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 sedimentation rate (ESR), thyroid stimulation hormone, serum calcium, serum alkaline phosphatase, serum phosphate, and anti-nuclear antibody were done for all patients. X-rays of both Knees was taken for patients and was graded according Kellgren and Lawrence scale. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for classification and reporting osteoarthritis of the knees were applied on both groups. Individuals in both groups were assessed for FMS and the American College of Rheumatology 1990 Criteria for fibromyalgia were applied for both groups. Comparative statistics were done using Chi square test for categorical variables and students' independent 2 samples (t) test for continuous variables.
Results: FMS was present in 26 of 100(26%) KOA patients compared to 7(75%) of 100 of controls [odd ratio (OR)=4.6(95% CI(1.92-11.35),p=0.001]. Frequencies of associated features (headache, sleep disturbances, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and parasthesia) were significantly more in patients than that of controls (P<0.05). Longer duration of KOA, higher waist circumference, and positive family Hx of FMS were significant associates with FMS in the patient group (P<0.05). However no significant association was found with age, sex, BMI, grade of KOA, drugs taken marital status, and increased ESR.
Conclusions: FMS was significantly increased in Iraqi patients with KOA compared to controls. Longer disease duration of KOA, large waist circumference and family history of FMS were significant predictors.
Background: Fibromyalgia syndrome and psoriasis share various soft problems. In addition, patients with psoriasis can experience subjective joint swelling and pain (Fibromyalgia syndrome) and objective swelling (Psoriatic arthritis) with the latter requiring systemic disease modifying antirheumatic drugs while the former requires anti-fibromyalgia measures.
Objective: To assess the rate of fibromyalgia syndrome in a sample of Iraqi patients with psoriasis.
Patients and Method: A sample of one hundred and twenty Iraqi patients with psoriasis and another one hundred and twenty healthy individuals matched for age and sex, serving as control group were studied. Full history was taken and complete clinical examination was done and vario
Background: Fibromyalgia (FMS) is characterized by chronic widespread pain and allodynia (pain from stimuli which are not normally painful with pain that may occur other than in the area stimulated) of more than 3 months duration. The current hypothesis of the etiology of FMS includes inflammatory and neuroendocrine disorders. Many features of fibromyalgia and hypothyroidism are virtually the same, and thyroid hormone treatment trials have reduced or eliminated fibromyalgia symptoms. These findings led the authors to test the hypothesis that fibromyalgia patients are hypometabolic compared to matched control .
Patients and Methods: The samples were taken from the patients attending the out-
... Show MoreBackground: Fibromyalgia is a functional disorder of growing importance characterized by chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain. It frequently affects women of child bearing age. Infertility is failure to achieve pregnancy within a 12 month period for sexually active individuals under 35 years of age and failure to conceive within a 6 months period for those over 35 years, which can have a major psychosocial impact on the affected person’s life.
Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of fibromyalgia among a sample of infertile women; and to study its relationship with age, length of marriage, duration and type of infertility.
Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional stu
... 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: rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systematic autoinmume disease with prevalence of 1% world wild, it is characterized by chronic inflammation of synovial joints, which commonly leads to progressive joints destruction and consequent disability with reduction in quality of life of life.
Background: Osteoarthritis can be described as the last common pathway of processes that leads to joint failure. This illness also has a significant social and economic impact on all civilizations, and has become a growing burden on health-care systems in usually healthy economies with an aging population.
Methods: A case-control study design conducted from the 1st, November 2020 to the 31st, May 2021 in Ibn-Sena and Al-Salam Teaching Hospitals in Mosul, Iraq. A total of 100 individuals diagnosed with knee Osteoarthritis represent
... Show MoreBackground: The demographic characteristics of Iraqi patients with the metabolic syndrome (MS) and presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has been scarcely studied before.
Aim of the study To study the socio-demographic characteristics of a group of Iraqi patients with MS presenting with ACS.
Patients and Methods: A convenience sample of 150 cases presenting with ACS and admitted to the coronary care unit (CCU) of Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital in Baghdad from mid-January through July 2011 were included in the current cross-sectional study. The data needed for the study was collected through a direct interview to fill a questionnaire by all cases carried out by a consu
... Show MoreBackground: Hand osteoarthritis (HOA) is a common joint disorder leading to considerable pain and with substantial impact on hand function. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a measurable index of the presence of atherosclerosis. Increased CIMT is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality and morbidity, so early diagnosis and management may improve quality of life.
Objective: To assess the relationship between carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and hand osteoarthritis (HOA), and to evaluate the predictors of this relationship.
Patients and Methods: One hundred Iraqi HOA patients and 100 healthy controls were included in this study. Full history was taken and complete clinical examination was done for all patients
Background: The median nerve in paraplegic patients, who must rely on increased hand activities including transfer and wheel-chair propulsion, may be subjected to increased pressure, so that the incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) may be higher than that in the normal population.
Objectives: To study the prevalence and the severity of carpal tunnel syndrome in Iraqi paraplegic patients and to identify the effect of duration of the injury as a possible factor related to its occurrence to avoid any chronic problems which interfere with the hand functions since these patients are greatly dependent on their hands for their daily activities.
Patients and Methods: Fifty paraplegic patients (100 hands), whose level of spinal cord in
Background: Osteoarthritis is a complicated, chronic disorder of cartilage and bone, associated with homeostasis of bio-elements. The current study aims to assess the role of serum progranulin levels among Iraqi patients with knee osteoarthritis. Patients and Methods: The study encompassed 50 patients aged 52.50 ± 3.12 years (25 males and 25 females), admitted to the at the Baghdad Medical City through the period from November 2021 to March 2022. All individuals were identified by physicians in a Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Outpatient Clinic and the clinical data was collected along with the assess¬ment of biochemical parameters. Fasting serum glucose, lipid profile, calcium, magnesium, alkaline phosphatase, vitamin D3, and p
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