60 patients diagnosed as having urticaria were included in the study ; 30 patients were effected with acute urticaria and 30 patients were affected with chronic urticaria. In addition, 30 healthy adult volunteers were selected as control group .The patients and control groups sera were examined with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay ( ELISA) to detect total level IgE and radial immunodiffusion (RID) to detect levels of IgG , IgA and IgM . The total level of IgE in acute urticaria ( 1.45±0.13) IU/mL and chronic urticaria (2.12 ± 0.10) IU/mL patients were significantly higher than the control groups ( 0.85 ± 0.10)IU/mL (p<0.05). The level of IgG in acute urticaria ( 12.5± 0.42) g/L and chronic (13.16±0.40) g/L patients , IgA in acute (2.

BACKGROUND: Diffuse astrocytomas constitute the largest group of primary malignant human intracranial tumours. They are classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) into three histological malignancy grades: diffuse astrocytomas (grade II), anaplastic astrocytomas (grade III) and glioblastoma (grade IV) based on histopathological features such as cellular atypia, mitotic activity, necrosis and microvascular proliferation. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a 170-kDa transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor expressed in a variety of normal and malignant cells regulating critical cellular processes. When activated, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) triggers several signalling cascades leading to increased proliferatio

         There is a suggestion that an antidiuretic hormone-induced decrease in diuresis might contribute to the rapid relief of the acute pain in renal colic. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of desmopressin nasal spray compared with diclofenac given intramuscularly in patients with acute renal colic. The study included 75 patients randomized into three different groups; group A received desmopressin (40 μg, nasal spray), group B diclofenac (75 mg) intramuscularly and group C, both desmopressin and diclofenac. Pain was assessed using a visual analogue scale (a 10-cm horizontal scale ranging from `no pain' to `unbearable pain') at baseline, 10, 20 and 30 min after administering t

Background: The demographic characteristics of Iraqi patients with the metabolic syndrome (MS) and presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has been scarcely studied before.

Aim of the study To study the socio-demographic characteristics of a group of Iraqi patients with MS presenting with ACS.

Patients and Methods: A convenience sample of 150 cases presenting with ACS and admitted to the coronary care unit (CCU) of Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital in Baghdad from mid-January through July 2011 were included in the current cross-sectional study. The data needed for the study was collected through a direct interview to fill a questionnaire by all cases carried out by a consu

Breast cancer is the commonest cause of cancer related death in women worldwide. Amplification or over-expression of the ERBB2 (HER/neu) gene occurs in approximately 15-30% of breast cancer cases and it is strongly associated with an increased disease recurrence and a poor prognosis. Determination of HER2/neu status is crucial in the treatment plan as that positive cases will respond to trastuzumab therapy. It has been used to test for HER2/neu by immunohistochemistry as a first step and then to study only the equivocal positive cases (score 2+) by in situ hybridization technique. The aim of our study is to compare between immunohistochemistry and silver in situ hybridization (SISH) in assessment of human epidermal growth factor (HER2/neu)

Background: Hodgkin disease was the first cancer in which the curative potential of combination chemotherapy was demonstrated. The affected patients are often young and there is a great potential for adding years of productive life by giving curative therapy even when the disease is advanced.
Objective: to describe the experience of the hematology unit,Baghdad Teaching Hospital, in the management of 40 adult patients with Hodgkin disease.
Patients and Methods: a retrospective cohort study of forty adult Iraqi patients with Hodgkin disease between 2005 and 2013 in the hematology unit. Patients were treated initially with 6-8 cycles of ABVD chemotherapy protocol (doxorubicine+ bleomycin+ vinblastin+ dacarbazine) , nine patients recei

Fibroblast growth factors-23 (FGF-23) are a class of cell signaling proteins produced by macrophages. They have a range of roles, but they play a particularly important role in the development of animal cells, where they are essential for appropriate growth. Phosphate, which is found in the body as both organic and mineral phosphate, plays crucial roles in cell structure, communication, and metabolism. Most phosphate in the body resides in bone, teeth, and inside cells, with less than 1% circulating in serum. The aim of the study is to evaluate the levels of the Fibroblast Growth Factors-23 and phosphate and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) in acromegaly patients against healthy control. A case control study Fibroblast Growth Fact

Background: Factor V Leiden is considered the most common inherited risk factor for venous thrombosis in Caucasian populations, including those in the Eastern Mediterranean region. While several studies have addressed Factor V Leiden prevalence in patients with venous thrombosis in the Eastern Mediterranean countries, none have been reported from Iraq.
Objective: To study the prevalence of Factor V Leiden in an unselected group of Iraqi patients with Deep Venous thrombosis.
Materials and Methods: A total of 50 unselected patients with deep venous thrombosis referred to the Medical City Teaching Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq, as well as 40 age and sex matched controls, were enrolled. The evaluation included in addition to detailed histo

Leukemia is the most common cancer in children which causes death despite the high survival rate. Therefore,  new methods are required to find a suitable therapy. A small RNA called microRNAs (miRNAs) is used as a biomarker for cancer diagnosis and early prognostic evaluation. Expression levels of three miRNAs from the 3' arm (miR-142-3p, miR-223-3p and miR-146-3p) were detected in serum samples from 30 acute leukemic children and from 30 healthy individuals by using qPCR. The miR-142-3p and miR-146-3p profiles were significantly downregulated (P=0.0010 and 0.0012, respectively), while miR-223 was found to be significantly upregulated (P= 0.0044) in the pateints. Serum level of C/EBP-β