Introduction: The therapeutic efficacy of erythropoietin (EPO) may be diminished by the formation of anti-erythropoietin antibodies (AEAs), potentially resulting in therapy failure. Objectives: This retrospective study included 84 hemodialysis patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) treated with recombinant EPO and aimed to evaluate the association between serum AEA and treatment response. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study included eighty-four Iraqi patients with ESRD who had been on recombinant human EPO for more than 6 months and had hemoglobin levels below 11 g/dL. Serum AEA levels were measured in all patients to evaluate their association with treatment response and to investigate correlations with demographic, clinical, and laboratory data. Results: The study found that 64.3% of patients displayed increased AEA levels (>20 ng/mL). A poorer hemoglobin response after two months (ΔHb) was associated with increased AEA levels (β = -15.21, P=0.002). Additionally, a higher erythropoietin resistance index (ERI) emerged as a significant positive predictor (β = 1.50, P=0.018), while lower serum albumin demonstrated a protective effect (β = -22.50, P=0.048). Conclusion: This study indicates a significant prevalence of AEA in patients with ESRD undergoing EPO therapy. Regression analysis revealed that a poorer hemoglobin response (ΔHb) and a higher ERI were independent predictors of elevated AEA titers, while serum albumin was a protective factor.
Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune illness, which is consider by three main features: Sclerotic changes in the skin and internal organs, Vasculopathy of small blood vessels, Particular autoantibodies (1). The most important autoantibodies appeared significantly in SSc patients are anti-topoisomerase I autoantibody (Scl-70), anti-centromere autoantibody (ACA), and anti-RNA polymerase III autoantibody (RNAP3) (2). Anti-centromere antibodies (ACA) are infrequent in rheumatic conditions and in healthy persons but occur commonly in limited systemic sclerosis (CREST syndrome), and rarely appeared in the diffuse form of systemic sclerosis (3). Anti-Ro/SSA and antiLa/SSB, antibodies directed against Ro/La ribonucleoprot
... Show MoreAbstract Background: Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) is an angioproliferative neoplastic disorder that occurs in different epidemiological forms. Human Herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) is established as a causative agent of KS that has been mentioned in textbooks and literature. In the last two decades, KS cases were up searched through many Iraqi medical researches which have been published, but unfortunately, none of which had confirmed this association. Objectives: To assess the association of latent nuclear antigen-1(LANA-1) of HHV-8 among KS patients with clinicopathological parameters and to evaluate if this procedure is valuable for diagnosing this disease through the first immunohistochemical study in Iraq. Methods: This is a clinico-immunohis
... Show MoreBackground: Type 2 diabetes mellitusand chronic periodontitis hold a close relationship that has been the focus of many researches. Currently there is an appreciation to the role of adipose tissue-derived substances "the adipokines" in immune-inflammatory responses; also, there is an interest in using the simple non-invasive saliva in diagnosing and linking oral and general health problems. The current study aims to determine the periodontal health status in the chronic periodontitis patients with and without poorly or well controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus, measure the salivary levels of two adipokines "leptin and resistin", pH and flow rate and then correlate between these clinical periodontal, biochemical and physical parameters in eac
... Show MoreChronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a public health problem and many studies support the link between kidney dysfunction and cardiovascular events. Aldosterone has been shown for decades that a plasma aldosterone concentration is elevated in CKD. Whilst, Osteoprotegerin (OPG), after its capacity to protect bone, also osteoprotegerin is elevated in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), where it could predict the deterioration of kidney function, cardiovascular, vascular events and all-cause mortality. On the other hand, fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), in patients with CKD, its levels seem to increase progressively as kidney function worsens. The aim of the present study is to assess the correlations between serum osteoprotegerin
... Show MoreA total of (90) blood samples were collected from male patients infected with Toxoplasmosis who recovered from COVID- 19 and attended Kamal Alsamiraai Hospital from 15 January to 15 September 2021. We measured anti-Toxoplasma antibodies (IgG and IgM) detected by ELISA, whereas Anti-COVID-19 antibodies (IgG and IgM) were estimated using Elisa and Afilias. The semen characteristics were also studied among fertile, healthy individuals (control group) and sub-fertile patients. Results showed that the mean sperm count was high among the control group (40.5±1.3x 106/ml) compared with that of the sub-fertile patients (10.3±1.75 and 8.8±1.9 x 106/ml for oligozoospermia, and oligoasthenozoospermia respectively), and it was the highest (44.7±1.4
... Show MoreThe present study was performed on 80 female subjects between (30-60) years, who attended the Specialized Center for Endocrinology and Diabetes during the period from April to July; 2011. The subjects were divided into 3 groups : controls , non diabetic autoimmune thyroid patients , and non diabetic autoimmune thyroid patient with renal diseases as complication The results showed a significant increase in serum T 3 T4 levels in hyperthyroidism patients, and significant decrease in serum T3,T4 levels in hypothyroidism patients ,while a significant difference in serum TSH levels in hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism patients when compared to control group The results show also a significant increase in serum antibodies to thyroid peroxidas
... Show MoreAbstract:
Objectives: This study aims to (1) find out the association between patients' age, years of getting the disease, and their spiritual coping ability, and (2) investigate the differences in illness perception and spiritual coping ability between gender groups, level of education groups, monthly income groups, residence groups and satisfaction with health services groups.
Methodology
A descriptive correlational design is used in this study. The study sample includes a convenience sample of (158) patients with chronic kidney failure.
The study instrument consists of two parts; the first one focuses on participants’ sociodemographic characteristics, and the second part deals with participants’ spiritual coping by us
Some new norms need to be adapted due to COVID-19 pandemic period where people need to wear masks, wash their hands frequently, maintain social distancing, and avoid going out unless necessary. Therefore, educational institutions were closed to minimize the spread of COVID-19. As a result of this, online education was adapted to substitute face-to-face learning. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the Malaysian university students’ adaptation to the new norms, knowledge and practices toward COVID-19, besides, their attitudes toward online learning. A convenient sampling technique was used to recruit 500 Malaysian university students from January to February 2021 through social media. For data collection, all students
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