Background: Coronary artery disease remains the main cause of death despite several preventive programs. Epicardial adipose tissue is a visceral fat depot of the heart located along the large coronary arteries and on the surface of ventricles and apex. Intima media thickness is commonly recognized as the initial stage in the development of atherosclerosis. The development of ultrasound machines, advances in echocardiographic devices and high resolution transducers facilitate comprehensive analysis of epicardial fat thickness (EFT) and carotid –intima media thickness (C-IMT).
Aim: To investigate the relationship of echocardiographic epicardial fat thickness (EFT) and carotid –intima media thickness (C-IMT) with the severity of coronary artery disease.
Methods: A cross sectional multicenter diagnostic accuracy study carried out at Ibn Al-Nafis Cardiovascular Hospital, Ibn Al- Bitar Cardiology Center and Ghazi Al-Hariri Hospital –Iraqi Center for Cardiology during the period between October 2016 and May 2017 assessing. History regarding demographic data and risk factors was taken. Two dimensional transthoracic echocardiographic measurements were done. EFT was measured from parasternal long axis view perpendicular to the right ventricular free wall. C-IMT was measured according to that recommended by the American society of echocardiography (ASE).
Results: The current study demonstrated that the EFT has a direct and significant correlation with the number of involved vessels (P value ˂ 0.001, r= 0.770). The validity of EFT to discriminate between multiple vessels disease and no vessel involvement is excellent (AUC= 0.984, cut point > 8mm, sensitivity=92.9%, specificity= 93.3%). There is inverse and significant correlation between ejection fraction (EF) and three vessels disease (P value ˂ 0.001, r= -0.507). Also there is a direct and significant correlation between C-IMT and severity of CAD. ROC analysis for validity of C-IMT to discriminate between multiple vessels disease and no vessel involvement is excellent (AUC= 0.961, cut point > 1.04mm, sensitivity=92.9%. specificity=86.7%). C-IMT is fair to discriminate between single vessel disease and no vessel involvement (AUC=0.738, cut point ˃ 0.84mm, sensitivity 100%), so if correlated with age, C-IMT above 0.84 can be used as a cut off point for the prediction of CAD. Finally, EFT and C-IMT are more likely to reflect severity of CAD than their ratio.
Conclusions: C-IMT and EFT are simple and reproducible parameters that can be used as a screening tool for the presence and severity of CAD especially before symptoms appearance in high risk patients
AbstractOBJECTIVES: To evaluate the long-term remission efficacy and safety of isotretinoin in the treatment of Behcet's disease (BD). PATIENTS and METHODS: This single-blind, controlled therapeutic study was conducted in the Department of Dermatology and Venereology at Baghdad Teaching Hospital from February 2011 to January 2012. Thirty patients with BD were included in this work. Each patient received isotretinoin 20 mg orally once daily for 3 months. They were assessed at week 2 and then monthly depending on the Clinical Manifestation Index (CMI) and to record any side effects. At week 12, isotretinoin was stopped and patients were given placebo therapy in a form of glucose capsules for another 3 months. RESULTS: Thirty patients were tre
... Show MoreThe inhibition of 3-Benzyl -2-mercaptoquinoizoline -4 (3H)-one (BMQ) on the corrosion of carbon steel in 0.5 M HCl studied by potentionstat polarization methods at 303–333 K. Results obtained show that BMQ act as inhibitor for carbon steel in HCl solution. The inhibition efficiency increase with increase in BMQ concentration. Activation parameters and Gibbs free energy for the adsorption process using Statistical Physics calculated and discussed. Quantum chemical calculations using DFT at the B3LYP/6-31G level of theory were used to calculate some electronic properties of the molecule to verify any correlation between the inhibitive effect and molecular structure of BMQ. The quantum calculations were proceeded to get data around correlati
... Show MoreCharge transfer in styryl dyes STQ-1, STQ-2,and STQ-3 with organic media system has been studied theoretically depending on the Franck- Condon rule and continuum dielectric model . The reorientation energies (eV) were evaluated theoretically depending on dipole momentum, dielectric constant , and refrective index n. The rate constant of charge transfer has been calculated depending on the reorientation energy (eV) ,effective free energy , potential height barrier , and coupling coefficient . A matlap program has been written to calculated the rate constant of charge transfer and other parameter. The results of calculations show that STQ-2 dye is more reaction for charge transfer compare with STQ-1 and STQ-3 dyes
Women with diabetes in pregnancy (type 1, type 2 and gestational) are at increased risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes which also include infant development of congenital heart disease and even fetal death. Adequate glycemic control before and during pregnancy is crucial to improve outcome
Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a primary immunodeficiency disorder that is either X-linked or autosomal recessive and is characterized by recurrent infections. The diagnosis is primarily based on the nitroblue tetrazolium dye reduction test. Here, we present the case of a 28-year-old pregnant woman with CGD who was diagnosed before marriage and who presented with recurrent subcutaneous skin and ocular infections. Following treatment with multiple antibacterial agents, including meropenem, her infections resolved, and she gave birth to a healthy baby girl at term. However, the newborn has now started to exhibit similar symptoms to those experienced by her mother. This case highlights the need for further studies on the potent
... Show MoreBackground: Patients with type 2 diabetes have an increased prevalence of lipid abnormalities, contributing to their high risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD).Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is a routinely used marker for long-term glycemic control. In accordance with its function as an indicator for the mean blood glucose level, HbA1c predicts the risk for the development of diabetic complications in diabetic patients[2].Apart from classical risk factors like dyslipidemia, HbA1c has now been regarded as an independent risk factor for (CVD) in subjects with or without diabetes.Objective The aim of this study was to find out association between glycaemic control (HbA1c as a marker) and serum lipid profile in type 2 diabetic patients.Methods
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