Background: Acute appendicitis is a common surgical
problem that is associated with an acute-phase reaction.
Previous studies have shown that cytokines and acutephase proteins are activated and may serve as indicators for
appendicitis.
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate of serum
levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in correlation to the severity
to acute appendicitis.
Methods: This is a prospective study from December 2008
to March 2009 of patients who had appendectomy in
Department of Surgery, Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital -
Baghdad/Iraq. Serum for estimating levels of interleukin-6
(IL-6) was taken pre-operatively. Depending on the
macroscopic evidence during the operation and the
histopathological examination of the specimens, the
patients were separated into 3 groups, group one with
negative appendectomy (normal appendix), group two with
non-complicated acute appendicitis (catarrhal,
suppurative), and group three with complicated acute
appendicitis (perforated, gangrenous). The
histopathological results were correlated with IL-6 values
statistically.
Results: A total number of 50 patients were included in
this study, 28 male (56%) and 22 female (44%). The mean
age was 23 year (ranged from 7 to 50). On histological
examination, there were 7 patients (14%) in group one, 29
patients (58%) in group two, and 14 patients (28%) in
group three. Serum IL-6 values gave true negative results
in 6%, true positive results in 82%, false negative results in
4%, and false positive results in 8%. We determined,
therefore, in the present study the sensitivity, specificity,
and accuracy of serum IL-6 were calculated as 95.34%,
42.85%, and 88% respectively.
Conclusion: Laboratory results should be considered to be
integrated within the clinical assessment. If used critically,
IL-6 can provide surgeons with complementary
information in discerning the necessity for urgent
operation
The central nervous system (CNS) disease known as multiple sclerosis (MS) is essentially an inflammatory demyelinating condition with a variety of clinical manifestations and variable histological findings. A number of immunological and biochemical markers may alter MS, which is also characterized as an autoimmune illness. MS patients (n = 100) were divided into two groups: newly diagnosed (n = 42) and patients with ongoing treatments (n = 58). These groups were compared to healthy subjects (n = 55); the mean age ±SD was (30±8.46 years), (37±8.06 years), and (31±8.73 years) for MS newly diagnosed patients, patients with ongoing treatments, and healthy subjects, respectively. Studies for serum levels of eotaxin-1, myelin basi
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Background: The cells of periodontium contain many intracellular enzymes like (alkaline phosphatase ALP) that are released outside into the saliva and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) after destruction of periodontal tissue. The aim of study was to determine the activity of this enzyme in saliva and its relation to the salivary flow rate, PH and clinical periodontal parameters in patients with chronic periodontitis. Subject, Materials and methods: Sample population consist of 75 individuals ;divided into four groups , the first group (15):control subject, the second group (20):mild chronic periodontitis, the third group(20) moderate chronic periodontitis and the fourth group (20) sever chronic periodontitis, Measurements of plaque index (PL
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Hemogloin (Hb) and serum ferritin levels are used to assess anemia in pregnancy. Some studies referred to the influence of maternal age, body mass index (BMI) and parity on Hb and serum ferritin levels. The study aimed to examine the possible association of maternal Hb and serum ferritin with maternal age, parity, and BMI in a sample of pregnant women in Baghdad.
Ninety healthy pregnant women, grouped in three equal groups according to the pregnancy trimester, and thirty apparently healthy non-pregnant women from Baghdad were enrolled in this observational study. Blood and serum samples were obtained for the estimation of Hb and serum ferritin levels.
The pooled data of participants showed a n
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The Growth Differentiation Factor -15 (GDF-15) is a member of the transforming growth factor β superfamily. İt represents an example of the stress response cytokines. It's mostly found in cardiac myocytes, adipocytes, macrophages, endothelial cells, and vascular endothelial cells, whether they're generated normally or not. GDF-15 levels have increased and are associated with cardiovascular risk. Aim of the study: To investigate the correlation between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) with the level of plasma GDF-15 in a group of hypertensive patients. Materials and methods: A case-control study involved 90 individuals, 60 hypertensive patients (36 on ACE inhibitors and 24 on ARBs)
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(2)
Chronic inflammation can induce proliferative events and posttranslational DNA modifications in prostate tissue through oxidative stress. The present study was designed to evaluate the changes in serum levels of TNF-α, malomdialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant status (TAS) patients with different stages of malignant prostatic cancer (PCa) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). One hundred males (age range of 58-72 years) with different stages of malignant PCa were recruited from the Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine Teaching Hospital in Baghdad during the period from September 2010 to April 2011. The patients were categorized according to the 4 disease stages (I, II, III, and IV); 25 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
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The present study was designed to estimate the active ingredients in the aqueous extract of fennel Foeniculum vulgare L. fruits and test the effects of different concentrations of the extract on serum estrogen and prolactin levels in female rats. The work was conducted to prepare the aqueous extract in the laboratory, while the secondary active substances in the extract were estimated using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) technology. The experiments were conducted in the animal house of the College of Science, Tikrit university,on a total of 12 adult albino virgin female rats divided into four groups, each having three rats.The aqueous extract of the fruit plant was administrate
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(1)
Background: During pregnancy many physiological, anatomical and biochemical changes take place that affect almost all body systems. In the oral pregnant women have serious changes such as more sever dental caries. This study was conducted to measure dental caries severity and selected salivary variables (salivary flow rate, PH and viscosity)and to find the relation of dental caries with these salivary variables. Subjects, materials and methods: The study group consisted of 60 pregnant women that were divided into three equal groups according to trimester (20 pregnant women in each trimester).They were selected randomly from the Maternal and Child Health Care Centers in Baghdad city, the age range was 20-25 years. In addition to 20 unmarried
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