Background: 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. Disease characteristics [age, sex, duration, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, family history of HOA, smoking history, lipid lowering agent use] were also documented. Laboratory analysis included complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and lipid profile. Individuals in both groups were assessed for CIMT by B-mode ultrasonography. X-rays of both hands was taken for patients and was graded according Kellgrenand Lawrence scale.
Results: Fifty five (55%) Iraqi HOA patients have increased CIMT compared with 38 % of controls (p=0.02). There was no statistical significant association between increased CIMT and HOA radiographical grading (p=0.72). The lipid profile was the only predictor of increased CIMT in patients with HOA [p=0.02, OR (95% CI) = 3.24 (1.20-8.75)]
Conclusions: There is increased frequency of increased CIMT (55%) in Iraqi patients with HOA. Abnormal lipid profile is the only significant predictor of increased CIMT.
Background :
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the 4th common gastrointestinal cancer. (BRAFV600E) is a member of RAF family of serine/threonine protein kinases that function to regulate the (MAPK) / (ERK) pathway. BRAFV600E mutated CRC are associated with right-sided primary tumors, older women and high-grade tumors.
Aims of the study:
Study the immunohistochemical expression of BRAFV600E biomarker in a sample of Iraqi patients with colorectal cancer and the correlation of BRAFV600E expression with other clinicopathological variables such as patient's age and tumor gra
... Show MoreA systematic approach is presented to achieve the stable grasping of objects through a two-finger robotic hand, in which each finger cavity was filled with granular media. The compaction of the latter, controlled by vacuum pressure, was used to adjust the structural and contact stiffness of the finger. The grasping stability was studied under the concurrent effect of an external torque and applied vacuum pressure. Stable grasping was defined as the no slippage condition between the grasped object and the two fingers. Three control schemes were adopted and applied experimentally to ensure the effectiveness of the grasping process. The results showed that stable and unstable grasping regions exist for each combination of applied torqu
... Show MoreThe Covid-19 virus disease has been shown to affect numerous organs and systems including the liver. The study aimed to compare lipid profiles and liver enzyme levels in individuals who had recovered from Covid-19 infection. To achieve the study objectives, liver Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Random Blood Sugar (RBS) and Lipid profile which include cholesterol, High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL), Triglycerides (T.G), Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL), and Very low-density Lipoprotein (VLDL) were determined.
One hundred twenty serum samples were obtained, of which fifty samples were utilized as the control healthy persons (not affected by COVID) and seventy samples came f
... Show Morepresent in the environment could constitute a hazard to food security and public health. These can be accumulated in aquatic animals such as fish.
Objective: In this study, selected heavy metals: Copper (Cu), Nickle (Ni), Chromium (Cr) and Iron (Fe) were evaluated in commercial canned fish products (Sardines) that are commonly consumed in Iraq. The canned fish (Sardine) which studied were Yacout Sardine (Morocco), Marina Sardine (Tunisia), Silver Sardine (Morocco) and Salsa Sardine (China).
Methods: Prospective study was done in Baghdad from January to June 2016 . 40 samples of four different foreign brands (10 samples for each brand were obtained): Yacout Sardine (Morocco), Marina Sardine(Tunisa), Silver Sardine (Morocco) and Sals
Background: Osteoarthritis OA is the most common joint disorder in the world. Injection of high molecular weight hyaluronic acid intra-articular with steroid is a one of the used therapeutic option for patients with (OA)knee.
Objectives: Objective of this study was the evaluation the efficacy, safety, pluse duration of action of viscosupplementation of the HMWHA( high molecular weight hyluranic acid ).
Type of the study: Cross-sectional study.
Methods: From 81 patients with sever knee pain due to OA (grades 3–4) were recruited from Al-Yarmouk teaching hospital & a private clinic during the period from January 2014 till July 2016.
... Show MoreBackground: Leukemia isba type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow that is characterized by an abnormal increase of white blood cells.
Background/Aim: Knee osteoarthritis is a frequently crippling chronic condition. Numerous pharmacological medications have been successfully utilised to treat knee osteoarthritis. This research aimed to compare the efficiency of metformin and serratiopeptidase in treating and preventing osteoarthritis development via distinct mechanisms. Methods: Between 1 January and 30 May 2019, a randomised-clinical-trial was done at Al-Kindy Hospital on 80 osteoarthritis patients, divided in two groups. Group I was given metformin 850 mg orally, whereas Group II was given serratiopeptidase 20 mg and metformin 850 mg orally. Parameters in these groups were compared with forty healthy normal controls. Results: Following treatment, patients in Grou
... Show MoreBackground: Primary myelofibrosis is characterized by clonal expansion of hematopoietic stem cell with a non-reactive clonal proliferation of fibroblasts and bone marrow fibrosis, which occurs at an extramedullary hematopoiesis. The clinical features of Primary myelofibrosis include anemia, marked splenomegaly and constitutional symptoms. Ineffective erythropoiesis and extra-medullary hematopoiesis are the main causes of anemia and organomegaly, respectively Objectives : the aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical features, diagnostic tools and the treatment outcome of patients with primary myelofibrosis.
Patients and methods: this is a prospective study conducted at the national center of hematolo
The Supreme Judicial Council decided on July 3, 2003, to set up a court to deal with the issues of publication and media. This court tries to solve the problems of media and publishing in both its civil and penal aspects. The decision of establishing the court represents a new and important step to be taken by the Iraqi Judicial Council for the tremendous development witnessed by media sector in general and press in particular especially after 2003.
This study includes two main axes: the first one deals with the most important crimes of publication in the Iraqi legislations such as the crimes of defamation, libel, insult, indecency, and incitement; the second deals with an analytical survey of the completed cases i.e. the issues tha
Background:-Atherosclerosis is a systemic disease that often affects multiple vascular distributions in a single patient. The increased prevalence of renal artery stenosis in association with coronary artery disease has been well documented.
Objectives:-To examine in detail the prevalence of renal artery stenosis in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization for suspected coronary artery disease.
Patients &methods:-Between April 2010 and February 2011, two hundred patients underwent coronary and renal angiography at the same session in Ibn Al-bitar Hospital for Cardiac Surgery. Clinical and procedural data for patients undergoing renal angiography were prospectively collected and entered into database specially designed for th