and drug history.] were also documented. Laboratory analysis included complete blood count, erythrocyte

Background: Dystrophinopathies are the commonest forms of muscular dystrophy and comprise clinically recognized forms, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), and Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD). Mutations in the dystrophin gene which consist of large gene deletions (65%), duplications (5%) and point mutations (30%) are responsible for reducing the amount of functional dystrophin protein in skeletal muscle fibers.  This study concentrate mainly at the spectrum of deletions in the 'distal hot spot' region of the DMD/BMD gene in Iraqi DMD/BMD patients using multiplex PCR technique

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the rate, and distribution of deletions in 10 exons of Dystrophin

Background: Ankylosing spondylitis is a rare disease affecting people with hereditary factors. Its treatment includes life style modification and use of drugs such as the biologic agent infliximab or its biosimilar, CT-P13 infliximab. Despite their therapeutic usefulness, these agents are associated with a number of serious adverse effects such as immunogenicity.

Objectives: The aim of current study was to investigate if immunogenicity of the biosimilar CT-P13 infliximab or the original infliximab, in Iraqi patients with Ankylosing spondylitis, is affected by any of the patients’ demographic characteristics.

Methods: A retrospective open-label study was conducted from Dec