ABSTRACTBackground: dyslipidemia plays a crucial rule in the development of cardiovascular disease, which has become the leading cause of death in most developed countries as well as in developing countries (1). The effects of reducing low density lipoprotein – C (LDL-C) concentrations on the prevention of cardiovascular events and stroke have been well reported in many clinical trials.Objectives: Evidence supports the use of statins for lipid modifications in the primary prevention of coronary artery disease, morbidity and mortality. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of atorvastatin in treating dyslipidemia in Iraqi obese patients.Methods: 200 overweight and obese patients with hypercholesterolemia, according to NCEP ATP III criteria, were included. They were randomized into 3 groups according to atorvastatin dose, 10, 20, 40 mg/ day, and treated for 8 weeks. Blood lipid profile, liver enzymes ALT and AST, urea, creatinine, uric acid, calcium and glucose were measured before and after therapy.Results: There was a significant reduction of total cholesterol (TC), Triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), but a non-significant reduction of high density lipoprotein (HDL) with all atorvastatin doses. The high doses of the drug caused a significant elevation of serum levels of ALT and AST and a significant decrease of blood calcium; but there was nosignificant change in blood levels ofurea, creatinine, uric acid or glucose with any dose.Conclusion: Short-term atorvastatin therapy in dyslipidemic obese patients caused a reduction of TC, TG, LDL, and VLDL, but had no significant effect on HDL, non-significant changes in blood urea, serum creatinine, serum uric acid or blood glucose, while there was a dose dependent elevation of ALT and AST
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a common, highly heritable inflammatory arthritis affecting primarily the spine and pelvis. This study was aimed to investigate the relationship between the rs27044 polymorphism in Endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase-1 (ERAP-1) with the susceptibility and severity of AS correlated with some biochemical markers such as hematological parameter (Erythrocytes sedimentation rate (ESR)) and immunological parameters (C-reactive protein (CRP), Human leukocyte antigen-B27 (HLA-B27), Interlukin-6 (IL-6) and Interlukin-23 (IL-23)), and oxidative stress parameters (Glutathione (GSH) and Malondialdehyde (MDA)) in a sample of Iraqi population. A total of 60 blood samples were collected from AS patients requited Rhe
... Show MoreThe present study was performed on 80 female subjects between (30-60) years, who attended the Specialized Center for Endocrinology and Diabetes during the period from April to July; 2011. The subjects were divided into 3 groups : controls , non diabetic autoimmune thyroid patients , and non diabetic autoimmune thyroid patient with renal diseases as complication The results showed a significant increase in serum T 3 T4 levels in hyperthyroidism patients, and significant decrease in serum T3,T4 levels in hypothyroidism patients ,while a significant difference in serum TSH levels in hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism patients when compared to control group The results show also a significant increase in serum antibodies to thyroid peroxidas
... Show MoreBackground: 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
... Show MoreType 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is an autoimmune disease frequently associated with autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD). The study is conducted at the Specialized Center for Endocrinology and Diabetes-Baghdad at Al-karkh side, during December 2013 up to April 2014. In this study, we investigate the prevalence of anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) antibody in(80) type1 diabetic patients with (AITD) and (30) healthy controls .Blood samples are taken for investigation of thyroid tests by using Vitek Immunodiagnstic Assay System (VIDAS).Enzeme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) is used to detect anti-thyroid antibody(anti-TPO). The results show that age, gender and BMI (body mass index) are similar in both groups, p>0.05. Among 80 type1 diabetic
... Show MoreVisceral leishmaniasis(VL) or kala-azar is one of the world most neglected tropical diseases in mortality and fourth in morbidity, rK39 dipstick was used to diagnose the suspected infected patients as easiest and rapid technique for VL diagnostic, the disease out-coming required to the differentiation of cell mediated immunity either T-helper 1(Th-1) or (Th-2). One of main pointers that may be considered as one of immune evasion strategy in the host-parasite interplay is HLA-G level alteration. HLA-G Known as a special proteins (non-classical HLA class I) molecules which can suppress the immune system by T-cell functions impaired in the aid with target receptors as LILRB4. The development of the cell mediated immunity initiated with Interle
... Show MoreBackground: Bowel cancer is the most prevalent digestive system cancer and is the 4th largest cause of cancer-related death worldwide. In Iraq, colon and rectal cancer (CRC) is the 6th most common malignancy in males and the 5th in females. This cancer is sluggish in growth, which gives a window of opportunity to screen for both precursor lesions and early cancer. The Cluster of Differentiation 47 (CD47) protein is a type of transmembrane glycoproteins found on nearly all human cells, including non-hematopoietic and hematopoietic cells. CD47 promotes CRC growth by triggering angiogenesis and apoptosis of tumor cell. Objectives: To evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of (CD47) in various colorectal samples from Iraqi patients
... Show MoreThe present study was designed to shed light on the molecular effects caused by acute myeloid leukemia (AML). It was also aimed to investigate ASXL1 point mutations in newly AML patients as compared to healthy control. The study comprised of 43 AML Iraqi patients and their ages ranged between 16-75 years. It included 23 females and 20 males compared with 20 healthy controls. Results revealed that the extracted DNA from 30 AML patients and amplified by PCR to obtain ASXL1 gene from exon 12 showed larger bands (479). Among forty three patients, two of them displayed point mutations of deletion and substitution, while the others were normal since no mutations were detected. The total of mutations in two mutated patients was 27 mutations, the m
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