Background: Coronary artery disease remains the main cause of death despite several preventive programs. Epicardial adipose tissue is a visceral fat depot of the heart located along the large coronary arteries and on the surface of ventricles and apex. Intima media thickness is commonly recognized as the initial stage in the development of atherosclerosis. The development of ultrasound machines, advances in echocardiographic devices and high resolution transducers facilitate comprehensive analysis of epicardial fat thickness (EFT) and carotid –intima media thickness (C-IMT).
Aim: To investigate the relationship of echocardiographic epicardial fat thickness (EFT) and carotid –intima media thickness (C-IMT) with the severity of coronary artery disease.
Methods: A cross sectional multicenter diagnostic accuracy study carried out at Ibn Al-Nafis Cardiovascular Hospital, Ibn Al- Bitar Cardiology Center and Ghazi Al-Hariri Hospital –Iraqi Center for Cardiology during the period between October 2016 and May 2017 assessing. History regarding demographic data and risk factors was taken. Two dimensional transthoracic echocardiographic measurements were done. EFT was measured from parasternal long axis view perpendicular to the right ventricular free wall. C-IMT was measured according to that recommended by the American society of echocardiography (ASE).
Results: The current study demonstrated that the EFT has a direct and significant correlation with the number of involved vessels (P value ˂ 0.001, r= 0.770). The validity of EFT to discriminate between multiple vessels disease and no vessel involvement is excellent (AUC= 0.984, cut point > 8mm, sensitivity=92.9%, specificity= 93.3%). There is inverse and significant correlation between ejection fraction (EF) and three vessels disease (P value ˂ 0.001, r= -0.507). Also there is a direct and significant correlation between C-IMT and severity of CAD. ROC analysis for validity of C-IMT to discriminate between multiple vessels disease and no vessel involvement is excellent (AUC= 0.961, cut point > 1.04mm, sensitivity=92.9%. specificity=86.7%). C-IMT is fair to discriminate between single vessel disease and no vessel involvement (AUC=0.738, cut point ˃ 0.84mm, sensitivity 100%), so if correlated with age, C-IMT above 0.84 can be used as a cut off point for the prediction of CAD. Finally, EFT and C-IMT are more likely to reflect severity of CAD than their ratio.
Conclusions: C-IMT and EFT are simple and reproducible parameters that can be used as a screening tool for the presence and severity of CAD especially before symptoms appearance in high risk patients
Background. The motor response is a fundamental ability that is evident during any physical or motor activity. However, the need for this ability varies from one sport to another and depends on the specific skills required in each sport. Objectives. This study aims to compare the average motor reaction times of the arm and leg among handball, basketball, and volleyball players aged 14 to 16 years. Methods. The sample included 30 players aged 14-16 years from the sports talent care center, evenly distributed on handball, basketball, and volleyball. Standardized tests were used to measure the speed of motor response, including the Batak Micro test for hands, which records the number of responses to light stimuli in 30 seconds, and the Saqer t
... Show MoreThe research aims to study the elements of attraction in television advertising and determine their relationship to consumer preferences, the extent to which the sample (250) watches television advertisements, and the motives for viewing. Males and females, and the statistical program spss was used to analyze the results using percentages, arithmetic mean, correlation coefficients ch2, Pearson’s coefficient and Alpha Cronbach for the stability of the test, and the research came to the conclusion that the percentage of watching television advertisements is good motivated by the identification of new goods and services in the market, as advertisements sometimes achieve consumer preferences, and the most prominent The forms that a
... Show MoreThe study aimed to analyze the nature of the relationship between decision-making time and the accuracy of shooting by jumping among handball players who are students of the fourth stage at the College of Physical Education and Sport Sciences to reveal the extent to which cognitive-motor ability contributes to improving offensive skill performance. The study adopted a descriptive approach using the method of relational relationships, and 20 players who were selected deliberately participated. The study used a reaction time system to measure decision time, as well as test the accuracy of shooting from jumping from three specific points within the attack area. The results showed that the Arithmetic mean decision time was 0.828 seconds
... Show MoreGas and downhole water sink assisted gravity drainage (GDWS-AGD) is a promising gas-based enhanced oil recovery (EOR) process applicable for reservoirs associated with infinite aquifers. However, it can be costly to implement because it typically involves the drilling of multiple vertical gas-injection wells. The drilling and well-completion costs can be substantially reduced by using additional completions for gas injection in the oil production wells through the annulus positioned at the top of the reservoir. Multi-completion-GDWS-AGD (MC-GDWS-AGD) can be configured to include separate completions for gas injection, oil, and water production in individual wells. This study simulates
The objective Effect of Internal and External Environment and its Psychological & Practical Reflection on the Political Decision-Making Process
Disasters, crises and wars are a serious and unforeseen threat. The capacity of the early warning system to monitor such crises is therefore crucial. The ability to make quick decisions in a short time is necessary to prevent crises from occurring. Here, the role and effectiveness of the early warning system emerges through its ability to monitor, record and analyze signals. It can also be evidenced by its ability to immediately convey these indicators to the concerned authorities to take measures that ensure these conflicts and disasters do not worsen. The system’s ability to detect disasters and crises, identify the crisis and its type, and use the scientific method and common sense to deal with it is something that contributes to findi
... Show MoreThis research explores the concept of cruel optimism in the context of challenging patriarchal, cultural, and social traditions in Ayad Akhtar’s The Who and the What. Cruel optimism, a term coined by Lauren Berlant, refers to the paradoxical attachment to positive aspirations that may ultimately obstruct personal fulfillment and well-being. This study examines how individuals who resist patriarchal norms and entrenched cultural traditions often face significant emotional, psychological, and social challenges. Through a multidisciplinary approach, including literary analysis, sociological perspectives, and psychological insights, the research delves into the lived experiences of those who strive for autonomy, equality, and self-realization
... Show MoreIn this work, a comparative analysis for the behavior and pattern of the variations of the IF2 and T Ionospheric indices was conducted for the minimum and maximum years of solar cycles 23 and 24. Also, the correlative relationship between the two ionospheric indices was examined for the seasonal periods spanning from August 1996 to November 2008 for solar cycle 23 and from December 2008 to November 2019 for solar cycle 24. Statistical calculations were performed to compare predicted values with observed values for the selected indices during the tested timeframes. The study's findings revealed that the behavior of the examined indices exhibited almost similar variations throughout the studied timeframe. The seasonal variations were
... Show MoreThe necessity of addressing global economic prosperity has garnered significant attention from recent studies and policymakers. This article analyses the effects of the digital economy, business synergies, and trade policies on the economic prosperity of China and India. The study examines the impact of political support on the digital economy, business synergies, trade policies, and global economic prosperity in China and India. The study collects data from prominent economists in India and China using questionnaires. The article utilised the SPSS-AMOS software to analyse the relationship between variables. The results showed that the digital economy, business synergies, and trade policies are positively linked to global economic prosperit
... Show MoreThe relationship between blood group antigens and peptic ulcer disease has been widely evaluated in the past, but only one study relating H pylori seroprevalence to ABO blood groups among Iraqi patients with peptic ulcer disease is available. We aimed to evaluate the frequency of peptic ulcer disease among different ABO blood groups in Iraqi patients, and we thought it was worthwhile to try to determine whether these components take some part in disease etiology. One hundred and six patients with peptic ulcer disease (PUD) (43 male and 63 female; mean age: 48 ± 18 years) who attended Baghdad teaching hospital and Al- Yarmouk teaching hospital endoscopy centers were enrolled , and 238 control Subjects. Fing
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