Background: Endothelial dysfunction is thought to be a key event in the development of atherosclerosis. It is a systemic process that simultaneously affects different vascular territories including coronary arteries. It is recommended that noninvasive approaches assessing endothelial function in peripheral vessels like flow mediated dilatation are indirectly representative of coronary vascular function.
Objectives: This study is aimed to assess endothelial dysfunction by using flow mediated dilatation in patients with coronary artery disease
Patients and methods: 82 patients of either sex with an age range of 40-65years are involved in this study. Each patient was subjected to two tests; first test was the flow mediated dilatation percentage (FMD%) measurement to assess endothelial functional integrity and second one was coronary computerized tomography angiography for measuring the percentage of coronary artery stenosis.
Results: the results of this study revealed that FMD% is inversely correlated with the percentage of coronary artery stenosis (p value <0.01). FMD% in patients having a single coronary vessel atheromatous stenosis (9.9±3.5) % was significantly lower than that of control subjects (15.3±7) %, p<0.0001.
Conclusion: this study concludes that FMD% of brachial artery could be used as a marker for systemic endothelial functional integrity including that of coronary arteries.
A streptococci has recognized as Streptococcus spp., associate with acute pharyngitis. S. pyogenes infection Has detected in the Hospital and Health Center in Tikrit city. Throat swabs sample has obtained and cultured on a sheep blood agar plate. Identification of S. pyogenes was performed by using the VITEK 2 automatic system. It detected of 50 samples from children included 25 were positive for S. pyogenes infection. were aged 10-35 years old and included 30 male and 20 female. . While 25 sample Negative of S. pyogenes infection (The control group included 25 clinically healthy children without S. pyogenes infection matched for age and sex with cases pateints). No significa
... Show MoreBackground: Infection with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) leads to activation of T-helper cells (Th-1 and Th-2) which are involved in the synthesis and release of different cytokines which may lead to endothelial dysfunction. Objectives: To evaluate the endothelial function in patients with acute toxoplasmosis. Methods: This case-control study involved 31 patients with toxoplasmosis aged 19 - 47 years matched with 20 healthy subjects. Anti-T. gondii antibody (IgG, IgM, IgA) was determined by direct antigen-antibody reaction. Interleukin-6(IL-6), endothelin-1 (ET-1) and human malondialdehyde (MDA) serum levels were measured. Results: IgM, IgG and IgA levels were high in the infected patients compared with controls (P < 0.01). Furthermore, IL-
... Show MoreBackground: 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
... Show MoreBackground:The most principal mechanisms of cardiomyopathies are;high preload and afterload and low myocardial contractility, imbalance of trace elements may cause myocardial metabolic dysfunction and may have a role in aetiology of cardiomyopathy, particulary in IDC. Trace elements are being increasingly recognized as essential mediators of the development and progression of heart diseases.
Methods: Study design Multi case-control study and single center estimation of trace elements concentrations in a number of volunteer settings this study was conducted in the Department of Cardiology, Ibn Albitar Hospital, and in the Physiological Chemistry Department of the College of Medicine, Baghdad University, fr
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
... Show Moremucosal secretions as well as in secondary granules of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Anti-Elastase antibodies, anti-Lactoferrin antibodies,anti-Cathapsin G antibodies and anti-Lysozyme antibodies, which belong to Perinuclear Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies(pANCA) have been described in several immunomediated diseases, including Rheumatoid Arthritis .
Objectives: Investigate the prevalence of anti-Elastase antibodies, anti-Lactoferrin antibodies,anti-Cathapsin G antibodies , anti- Lysozyme antibodies and rheumatoid factor in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in comparison to healthy control.
Patients &Methods: The study involved 40 Rheumatoid Arthritis patients who were referred to Immunolog
Background: The coexistence of renal and heart failure carries an extremely bad prognosis. The exact cause of deterioration of kidney function and the mechanism underlying this interaction are complex, multifactorial in nature, and still not completely understood. Both the heart and the kidney act in tandem to regulate blood pressure, vascular tone, diuresis, natriuresis, etc.
Patients and methods: Sixty patients mean age 65.5 year were complaining heart failure duo to different causes assessed for renal function (blood urea &creatinine) and cardiac function by echocardiography in day 0 and 10 day after treatment of heart failure.
Results: The mean value (±S.D) of blood urea and serum creatinine on day 0 were 64.17mg/dL (±30.
Background: migraine is a chronic neurovascular disorder characterized by intermittent attacks of sever headache with or without aura that can include various combinations of neurological, gastrointestinal tract (G.I.T), and autonomic changes, without evidence of primary structural abnormalities. The Autonomic nervous system involvement suggested by many symptoms and signs including nausea, diarrhea, constipation, coldness in the extremities, paroxysmal tachycardia and chest pain.
Objectives: To evaluate autonomic functions in patients with migraine and to clarify the autonomic dysfunction weather its sympathetic, parasympathetic, or combined. Also to assess the severity of this dysfunction and its relation to age, gender and type of
Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is a common chronic and destructive autoimmune arthropathy .Treatment with infliximab gives great improvement to a large numbers of patients with RA ,however, in some patients after prolonged treatment infliximab can induce anti-infliximab antibodies formation and result to loss of infliximab efficacy and active persistent disease.
Objective: to investigate the frequency of anti-infliximab antibodies in Iraqi patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Patients and methods: fifty Iraqi RA patients(36 females and 14 males) compared with 50 control( 25 healthy control and 25 case control (patients with RA on other treatment) ) were included in this study from begging of March 201
Background: Patients on maintenance hemodialysis are at increased risk of infection with parentally transmitted viral agents. In recent years a high prevalence of hepatitis G virus infection among end stage renal diseases and chronic hemodialysis patients has been well documented.
Objectives: To assess the percentage and risk factors of HGV in hemodialysis patients, and to evaluate the clinical consequences of HGV in this population.
Patients and methods: Fifty (50) patients with chronic renal failure who underwent maintenance hemodialysis. Patients were currently attending hemodialysis department of Baghdad teaching hospital during the period of October 2011 to January 2012, compared to forty one (41) healthy blood donors who unde