Background: Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an autoimmune vesiculobullous mucocutaneous disease with life-threatening consequences. Rituximab (RTX) has recently emerged as an effective treatment for PV. Objectives: This study aims to determine changes in neutrophil and platelet counts for PV patients treated with RTX or corticosteroids combined with Imuran (azathioprine). Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Dermatology at Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq. Thirty PV patients received two types of treatment: 15 patients were administered RTX and 15 patients took corticosteroids with Imuran (azathioprine). Neutrophil and platelet counts were detected at the hospital laboratory. Results: The age range of PV patients was 27–67 years, and the mean ±SD was 44.866 ± 10.979 years for the patient group treated with RTX and 44.133 ± 11.519 for the patient group treated with corticosteroids and Imuran. In patients treated with RTX, 26.6% were males and 73.33% were females, with a female-to-male ratio of 2.75:1. In patients treated with corticosteroids with Imuran, 40% were males and 60% were females, with a female-to-male ratio of 1.5:1. The results revealed that among patients treated with RTX, 30% of them had mucocutaneous lesions, 6.66% had oral lesions, and 13.33% had cutaneous lesions. Among the other groups treated with corticosteroids and Imuran, 23.33% had mucocutaneous lesions, 13.33% had oral lesions, and 13.33% had cutaneous lesions. Among the patients treated with RTX, 53.33% had normal range of neutrophil count, while 46.6% had neutrophil count above the NR, while in patients treated with corticosteroids and Imuran, 40% had a normal range and 60% had above the normal range. Conclusion: RTX was a more effective treatment compared to corticosteroids with Imuran because no patient remained in an active state during this study. PV was prevalent in females aged 40 years with mucocutaneous lesions.
Shoulder immobilization is one of the injuries that lead to disability and loss of movement in the joint within a short time, which called the researchers to find appropriate therapeutic means to rehabilitate this injury. They prepared a rehabilitation program accompanying the reflexology technique to rehabilitate the injury of the immobilized shoulder of the small degree and improve the range of movement and muscle strength working on the shoulder joint The sample was selected from the male patients aged (40-50) years. The muscle strength test was used using the force sensor, the shoulder range test from the flexion and extension position and the visual analog test to measure the level of pain. The study concluded that the pre-rehabilitati
... Show MoreOur aim was to investigate the changes in the myocardium stiffness index for patients suffering from systemic hypertension, and to assess their left ventricular performance. We studied 263 hypertensive patients and 166 healthy subjects as a control group. By using conventional Doppler echocardiography, the following parameters were measured—Left ventricular end diastolic diameter, left ventricular end systolic diameter, transmitral early velocity, isovolumic relaxation time, and isovolumic contraction time. Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) was used in the measurements of the early mitral annular velocity (Ea) and the diastolic stiffness was obtained by calculating the ratio E\Ea\LVIDd. Index myocardial performance (IMP) was calculated
... Show MoreThe compound 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), an environmental contaminant, is a potent ligand for aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). In the current study, we made an exciting observation that naive C57BL/6 mice that were exposed i.p. to TCDD showed massive mobilization of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in the peritoneal cavity. These MDSCs were highly immunosuppressive and attenuated Con A–induced hepatitis upon adoptive transfer. TCDD administration in naive mice also led to induction of several chemokines and cytokines in the peritoneal cavity and serum (CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, CCL11, CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL5, CXCL9, G-CSF, GM-CSF, VEGF, and M-CSF) and chemokine receptors
Odontogenic cysts and tumors often form hard and soft structures that resemble odontogenesis. It is well known that amyloid is produced in Pindborg tumors; however, it is still debatable whether it is also formed in other odontogenic tumors and cysts. This study aimed to detect the presence of amyloid in different odontogenic cysts and tumors in correlation to matrix proteins secreted during enamel formation; namely amelogenin and odontogenic ameloblast‐associated protein.
This study included formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue blocks of 106 different types of odontogenic
The ionospheric characteristics exhibit significant variations with the solar cycle, geomagnetic conditions, seasons, latitudes and even local time. Representation of this research focused on global distribution of electron (Te) and ion temperatures (Ti) during great and severe geomagnetic storms (GMS), their daily and seasonally variation for years (2001-2013), variations of electron and ion temperature during GMS with plasma velocity and geographic latitudes. Finally comparison between observed and predicted Te and Ti get from IRI model during the two kinds of storm selected. Data from satellite Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) 850 km altitude are taken for Te, Ti and plasma velocity for different latitudes during great
... Show MoreCongenital adrenal hyperplasia is a group of autosomal recessive disorders. The most frequent one is 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Analyzing
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, progressive, inflammatory autoimmune disease of unidentified etiology, associated with articular, extra-articular and systemic manifestation that require long-standing treatment. Taking patient’s beliefs about the prescribed medication in consideration had been shown to be an essential factor that affects adherence of the patient in whom having positive beliefs is an essential for better adherence. The purpose of the current study was to measure beliefs about medicines among a sample of Iraqi patients with Rheumatoid arthritis and to determine possible association between this belief and some patient-certain factors. This study is a cross-sectional study carried out on 250 already diagnosed rheumatoid
... Show MoreBackground:This is a prospective study of three children presented to us in the Orbital clinic in AL ShahidGazi Al Hariri Hospital with painless proptosiswith suspension of Hydatid disease.Objectives: : Orbital hydatid disease is a rare lesion accounting for less than 1% of the total lesions of the body (1, 2). Orbital cysts presented as a primary lesion in our study which is rare to have such lesion without involvement of other organs (3). Humans represent the intermediate host where the commonly affected organ are liver and the lung (10-15%) (4). Methods:This is a prospective study of three Children presented to us in the Orbital clinic in Al Shahid Ghazi Alhariri Hospital with painless proptosis with suspension of Hydatid disease, dep
... Show MoreHormones, their receptors, and the associated signaling pathways make compelling drug targets because of their wide-ranging biological significance to study the role of asprosin in obese male patients with diabetic mellitus type II. ELISA method was used to assay asprosin and insulin. Blood was taken with drawn sample from 30 obese normal patients with age range (40-60) years, 30 diabetic patients with age range (40-60) years at duration of disease (1-5) years and 30 normal healthy patients. The mean difference between T2DM according to insulin % (23.8±0.6) was increased than the mean of IFG (17.7±1.0) (P 0.000). The mean difference between T2DM according to asprosin (122.1±21.8) was increased than the mean of IFG (51.4±2.7) (P 0
... Show MoreBackground and Objectives: Urinary tract infections (UTIs), among a wide range of microbial infections, are of a double-edged worry with health-care and economic implications. They are serious diseases that can influence various parts of the urinary tract. The aim of this study was characterization of the enteric bacteria isolated from urine of human UTIs and studying their antimicrobial sensitivity. Materials and methods: A total of 50 urine samples were collected from patients with UTIs of both genders. The isolates identification was done using routine diagnostic methods and confirmed by Vitek2. Antimicrobial susceptibility was done against 10 antimicrobials. Results: Both genders of human were found to suffer from urinary tract problems
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