This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence rate of
toxoplasmosis among 294 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with
methotrexate (MTX), 50 RA patients without treatment and 50 samples as
healthy control. Blood samples were collected and the presence of T.gondii
IgG and IgM antibodies was determined by using Enzyme linked
immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) was
also estimated in serum of all subjects by using ELISA method too. The
seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis IgM and IgG in RA+MTX was
60(20.408%), and 98(33.33%), in RA patients 4(8%), and 18(36%) while,
it was 2(24%), 6(12%) in healthy group. Tumor necrosis factor alpha
(TNF-α) was also estimated in serum of a

Background: Zinc is involved in a variety of
metabolic processes and it has a well known
antioxidant activity, so the measurement of its serum
level can have a special value in several diseases.
Objectives: The study is designed to determine the
serum zinc level in heart failure patients and to
compare it with that of healthy individuals and to
study the significance of the results obtained.
Methods: Atomic absorption spectrometer
technique was used to determine serum zinc level in
fifty heart failure patients and fifty healthy individuals
who were age and sex matched.
Results: The mean serum zinc level in healthy
individuals was about 45.5% greater than that of heart
failure patients. This diffe

Background: Heart failure is a common clinical syndrome with a high morbidity and mortality, despite advances in medical treatment. Death from dangerous ventricular arrhythmias is
frequently implicated.
Patients, materials & methods: Eighty patients with heart failure (HF) (fitting the criteria of heart failure) who were admitted to the medical city teaching hospital during a period of 8
months, were studied for incidence of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (N.S.V.T.) (detected by Holter monitoring) and its association with the severity of left ventricular dysfunction
(measured by ejection fraction), ventricular size (measured by left ventricular end diastolic dimension), and other factors .
Res

Back ground: The association between tumors necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-á)308 polymorphism and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remains controversial .The variation in ethnicity and life style play important role in these conflicting results.
Objective: To investigate association of TNF-á 308 polymorphism with T2DM,TNF level and body mass index in these patients.
Patients and methods: The current case control study included fifty patients with T2DM in addition to twenty five healthy controls. The fasting blood sugar (FBS)and fasting blood (cholesterol, triglyceride) were done by colorimetric methods .The body mass index (BMI) was calculated for each patients and healthy controls. The level TNF-á in serum was measured by ELISA meth

Background: Diarrheal diseases are still a major public health problem especially in developing countries, due to their high morbidity & mortality rates, moreover the lagest
number of deaths with diarrheal diseases are due to persistent diarrheal states.We attemted to evaluate the size of the problem in our infants, and assess risk factors & outcome.
Methods: A retrospective study was performed in Al-Kadhemya teaching hospital, to evaluate diarrheal cases in under 2 years of age children , admitted to hospital during the period (Dec. 1991- Dec. 2001), from a total of 863, chronic diarrheal cases formed 286 (33.14%) that were evaluated for certain variables; epidemiology & risk factors etiology ,

Allergic Rhinitis (AR) is a chronic immune system inflammation that occurs when the body overreacts to antigens in the environment (triggers) and produces a variety of symptoms in the nasal mucosa and paranasal sinuses due to the release of many interleukins and cytokines.

We investigated the influence of the allergen on serum levels of TNF-α and Total IgE in patients with AR and their function in initiating allergic rhinitis in Iraqi petrol station workers in Baghdad. One hundred individuals with allergic

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of cortisol, and it is related to BMI in the chronic diseases which may increase early cardiovascular disease (CVD) in old Iraqi. The subjects were 116 adults, aged 51-71 years. Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist Circumferences (WC) and Waist Hip Ratio (WHR) were used as a measure of adiposity. Investigation showed highly significant difference between patients in BMI ranges, most of male were in an obese weight range (48.5%), as well in women. There were no significant correlations between serum cortisol concentration and age both gender groups. While there were highly significant correlations between cortisol level and BMI, waist, and WHR (except in female subjects), also there were highly signi

Background: laparoscopic cholecystectomy is standard treatment in gallbladder disease. Acute cholecystitis has been relative contraindication of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. With the
accumulation of experience in laparoscopic surgery, laparoscopic cholecystectomy is being gradually applied for the treatment of acute cholecystitis
Objective: to evaluate and compare the outcome of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in acute and chronic cholecystitis in terms of complications, conversion rates, reason of conversion, need for special modifications of the operative technique, and hospital stay.
Methods: A prospective study done Between April 2007 and January 2010, in the department of general surgery, medical city teac

Background : Left main coronary artery (LMCA) disease represents important and serious portion of coronary artery disease(CAD).
Aim: The aim of this study is to estimate the incidence of LMCA disease among patients with CAD undergoing coronary artery angiography and to evaluate clinical characteristics of patients with LMCA disease.
Methods: The study involved review of clinical notes and coronary angiography of 1020 patients with CAD in Ibin Al Bitar hospital for cardiac surgery between April and September 2004.This review included evaluation of electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiogram(ECHO), ECG exercise test (EET) and coronary angiography.
Results: Among 56 patients proved to have left main corona