Background : The hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is defined as the triad of liver disease, arterial deoxygenation, and pulmonary vascular dilatation. The reported prevalence of HPS in cirrhotic patients varies between 5% -17.5%.Objective : To estimate the prevalence of hepatopulmonary syndrome among patients with chronic liver disease and portal hypertension and to study the correlation between HPS and the severity of liver disease.Patients and methods : Thirty patients were studied for the presence of HPS using transthoracic contrast echocardiography for detection of pulmonary vasodilatation. Arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) was determined in erect and supine position using a pulse oximeter , (SaO2 ≤ 92 % in supine position and/or a decrease of ≥ 4% after change from supine to upright position) to detect hypoxia and ortheodeoxia.Result : Eleven of thirty patients (36.6%) with chronic liver disease and portal hypertension were found to have contrast echocardiographic evidence of intrapulmonary right-to-left shunting. Arterial oxygen desaturation was present in 3 patients (27.3%) of those with intra-pulmonary right-to-left shunting ,they were considered as clinically significant HPS ,the remaining 8 patients were considered as subclinical HPS. Dyspnoea was more often present in patients with clinically significant HPS (100%) compared with subclinical HPS (25%), and patients without HPS (9%). HPS correlated significantly with severity of liver disease according to the Child-Pugh score.Conclusion: hepatopulmonary syndrome is not uncommon , the prevalence of clinically significant hepatopulmonary syndrome (in this study) was 10% of patients with chronic liver disease and it correlated with disease severity according to the Child-Pugh score
Lead acetate as one of the environmental pollutants can threats the life of living creatures in many ways, it has a long half-life, accumulates mainly in the soft tissue and leads to adverse effects in these tissues. An experiment was conducted to study the effect of oral feeding of lead acetate on histological features of liver, kidney, testis and muscle of albino mice. Mice were treated with 0.05 mg/100 ml lead acetate (LA) for 10 days (group A) and for and for 20 days (group B) and for 30 days (group C). The histological section of liver of mice group A characterized by slightly blurred trabecular structure with foci of hepatitis which increased with cytoplasmic vacules in group B but in group C liver reveal necrosis, heamorrhage,
... Show MoreOsteoarthritis is the most prevalent arthritic disease and a leading cause of disability. The pathogenesis of osteoarthritis involves multiple etiologies, including variable degree of synovial inflammation. Metformin and pioglitazone could potentially reduce the levels and activity of inflammatory mediators. This may consider as a new therapeutic approach added to the current used drugs in an attempt to decrease the pain, inflammation, and improve daily activity and quality of life in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
This study designed to evaluate the clinical utility of using metformin or pioglitazone as anti-inflammatory agents in combination with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) of selective type of cyclooxygen
... Show MoreBackground: As acetaminophen (APAP) toxicity has become more common in many countries, related cases of poisoning, whether deliberate or unintentional, have been identified as a key contributor to acute liver failure. Aime: To discover if omega-369 fatty acids could protect the liver of male mice from the effects of acetamiophen. Methods: Thirty-five albino male mice were allocated to one of five groups at random. Group 1 served as the "negative control" and received a single intraperitoneal injection (10 ml/kg) of normal saline on the eleventh day of the test following ten days of receiving liquid paraffin orally at a dose of 10 ml/kg. The liquid paraffin was given to group 2 "positive control". Group 3 received Omega 369 (50 mg/kg
... Show MoreMetabolic dysregulation and obesity are associated with many metabolic alterations, including impairment of insulin sensitivity and dyslipidemia. Recent studies highlight the key role of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-triphosphate-dependent Rac exchange proteins (PREX proteins) in the pathogenesis of obesity, advocating further elucidation of their potential therapeutic implications. The present study aimed to estimate the serum level of PREX proteins and its potential association with insulin resistance markers and plasma lipids level in obese and overweight non-diabetic patients. The study included 30 persons classified as obese, 30 as overweight, and 30 healthy individuals of similar age and gender. The levels of PREX1 and PREX2 were
... Show MoreThe main goal of this in vivo study was to evaluate the effect of 532nm Q-switched Nd: YAG Laser in combination with Human Serum Albumin 20% concentration (as a welding aid) on the liver tissue repair clinically, and histologically. The animals used in this study were 21 male rabbits divided into three main groups: control group (3 rabbits), conventionally treated group (9 rabbits) and Laser treated group (9 rabbits). Each two main groups (conventional and laser treated) consist of three sub-groups depending on the response evaluation at three different periods. The Laser group was treated using 532nm Q-switched Nd: YAG laser after adding human serum albumin immediately on the incised liver’s tissue. The energy of was 460mJ, and 4Hz fr
... Show MoreAutoimmune hepatitis is an inflammatory disease and its incidence has been increasing. The features of hepatitis are the release of inflammatory cytokines, the elevation of AST and ALT, and hepatocyte apoptosis and necrosis. Concanavalin A considered as essential model represents the acute immune-mediated liver damage in rodents. Thymoquinone is well known herbal compound that exert hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activity. In this study, we focus on the immunoregulatory and liver protective effect of thymoquinone in a mouse model of concanavalin A-induced liver injury.
Twenty-four male mice were randomly divided into four groups each containing six animals: Negative control group, concanavalin A model group,
... Show MoreBackground: Rituximab is a chimeric IgG1 kappa immunoglobulin that has been genetically modified to incorporate human constant region sequences together with murine light- and heavy-chain variable region sequences. People use it to treat rheumatoid arthritis and certain malignancies. Objective: The study aimed to assess the potential association between the serum levels of Factor I, CD59, interleukins (IL)-6, and interferon-gamma (IFN)-γ and the response to Rituximab treatment in Iraqi rheumatoid arthritis patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the rheumatology center at Baghdad Teaching Hospital. Ninety adult patients who have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and are receiving Rituximab intravenous i
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