Background: Pressure ulcers remain a serious complication for immobile patients and a burden for healthcare professionals. Objectives: To assess health behavior prevention among critical care nurses regarding pressure ulcer prevention for hospitalized patients and to find out the relationship between critical care nurses health behavior prevention and sociodemographic variables. Methods: A cross-sectional design study was carried out in critical care units at three teaching hospitals. The study period extended from November 1, 2022, to January 28, 2023. Non-probability purposive sampling, whose target population was 100 nurses who work in critical care units in Baghdad, Iraq. The data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The data was collected from November 10th through December 23rd, 2022. Study instruments consist of two parts. First, the demographic sheet included sociodemographic information about the participants. The second part includes nurses’ attitudes toward the pressure ulcer prevention instrument (APuP). The collected data was analyzed using SPSS version 26. Results: Findings of the current study showed nearly three-quarters (74%) of critical care nurses had positive health behaviors regarding pressure ulcer prevention based on a total mean score of 2.26. Conclusion: This study concluded that the critical care units’ nurses surveyed in this study demonstrate an acceptable level of knowledge regarding pressure ulcer prevention and treatment. Continuing education or in-service training should be provided to enhance critical care units’ nurses’ practices and positive health behaviors about pressure ulcer prevention.
Endothelin-I (ET-I) is one of the potent vasoconstrictors secreted from endothelial cells when needed. Many studies revealed the elevation of serum ET-I with human diabetes and microangiopathies. Since insulin resistance is a case of mixed diabetic and pre-diabetic cases, many risk factors beyond obesity and inflammation are proposed. The current study aims to demonstrate the association between serum ET-I and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Sera of 73 subjects were enrolled currently (control= 35 subjects, and 38 with T2DM for more than 7 years), aged (40-60) years old, with distinct body mass index (BMI) ≤ 25 for control volunteers and (BMI) ≥ 25 for obesity and diabetes
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Detection of virulence gene agglutinin-like sequence (ALS) 1 by using molecular technology from clinical samples (
Free radicals and oxidative damage caused by them have being suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of migraine. These may result from distorted equilibrium of pro-oxidant/anti-oxidant system that continuously generates and detoxifies oxidants during normal aerobic metabolism. Escape of such system from equilibrium leads to damage of cellular elements with the depletion of cellular stores of anti-oxidants material such as glutathione and vitamin E. Therefore, free radical scavengers (vitamin E or melatonin) seems to be of potential benefit as prophylactic anti-migraine therapy by neutralizing free radicals overproduction and possibly preventing formation of highly toxic intermediates (such as nitric oxide). In addition of being pow
... Show MoreBackground: The genetic polymorphisms of vitamin D receptor (VDR) have an association with thalassemia development, additionally to the environmental elements that elicited the disorder in the genetically predisposed individuals. As well, VDR functions responsible for the regulation of bone metabolism, such its part in immunity. Aim: The sitting study intended to inspect the association between thalassemia disease and the genetic polymorphisms of VDR among the Iraqi population then compared these findings to other findings of thalassemia patients in other different ethnic populations. Materials and methods: The restriction enzymes Bsm-I and Fok-I were applied to determine the genetic polymorphisms frequencies of VDR by a Polymerase Chain Re
... 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 MoreAim and Objectives: The objective of this study was to illustrate the link between periodontitis (PO) and endothelial dysfunction in hypertensive patients. Materials and Methods: This cross‑sectional study involved 53 hypertensive patients with or without PO compared with 28 healthy controls. On the basis of the study protocol, the participants were divided into three groups: Group (1): 24 patients with hypertension only, Group (2): 29 patients with hypertension and PO, and Group (3): 28 healthy controls. Lipid profile, endothelin‑1 (ET‑1), and high‑sensitivity C‑reactive protein (hs‑CRP) were measured. Blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) were evaluated. Diagnostic criteria of severe PO periodontal indices including plaque
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