Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and debilitating autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation with subsequent cartilage and bone destruction. Cytokines are key mediators of inflammation and can be found in abundance both in the joint and blood of patients. This study was designed to evaluate the role of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in pathogenesis of RA, as well as study the correlation among these cytokines.
Patients and methods: Forty patients with RA and thirty age-matched healthy controls were included in this study. Serum cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results: The serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1α, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12 and TNF-α) were significantly higher in RA patients than in healthy controls (p<0.01, p<0.05). Moreover, these levels were significantly increased in active RA patients than in inactive RA (p<0.01, p<0.05). On the other hand, the serum levels of IFN-γ and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-10) showed no significant differences between RA patients and healthy controls and neither between active RA patients and inactive RA (p>0.05). Interestingly strong positive correlation was found among each of (IL-1α, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12 and TNF-α), p<0.05.While strong negative correlation was noticed between IL-6 and (IL4 and IL-0) and also between TNF-α and (IL4 and IL-0), p<0.05.
Conclusion: The current study suggests that serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1α, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12 and TNF-α) may play an important role in RA and may be used as a marker of disease activity. Moreover imbalance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines may yield effective therapeutic targets in this inflammatory disease.
Background: Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a common rheumatologic syndrome with multiple manifestations and associated with many diseases, it characterized by chronic wide
spread muscular pain and tenderness. Resistin is an adipokine discovered in 2001 and considered as a link between obesity and type 2 diabetes by antagonizing and resisting the
action of insulin as it name encompass ;resistin (resist insulin) . It is secreted mainly from adipose tissue in mice and from white blood cells besides the adipose tissue in humans.
Research reviled that resistin has a role in some inflammatory diseases like Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).
Objective: The objective of this study is to measure Resistin concentration and
The oral cavity has the second major and most diverse microflora after the gut. Since it is the starting point of digestion; the oral microbiota is essential for maintaining oral and systemic health. Thus, this study aimed to find the bacterial isolates which act as a causative agent of periodontal diseases in Iraqi patients and their relation with some immune oral parameters. Saliva specimens and oral swabs of 91 patients (51) and control individuals (40) were collected in this study. The specimens of patients were collected from Al-Amirya and Almaamon Specialized Dental Centers in Baghdad for a period from November/2021 to February/2022. The microbiological results revealed, that the most prevalent bacterial isolates were re
... Show MoreThe study aimed to evaluate the benefits of transferrin saturation percentage (TSAT) and serum ferritin in assessing body iron status, which can influence erythropoietin treatment in patients with ESRD. Forty end-stage renal disease patients on regular hemodialysis participated in this study. Clinical data were obtained. Serum iron, total iron binding capacity, transferrin saturation, ferritin, albumin, creatinine, and C-reactive protein were investigated. Thirty healthy people were enrolled as a control group. ESRD patients had a mean age of 45.1±13.9 years, with 60% being males. They exhibited significantly lower hematocrit (25.3±6.5%), and higher platelet (285.7±148.1x10^9/L) and WBC (9.4±3.1x10^9/L) counts compared to healthy contro
... Show MoreBackground: Congenital heart disease is one of the most common developmental anomalies in children. These patients commonly have poor oral health that increase caries risk. Dental management of children with congenital heart disease requires special attention, because of their heightened susceptibility to infectious endocarditis. The aims of this study were to assess the severity of dental caries of primary and permanent teeth and treatment needs in relation to nutritional indicator (Body Mass Index) among children with congenital heart disease. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, case group consisted of 399 patients aged between 6-12 years old with congenital heart disease were examined for dental status in Ibn Al-Bitar spec
... Show MoreThere is a great risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and vascular thrombosis in patients with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). These patients exhibit numerous abnormalities in coagulation, fibrinolytic, inhibitory protein abnormalities in multiple levels. The study aimed to assess hypercoagulable changes by measuring the levels of antithrombin, plasma fibrinogen and FXII activity in patients with ESRD, and to find their correlation with Hemoglobin (Hb) level, WBC count, reticulocyte percentage and platelet count. This study was conducted at Al-Hayat center, Al Karama Teaching Hospital on 50 ESRD patients aged < 60 years of both genders. In addition, 20 apparently healthy individuals were included as a control group. The mean Hb level, total
... Show MoreIn this paper, a mathematical model is proposed and studied to describe the spread of shigellosis disease in the population community. We consider it divided into four classes namely: the 1st class consists of unaware susceptible individuals, 2nd class of infected individuals, 3rd class of aware susceptible individuals and 4th class are people carrying bacteria. The solution existence, uniqueness as well as bounded-ness are discussed for the shigellosis model proposed. Also, the stability analysis has been conducted for all possible equilibrium points. Finally the proposed model is studied numerically to prove the analytic results and discussing the effects of the external sources for dis
... Show MoreThe metallicity [Fe/H] for several stars accompanied by Extra-solar planets were calculated and plotted as a function of stars mass (M*). Results showed that masses of Extra-solar planets stars are well correlated with their metallicity .This relation could be explained by the equation: Y=-0.0045x + 0.065. The metallicity limit is found to be in the range of (0.18 to 0.3), relative to the mass limit in the range of (0.76 to 1.44) MSun.
This criteria is a good tool that can be used by observers who are aiming for detecting Extra-solar planets