Background: The problem of excessive alcohol consumption is a major cause of public health concern in most countries of the world today. Royal Colleges of Physicians and Psychiatrists recommended that every inpatient should be screened with a questionnaire for alcohol related problems. Therefore, this work was carried out to report on alcoholism in the emergency unit in two general hospitals in Baghdad, Iraq.
Methods: The study was carried out in Al-Sader general hospital (Al-Sader city, Baghdad) and Baghdad teaching hospital (Baghdad) for the period 1st July 2008 to 1st May 2009. Data collection was two days per week. Version of 25 items Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST) and semi-structured schedule based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV) criteria for alcohol dependence were used. Males aged 16 – 70 years attended emergency units were included in the study.
Results: There were 11% had alcoholism. Alcoholism was significantly associated with age > 40 years, married, low educated and employed (p= 0.02, 0.002, 0.03, respectively). Alcohol dependence was significantly associated with younger age (< 40 years), single, low educated, early onset of drinking (< 30 years) and positive family history of alcoholism (p=0.006, 0.004, 0.004, 0.004, 0.005, respectively). Sensitivity and positivity of MAST were 86.7% and 60.7%, respectively.
Conclusion: High prevalence of alcoholism was reported among attendents to emergency units.
Osteoporosis is a common complication of ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and it is related to the high levels of biochemical markers such as tartrate-resistant acid phosphates (TRACP)-5b and other proinflammatory cytokines. In early AS, osteoporosis may appear due to the action proinflammatory cytokines, however spinal osteoporosis commonly observed in those patients with severe AS of long duration but it can occur as a result of ankylosis and lack of movement. Apelin is a new adipokine that has a negative impact on bone formation and can act as an anti-anabolic agent. The aim of this study is to evaluate serum (apelin and TRACP-5b) levels in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) male patients with and without osteoporosis and look for the relation b
... Show MoreThe present study was included a measurements of fasting serum glucose, total protein, potassium, and calcium levels in the sera of 25 diabetic male patients suffer from chronic renal failure; their ages range were (32-75) and compared them with 25 healthy males as control group. The aim of this study was to study the effects of antidiabetic drugs on some biochemical parameters such as fasting serum glucose, serum total protein, serum potassium and calcium. The current results demonstrated a hyperkalemia in patients and this increasing of potassium is significantly (p = 0.03), but calcium level showed no significant variations ( p>0.05 ), and serum total protein was significantly decreased in patients as compared to t
... Show MoreChickenpox is a viral disease caused by a virus called varicella zoster (VZ). Chickenpox cases were counted in Al-Dora city (southern Baghdad). Data of disease was obtained from the records of Bilat Al-Shuhadaa health center at the period from January to July 2012. Diagnosis of cases was achieved by the physicians of the health center. Studied risk factors were including the gender, address, school and age. Total of cases recorded was 73cases (66.9 per 100,000) populations for seven months. Males reported cases were 48 (65.7%) while female’s cases were 25(34.3%). The highest reported cases were signed in Al-Mhdia-1 sector (24.6%).Also highest reported cases were signed in Al-Mhdia primary school (17.8%). Most VZ cases were reported in
... Show MoreBackground Epilepsy is one of the most widespread neurological illnesses in the world with a prevalence rate of 2.8–19.5 per 1000 of the general population, and it is more prevalent in childhood. The understanding of the teachers about epilepsy has a significant impact on the academic performance and social skills of schoolchildren with epilepsy. Aim of Study This study aimed to assess teachers’ knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding epilepsy in schoolchildren and the association of certain studied variables with the level of schoolteachers’ knowledge, attitude, and practice. Subjects and Methods This was a cross-sectional study that included 402 participants and was conducted in Al-Rusafa/Baghdad during the period from November
... Show MoreEmergency vehicle (EV) services save lives around the world. The necessary fast response of EVs requires minimising travel time. Preempting traffic signals can enable EVs to reach the desired location quickly. Most of the current research tries to decrease EV delays but neglects the resulting negative impacts of the preemption on other vehicles in the side roads. This paper proposes a dynamic preemption algorithm to control the traffic signal by adjusting some cycles to balance between the two critical goals: minimal delay for EVs with no stop, and a small additional delay to the vehicles on the side roads. This method is applicable to preempt traffic lights for EVs through an Intelli
The fact of having Journalism being open to people from different orientations professions, working as journalists requiring protection just to spread corruption, is one of the biggest threats faced by journalism.
Journalists noticed the spread of unprincipled journalists with no journalistic ethics amongst them, they tried to protect their profession from these corrupt outsiders who might annihilate the mighty of journalism. The principles of the journalism profession known as journalistic ethics, are one the most important formulations of the law concluded by the journalists and those concerned by the the profession, they were then published in public in order to prove their professionalism, especially for those who don’t und
... Show MoreBackground: Self-medication (SM) is a worldwide issue, that has serious adverse effects on individuals and communities.
Objective: To estimate the prevalence of self- medication among medical student in Anbar and Falluja Universities and to explore the important reasons for using self-medication. To identify the common sources and types of self-medication drugs.
Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among medical students in Anbar and Fallujah Universities during the period from February to March 2018. The subjects were asked to fill a questionnaire that consisted of questions on age, gender and educational level,
Background: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common chronic functional gastrointestinal
disorder characterized by abdominal pain or discomfort and alteration in bowel habits. It is more
common among adolescents and young age groups.
Objectives: to estimate the prevalence and identify potential determinants of IBS among high school
students in Baghdad, Iraq, 2017.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted by using multi-staging cluster probability
sampling technique. All students in the sixth grade were considered eligible. Students with "red flag"
symptoms were excluded. Rome III criteria questionnaire of IBS was considered to define IBS. A
self-administered questionnaire used to compile socio-demograph
Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy affecting the Iraqi population and the leading cause of cancer related mortality among Iraqi women. It has been well documented that prognosis of patients depends largely upon the hormone receptor contents and HER-2 over expression of their neoplasm. Recent studies suggest that Triple Positive (TP) tumors, bearing the three markers, tend to exhibit a relatively favorable clinical behavior in which overtreatment is not recommended. Aim: To document the different frequencies of ER/PR/HER2 breast cancer molecular subtypes focusing on the Triple Positive pattern; correlating those with the corresponding clinico-pathological characteristics among a sample of Iraqi patients diagnosed with th
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