Background: Oral anticoagulation medication, warfarin and non-vitamin k antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOAC) may require long term use which may affect patients’ satisfaction with their treatment and their quality of life (QOL). Objective: To compare the quality of life and treatment satisfaction among groups of patients using different anticoagulant therapies (warfarin and NOAC). Patients and methods: A cross-sectional study was performed at Ibn Al-Bitar Hospital for cardiac surgery in Baghdad in the period between December 2022 to May 2023. The study population included a convenient sample of patients receiving either warfarin or non-vitamin k antagonist oral anticoagulants treatment. The Arabic version of the short form 12 (SF-12) questionnaire and the Anti-Coagulant Treatment Satisfaction Scale (ACTS) questionnaire were used to assess the quality of life and satisfaction with treatment respectively. Results: The study included 181 patients in total. The mean physical and mental quality of life scores for study participants were 42.3±9.92 and 52.6±10.36 respectively. There was no significant difference in the QOL between patients taking warfarin and those on non-vitamin k antagonist oral anticoagulants treatment. The mean total satisfaction score was 65.4±6.73. Patients receiving non-vitamin k antagonist oral anticoagulants had significantly higher satisfaction compared to those receiving warfarin (P=0.000). The physical score correlated significantly with gender, educational level, employment status, number of chronic medications and number of chronic diseases. The total satisfaction score correlated significantly with gender, number of chronic medications, number of side effects and duration of anticoagulation. There was a significant correlation between the QOL and treatment satisfaction (P=0.000). Conclusion: Treatment with non-vitamin k antagonist oral anticoagulants showed comparable QOL and higher treatment satisfaction than that of warfarin. Better treatment satisfaction can improve patients’ QOL which may ultimately enhance their adherence to treatment.
Background: The protective roles of vitamin C and total proteins in gingival inflammation were reported by several studies. The aim of this study was to measure the concentration of salivary vitamin C, total protein and their relation to gingival health among dental students. Materials and methods: The sample consisted of 67 dental students (33 males and 34 females) from College of Dentistry, University of Baghdad. Sillness and Löe (1964) was used for recording of dental plaque, while the gingival index (GI) was measured according to Löe and Sillness criteria (1963). Stimulated salivary samples were collected and chemically analyzed in Poisoning Center/Surgical Specialty Hospital by using colorimetric method to measure the salivary v
... Show MoreBackground: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurodegenerative autoimmune disease mediated by autoreactive T cells against myelin-basic proteins. Cytokines are suggested to play a role in the etiopathogenesis of the disease. Among these cytokines is interleukin-2 (IL-2). Aim of the study: To investigate the association between IL2+166 G/T single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP: rs2069763) and MS in Iraqi patients. Serum level of IL-2 was also detected. Anti-rubella IgG antibody was further determined in the sera of patients. Patients and methods: Eighty MS patients (28 males and 52 females; age mean ± SD: 39.2 ± 16.1 years) and 80 healthy control matched patients for age (32.15 ± 16.13 years) and gender (28 males and 52 females) were en
... Show MoreOut of 150 clinical samples, 50 isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae were identified according to morphological and biochemical properties. These isolates were collected from different clinical samples, including 15 (30%) urine, 12 (24%) blood, 9 (18%) sputum, 9 (18%) wound, and 5 (10%) burn. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) assay revealed that 25 (50%) of isolates were resistant to gentamicin (≥16µg/ml), 22 (44%) of isolates were resistant to amikacin (≥64 µg/ml), 21 (42%) of isolates were resistant to ertapenem (≥8 µg/ml), 18 (36%) of isolates were resistant to imipenem (4- ≥16µg/ml), 43 (86%) of isolates were resistant to ceftriaxone (4- ≥64 µg/ml), 42 (84%) of isolates were resistant to ceftazidime (1
... Show MoreBackground: Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is an idiopathic condition aggravated by exogenous or endogenous glucocorticoids. Vascular deregulation in the choroid is a new hypothesis regarding central serous chorioretinopathy occurrence. The inhibition of choroidal mineralocorticoid receptors has a great role in shortening the duration of CSCR by inhibiting choroidal vasodilatation and leak.
Objective: To assess the effect of oral spironolactone on subretinal fluid, central macular thickness and visual acuity in patients with acute CSCR compared to observation.
Subjects and Methods: a hospital based, randomized clinical trial carried out at outpatient clinic in Ibn-Alhaitham Teaching E
... Show MoreOsteoarthritis is the most prevalent arthritic disease and a leading cause of disability. The pathogenesis of osteoarthritis involves multiple etiologies, including variable degree of synovial inflammation. Metformin and pioglitazone could potentially reduce the levels and activity of inflammatory mediators. This may consider as a new therapeutic approach added to the current used drugs in an attempt to decrease the pain, inflammation, and improve daily activity and quality of life in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
This study designed to evaluate the clinical utility of using metformin or pioglitazone as anti-inflammatory agents in combination with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) of selective type of cyclooxygen
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Background: The novel coronavirus 2 (SARS?CoV?2) pandemic is a pulmonary disease, which leads to cardiac, hematologic, and renal complications. Anticoagulants are used for COVID-19 infected patients because the infection increases the risk of thrombosis. The world health organization (WHO), recommend prophylaxis dose of anticoagulants: (Enoxaparin or unfractionated Heparin for hospitalized patients with COVID-19 disease. This has created an urgent need to identify effective medications for COVID-19 prevention and treatment. The value of COVID-19 treatments is affected by cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) to inform relative value and how to best maximize social welfare through eviden
... Show MoreAbstract Background: The novel coronavirus 2 (SARS?CoV?2) pandemic is a pulmonary disease, which leads to cardiac, hematologic, and renal complications. Anticoagulants are used for COVID-19 infected patients because the infection increases the risk of thrombosis. The world health organization (WHO), recommend prophylaxis dose of anticoagulants: (Enoxaparin or unfractionated Heparin for hospitalized patients with COVID-19 disease. This has created an urgent need to identify effective medications for COVID-19 prevention and treatment. The value of COVID-19 treatments is affected by cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) to inform relative value and how to best maximize social welfare through evidence-based pricing decisions. O
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