The study aimed to evaluate the benefits of transferrin saturation percentage (TSAT) and serum ferritin in assessing body iron status, which can influence erythropoietin treatment in patients with ESRD. Forty end-stage renal disease patients on regular hemodialysis participated in this study. Clinical data were obtained. Serum iron, total iron binding capacity, transferrin saturation, ferritin, albumin, creatinine, and C-reactive protein were investigated. Thirty healthy people were enrolled as a control group. ESRD patients had a mean age of 45.1±13.9 years, with 60% being males. They exhibited significantly lower hematocrit (25.3±6.5%), and higher platelet (285.7±148.1x10^9/L) and WBC (9.4±3.1x10^9/L) counts compared to healthy controls (p<0.001 for each). The mean serum ferritin was (440.4±228.5 ng/mL), and high levels (≥300 ng/ml) were seen in 72.5% of patients, while 37.5% had functional iron deficiency. ESRD was associated with lower serum albumin (2.8±0.7 g/dL) and higher serum creatinine (5.7±2.4 mg/dL) levels (p<0.001 for each). In conclusion, about 72.5% of ESRD patients had high serum ferritin which was not a reliable index for iron stores and indicated an acute phase response. Combining transferrin saturation and serum ferritin showed low sensitivity in diagnosing iron status, determining iron status in only 47.5% of ESRD patients. The coexistence of anemia of chronic disorder and iron deficiency obscures the effectiveness of classical indices in assessing body iron status.
Background: Studies discussing the correlation between biochemical markers of bone turnover and the diagnosis of osteoporosis in postmenopausal Iraqi women are rare. This study is devoted to find out the significance of serum osteocalcin (OC) and osteopontin (OPN) levels with the incidence of osteoporosis and its major complication (fracture).Objectives: to investigate the significance of bone turnover biochemical markers; serum osteocalcin and serum osteopontin in evaluating osteoporosis for postmenopausal Iraqi women with and without history of vertebral fracture, as well as to explore the relationship of these markers with bone mineral density (BMD).Methods: Fifty seven postmenopausal women whose ages are fifty years old and over, cat
... Show MoreBackground: Hyperthyroidism refers to overactive of thyroid gland leading to excessive synthesis of thyroid hormones and accelerated metabolism in the peripheral tissue. Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate a new member of the IL-1 super family of cytokines interleukin-33(IL-33) levels in serum .in order to evaluate its utility as clinical bio marker of autoimmune disease (i.e. hyperthyroidism) Methods: The present study was conducted on 30 patients from the Iraqi female patients with hyperthyroidism attending Baghdad teaching hospital, in addition to 30 healthy controls. All subjects were (35-65) years old. Parameters measured in the sera of patients and healthy groups, were interleukin -33 (IL-33), Thyroxin (T4), Thyroxin (T3)
... Show MoreBackground: Hyperlipidemia is an elevated fat (lipids), mostly cholesterol and triglycerides, in the blood. These lipids usually bind to proteins to remain circulated so-called lipoprotein. Aims of the study: To determine taste detection threshold and estimate the trace elements (zinc) in serum and saliva of those patients and compare all of these with healthy control subjects. Methods: Eighty subjects were incorporated in this study, thy were divided into two groups: forty patients on simvastatin treatment age between (35-60) years, and forty healthy control of age range between (35-60) years. Saliva was collected by non-stimulated technique within 10 minutes. Serum was obtained from each subject. Zinc was estimated in serum and saliva
... Show MoreThe mean age of AS patients was (35.0 ± 9.8) years.When the patients and control subjects were divided into different age groups (>40, 30-40, <30 years), the differences were not significantin terms of disease prevalence. The results also showed that the percentage of male patients is higher than that of females. There was no significant difference (P?0.05) between patients and controls in the distribution of males and females.Most of the patients had the disease for a period of 5 years or higher, with a disease severity of ? 2.1 and functional disability degree of I, II. The resultsshoweddifferent patterns of distribution for the three tested cytokines. A significant increase in the level of TNF-?, anon-significantincrease i
... Show MoreThis study was conducted to determine the relationship between two most common diseases in Iraqis patients , which are Diabetic mellitus (DM) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA); seeking rheumatoid factor in hyperglycemic sera. The results revealed that ; 62.5% of hyperglycemic (HG) patients had positive rheumatoid factor (RF) . No difference in number between both gender of HG patients (20 males and 20 females ) , RF reaction was nearly similar in males and females of HG patients ( 12 &13 respectively ) . Only 40% out of patient controls had positive RF . None of the apparently healthy subjects had positive RF .
The present study was aimed to find out the role of humoral immunity in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Complements C3, C4 and immunoglobulin IgE .The study included 55 Iraqi patients with psoriasis 30 (15 females ,15 males) were untreated with any drugs. The other patient group consisted of 25 (9 female and 16 male) treated with a biological treatment (infliximab) ,and 30 (13 males ,12 females) healthy control group. Blood sample were withdrawn (5) ml of venous blood for both patients and members of the control ,to conduct the Immunological tests to determine the quantitative for each of total IgE by using (ELISA) and C3,C4 by Single Radial Immunodiffuse (SIRD). The results showed significant increase in the level of probability (P <0.0
... Show MoreThe aim of this study was to critically appraise and synthesize the best available evidence on the effectiveness of interventions suitable for delivery by nurses, designed to enhance cardiac patients' adherence to their prescribed medications.
Cardiac medications have statistically significant health benefits for patients with heart disease, but patients' adherence to prescribed medications remains suboptimal.
A systematic quantitative review of intervention effects.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) is a metabolic disease that is associated with an increased risk for atherosclerosis by 2-4 folds than in non- diabetics. In general population, low IGF-1 has been associated with higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease and mortality .This study aims to find out the relationship between IGF-1 level and other biochemical markers such as Homeostasis Model Assessment insulin resistance(HOMAIR) and Body Mass Index(BMI) in type 2 diabetic patients . This study includes (82) patients (40 females and 42 males) with age range (40-75) years,(34) non obese diabetic patients and (48) obese diabetic patients. The non obese individuals considered
... Show MoreBackground : 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 d
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