Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a hemodynamic and pathophysiological condition
defined as an increase in mean pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) ≥25 mmHg at rest as assessed by
right heart catheterization (RHC). Although there is some underestimation and overestimation of PAP
between transthoracic Doppler echo (DE) and RHC, Doppler echo remains an indispensable screening
tool for the assessment of PH.
Objective: clinical evaluation of patients with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) and assess
vasoreactivity testing to identify patients who may benefit from long term therapy with calcium channel
blockers (CCBs).
Patients and methods: This prospective study was performed in the cardiac catheterization division in
Al-Zahraa teaching hospital in Al-Kut. We studied the prevalence of certain variables among forty two
patients with PPH from "March 2014 to Nov 2016" including the clinical triggers, electrocardiographic
(ECG) changes, Echocardiographic variables , RHC and vasoreactivity test with intravenous adenosine
to identify acute positive responders and long term responders to CCB.
Results: A total of forty two patients, female to male ratio were 2.8:1 with a mean age of 38±10(years).
Dyspnea is a common clinical trigger (85%). Abnormal ECG was found in (90.5%) of patients, the
majority had right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) (76.2%). Echocardiographically all patients had
RVH. There was some differences in mean PAP (36±4.9mmhg) derived by DE from that obtained by
RHC (47±4.78mmhg). RHC reveal that 6 patients (15.78%) were acute positive responders to
intravenous adenosine and about 4 patients (66%) were long term responders to CCB during 3months
follow up echocardiography.
Conclusions: There is some discrepancy in the mean PAP between Doppler echo and RHC within ±10
mm Hg for pulmonary artery pressure estimates. 15.7% of patients at RHC were acute positive
responder to intravenous adenosine and half of them were long term responder to CCB.
Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a common genetic cardiovascular disease. Its morphologically divided into asymmetrical septal hypertrophy, symmetrical concentric hypertrophy and apical hypertrophy,and physiologically divided into obstructive HCM and non obstructive HCM according to the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) gradient at rest or with provocation. Several factors that increase risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD), the more risk factors a patient has, the greater the chance that the patient is exposed to sudden death and sufficient to warrant consideration for interventional therapy.
Objective: The aims of the study are to evaluate the clinical presentations, risk strat
... Show MoreBackground: Pulmonary involvement in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a serious extra articular manifestation.
Patients and Methods: 82 patients with RA and 40 control subjects were included in this prospective study. They were submitted to medical history, physical measurements (height, weight and BMI) and spirometric evaluation for FVC, FEV1, FEV1%, PEFR and FMF (FEF25-75%).Objective: The aim of the study is to detect pulmonary involvement, classify the type of involvement (whether obstructive, restrictive or mixed), and to find out whether pulmonary system was involved in the early stage of the disease and is asymptomatic and to determine the as
... 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
The expression of the Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 gene (PCSK9) is inextricably related to lipid levels and a risk of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (ASCAD). The present study aims to measure the quantity of PCSK9 gene expression and the effect of methylation on its expression level taking part in the pathogenesis of acute coronary artery disorder.
A current study included 150 subjects from the Iraqi population, 100 ASCAD patients and 50 healthy controls. The concentration of PCSK9 in each serum sample was determined by the ELISA technique, the expression levels of the PCSK9 gene in whole blood were estimated by RT-qPCR – Quantitative Reverse Transcription PCR method, and DNA
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Background: Pyle`s disease is a distinct skeletal dysplasia with defective metaphyseal modeling and Erlenmeyer-flask deformity of tubular bones.
Objectives: Clinical implications in five reported cases with mechanical bone properties different from normal bones were presented. One patient with Genu-valgum deformity had corrective osteotomy done with internal fixation showing osteotomy healing and sustained deformity correction with more than twelve years of follow up. Two patients presented with fractures and angular malalignment with abundant callus .The other two had insufficiency fractures due to repetitive low energy activities.
Results: Patients with Pyle`s disease have less than normal mechanical bone
Background: 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
Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease which affects nutritional status of the patients. The presence of poor nutritional status in pulmonary tuberculosis patients has been one of the most important determining factor in recommending adjuvant nutrient therapy to prevent oxidative stress and further complication.
Objective: This study was designed to assess the nutritional status and body mass index of pulmonary tuberculosis patients.
Patients and methods: During the period 1st of June 2010 to 30th of May 2011, a prospective study was done on 60 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis and 60 controls.
Levels of total protein (TP), albumin (ALB.), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high dens
Background: Staging of primary carcinoma of the larynx play an important role in surgical management of the disease .This staging depends on the clinical finding and radiological examination , supported by pathological assessment of the excised tumor
Objectives: To evaluate the accuracy of clinical and radiological staging Patients’ and methods: Forty-two patients with laryngeal carcinoma were admitted to the ENT Department during the period from June 2009 through October 2010. Each patient was staged by clinical examination and computed tomography. Evaluation of the results compared to the final diagnosis of staging , based on the pathological staging of specimens of patients who underwent total l
Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is still a major global public health problem worldwide. The global prevalence of Mycobacterium (M tuberculosis) infection has been estimated in 32% of the world population with more than 8 million new cases diagnosed each year.
Materials and Methods: A total of 192 M tuberculosis complex isolates were collected from patients with positive sputum smear who had been treated previously with the four main anti- tuberculosis drugs for more than two months. The isolates were identified by their colonial morphology, pigmentation, shapes on Ziehl-Neelsen smears, growth on Löwenstein-Jenson medium and biochemical tests as niacin and nitrate tests. A propor
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