BACKGROUND: HLA-B27 can effect clinical presentation and course of ankylosing spondylitis. Different detection techniques of HLA-B27 are available with variable sensitivities and specificities. OBJECTIVE: To compare serologic and molecular diagnostic techniques of detecting HLA-B27 status and to correlate it with some clinical variables among ankylosing spondylitis patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 83 Iraqi patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Clinical and laboratory evaluations were reported. HLA-B27 status was determined in all patients by real-time PCR using HLA-B27 RealFast™ kit; ELISA method was used as well to detect soluble serum HLA-B27 antigens using Human Leukocyte Antigen® kit. RESULTS: The mean age of patients ± SD was (38.4±9.8) years. Male to female ratio was 9:1. Disease onset occurred <30 years in 78% of cases. All (100%) cases had lower back pain, 44 (54%) patients had enthesitis, 14 (16.9%) had peripheral arthritis, 12 (14.5%) had eye involvement, whil
Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) infection is associated with broad spectrum of clinical manifestationsdepending on the immune status of the host, To analyze their possible role in the complication ofautoimmune hepatitis, we investigated (30) female patients with autoimmune hepatitis type-1 of(10-40)years and 25 healthy female of same ages(control groups). Both groups were carried outto measure the levels of EBV-CA IgM, IgG Ab, EBV-EA IgM, IgG Ab, and EBV-NA IgM, IgGAb using indirect immunoflourescent assay (IFAT).The prevalence of EBV-CA IgM, IgG Ab were(10%,20%) and EBV-EA IgM, IgG Ab were (10% and20%) respectively, while the prevalence ofEBV-NA IgG Ab was( 3.33%) and there are no prevalence of EBV-NA IgM Ab. There weresignificant differences (P
... Show MoreThe acute phase response is a major pathophysiologic phenomenon that accompanies inflammation whether acute or chronic. Complement (C3 and C4) and C - reactive protein (CRP) are positive acute phase proteins (+ ve APPs ). Their production takes place in hepatocyte and the blood concentration of these parameters are increased in osteoarthritis (OA). Chloroquine (CQ) is a diprotic weak base traditionally used to treat malaria. Recently the phosphate salt of CQ is used to decrease this type of (+ve APPs) . In this study, patients who suffered from knee osteoarthritis (KOA) are treated with oral dosage form of chloroquine phosphate (CQP) for one month, twice daily. Our results demonstrate that CQP improves the patient status by decreas
... Show MoreThis study aimed to isolate and identifye the growth of microorganisms and
their effect on pickled cucumber and cabbage, the study also investigated the effect of
garlic (in the form of segments, chopped or crushed) on the mentioned pickled –food
features . Furthermore, a sense based comparison is made between vinegar-preserved
samples and vinegar-garlic preserved ones.
The following results have been obtained:
1- The isolation of staph. aureus alone from the samples and the study of its physical
and biochemical features.
2- The fresh garlic (segments, chopped and crushed) with concentration of 5%, 7.5%,
and 10% showed a damaging percentage of 100% to bacterial growth of staph. Aureus
after 24 hours of inc
In Iraq, there is a limited research work exploring the clinical pharmacists' role from the point of view of other healthcare professionals. To investigate physicians' assessment of clinical pharmacy services at Baghdad hospitals, and compare junior physicians with senior physicians' point of view. The study was conducted in twelve governmental hospitals in Baghdad, Iraq. Data was collected from a sample of two hundred physicians, and through a validated, self-administered questionnaire, which comprised twenty statements in addition to a non-personal information form that precedes the questionnaire The study findings reveal a somewhat positive point of view towards clinical pharmacists' performance in Baghdad h
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This study aims to identify maternal death cases caused by Coronavirus infection 2019 pneumonia, including disease progression, fetal consequences, and the fatality cause.
Patients and methodology: A retrospective case collection of Iraqi pregnant women in their second and third trimesters diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia and died due to it.
The four cases were all of a young age, had a brief complaint period, and had no comorbidities. Fever, dyspnea, and fatigue were the most common symptoms. Hypoxia was present in all cases and was the cause of mortality in three cases, with thromboembolism being a potential cause in the fourth. Prelabour membrane breakup, fetal growth restriction, and fetal death are al
... Show MoreIn Iraq, there is a limited research work exploring the clinical pharmacists' role from the point of view of other healthcare professionals.
To investigate physicians' assessment of clinical pharmacy services at Baghdad hospitals, and compare junior physicians with senior physicians' point of view.
The study was conducted in twelve governmental hospitals in Baghdad, Iraq. Data was collected from a sample of two hundred physicians, and through a validated, self-administered questionnaire, which comprised twenty statements in addition to a non-personal information form that precedes the questionnaire
The study findings reveal a somewhat positive point of view towards clinical pharmacists' performance in
... Show MoreLeishmaniasis is a transmissible infection brought about by an obligatory intracellular protozoan from the genus Leishmania. It occurs worldwide in tropical and subtropical regions and can be burdensome in resource-constrained countries. The infection ranges in severity from mild cutaneous lesions to more severe and sometimes life-threatening visceral and distorting mucocutaneous sicknesses. Importantly, cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is prevalent in the Middle East with a pooled prevalence of 12%. It imposes a significant health and socioeconomic burden
This study aims at detecting the differences in genotyping of coding region fusA gene in clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii from Baghdad, Iraq. Collected two hundred clinical samples (50 samples from urine, 50 samples from wound, 50 samples from sputum and 50 samples from otitis infections). Laboratory diagnosis for bacterial isolates carried out by some biochemical tests and confirmed by using VITEK- 2 compact system. The results appeared that twenty isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii in all these samples. Genotyping study was performed of coding region fusA gene of the extracted genome of all bacterial isolates and used specific primers in achieved amplification process of this target gene. DNA sequencing of this gene and alig
... Show MoreEconazole nitrate (EN) is considered as the most effective agent for the treatment of all forms of dermatomycosis caused by dernatophytes. It was formulated as a topical solution in our laboratories. This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of Econazol Nitrate in the prepared formula and compared with that of commercial brand, Pevaryl®. A total of 104 patient suffering from dermatomycoses were involved in this investigation. Both formula were applied to the affected skin region in the morning and evening from week to 16 weeks with light massage until complete healing effect was achieved. The data revealed that the percentage of cured patient treated with the prepared formula and reference formula of Ecanozol Nitrate 1% so
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