4 Blood Res 2018;53:314-319. Received on August 11, 2018 Revised on August 30, 2018 Accepted on August 30, 2018 Background Iron overload is a risk factor affecting all patients with thalassemia intermedia (TI). We aimed to determine whether there is a relationship of serum ferritin (SF) and alanine ami- notransferase (ALT) with liver iron concentration (LIC) determined by R2 magnetic reso- nance imaging (R2-MRI), to estimate the most relevant degree of iron overload and best time to chelate in patients with TI. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 119 patients with TI (mean age years) were randomly se- lected and compared with 120 patients who had a diagnosis of thalassemia major (TM). Correlations of LIC, as determined by R2-MRI, with SF and ALT levels, were assessed in all participants. A P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results SF and LIC levels were lower in patients with TI than in those with TM; only ferritin values were significant. We found a statistically significant relationship between SF and LIC, with cut-off estimates of SF in patients with TI who had splenectomy and those who entered puberty spontaneously (916 and 940 ng/mL, respectively) with LIC >5 mg Fe/g dry weight (P<0.0001). A significant relationship was also found for patients with TI who had ele- vated ALT level (63.5 U/L), of 3.15 times the upper normal laboratory limit, using a cut-off for LIC ≥5 mg Fe/g dry weight. Conclusion We determined the cut-off values for ALT and SF indicating the best time to start iron chela- tion therapy in patients with TI, and found significant correlations among iron overload, SF, and ALT.
Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Clopidogrel, antiplatelet drug, has been widely used for management of CAD. Arylesterase, the activity of Paraoxonase-1 (PON-1), is mainly contributed in the biotransformation of clopidogrel to its active thiol form. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of receiving clopidogrel drug on the arylesterase activities in CAD patients. The effect of receiving clopidogrel drug on the antioxidant activity of arylesterase was also monitored by determination of malondialdehyde (MDA) level. Methods: One hundred CAD patients, who were followed-up for 5 days after reciving clopidogrel, and 50 healthy volunteers were included in our study
... Show MoreThe amino acids in the liver of chick embryo was analysed for ages (7, 11, 14 and 19) days incubation and small chicken aged (14) days after hatching and adult. The study recorded (18) amino acid, the highest concentration of amino acids in the liver of embryo age (7) days incubation was Cysteine (Cys) and in small chicken aged (14) day after hatching, the following amino acids were found: Asparagine (Asn), Alanine (Ala), Histidine (His), Threonine (Thr), Valine (Val), Lysine (Lys), as well as in adult the following amino acids were recorded the highest concentration: Aspartic (Asp), Glutamic (Glu), Serine (Ser), Arginine (Arg), Proline (Pro), Glycine (Gly), Tyrosine (Tyr), Methionine (Met), Isoleucine (Ile), Leucine (Leu) and phenyl alanin
... Show MoreBackground: Toxoplasma gondiiis an obligate intracellular protozoan that may infect nearly all warm-blooded animals, including humans. T gondiiis thought to infect one-third of the human population.The symptoms depending on the adequacy of the immune antiparasitic response. In humans, the main source of infection is through contact with the feces of infected cats, the final host in which the T. gondii completes its life cycle. Other source of infection occurs when drinking raw milk, ingestion of contaminated meat. Aim: This descriptive study estimated the seroprevalence and risk variables for Toxoplasma gondii infection forundergraduate students of a college of Pharmacy who were studying at University of Baghdad. The frequency rate ofToxopl
... Show MoreThere were many ideas and opinions on the linkage between growth and economic reform in both developed and developing countries. The relationship is, of course, existed. Therefore, this research comes to analyses it in the Iraqi economy. This study is based on a hypothesis that the economic reformation in Iraq leads to lag level of growth with the of high rates of inflation. However, the study is designed to be included five sections. It found a positive relationship between the economic reformation and slowing of economic growth, in which the specified hypothesis is not fit to the economic reality in Iraq after 2003 &
... Show MoreBackground: Asymmetry assessment is an important component of orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning. Several studies attempted to find the relationship between craniometric asymmetry and skeletal jaws relationship and many authors found some extent of asymmetry in individuals with normal jaws relationship. The use of Computed tomography (CT) allows for the assessment of asymmetry on a dimensionally accurate volumetric image, aim of the study is to determine if there are differences in craniometric asymmetry between patient with skeletal class I and patients with skeletal class II relationship using Helical CT scan. Materials and Methods: Ninety individuals with clinically symmetrical faces were imaged with Helical CT scan, and aging
... Show MoreThe US invasion of Iraq in 2003 unleashed the repressed national aspirations of the Kurdish people. After the colonial powers, especially Britain, failed to establish a homeland of scattered Kurds in Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Iran, Iraq's Kurds managed to establish a semi-independent state in the north of the country Which lasted decades against the central authority in Baghdad in protest against what they call the forced integration of Kurds in the Iraqi state, and to obtain more rights and privileges as partners in this country. The federal region in the Kurdistan region of Iraq has become a reality, and it is eager not to strengthen its authority in return for the authority of the central government, but to annex other areas inhabited b
... Show MoreBackground: Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is one of the most common oral mucosa diseases characterized by recurrent, shallow, round or oval painful oral ulcers surrounded by inflammatory erythematous halos, the condition is chronic and self-limiting in immunocompetent patients. Aim of the study: to investigate the serum vitamin D levels in Iraqi female patients with RAS and the relationship between vitamin D levels and the severity of RAS. In this cross sectional study 30 female patients with idiopathic RAS, and 30 age and sex matched healthy controls were included, the severity of RAS is assessed by the number of oral aphthous ulcers in each attack and the frequency of attacks. Serum 25(OH) D levels were determined by the Enzy
... Show MoreBackground: Prostatic adenocarcinoma is the most widely recognized malignancy in men and the second cause of cancer-related mortality encountered in male patients after lung cancer.
Aim of the study: To assess the diagnostic value of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and its quantitative measurement, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), in the identification and localization of prostatic cancer compared with T2 weighted image sequence (T2WI).
Type of the study: a prospective analytic study
Patients and methods: forty-one male patients with suspected prostatic cancer were examined by pelvic MRI at the MRI department of the Oncology Teaching Hospital/Medical City in Baghdad
... Show MoreChitinase-3-like 1 protein (YKL-40) is a glycoprotein primarily produced in the arthritic joint and plays a crucial role in inflammatory processes. The aim of the study is to establish the role of YKL-40 as a biomarker for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared to proinflammatory biomarkers and disease activity. The study included 58 patients and 18 control. Diseases activity score (DAS-28) and clinical disease activity index (CDAI) were measured. Serum level of YKL-40, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1B (IL-1β), erythrocyte sedimentation (ESR), rheumatoid factor (RF), C-reactive protein (CRP), and anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) were assessed. The results showed that the median serum YKL-40 level which was 5.42
... Show More