F. Gorial, Hameed Oda Ali, Sattar Jabbar Naema, Saad Abdurahman Hussain
{"title":"Association between Red Cell Distribution Width to Platelet Ratio and Disease Activity among Iraqi Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus","authors":"F. Gorial, Hameed Oda Ali, Sattar Jabbar Naema, Saad Abdurahman Hussain","doi":"10.54133/ajms.v1i.45","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.54133/ajms.v1i.45","url":null,"abstract":"Background: The link between red blood cell distribution width-to-platelet ratio (RPR) and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is not well understood. Aim: To investigate the association between RPR levels and disease activity in SLE. Methods: This was a case-control study conducted at Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Medical City from July 2020 to March 2021. Seventy SLE patients were compared with 70 healthy controls. The diagnosis was made using the American College of Rheumatology SLE criteria. Results: SLE patients had a mean age of 35.2±12.03 years, while controls had a mean age of 36.3±9.9 years (P=0.5). Females represent 97.1% of SLE patients and 88.6% of controls. The average disease duration was 4.98±0.05 years. The disease activity index (SLEDI) was 16.4±4.8. SLE patients had a lower platelet count than controls, and the median (IQR) of RDW was larger than that of controls. SLE patients had a greater median (IQR) of RPR than controls (0.058; 0.04-0.07 vs. 0.045; 0.039-0.053). The RPR and SLEDAI showed strong positive association. The optimal cutoff point for distinguishing SLE patients from controls was 0.0455, with 79% sensitivity and 51% specificity. The RPR was not significantly affected by sociodemographic or clinical factors. Conclusion: The RPR was positively correlated with disease activity in SLE patients, and may be a valid measure to differentiate between SLE patients and healthy controls. Sociodemographic and other clinical characteristics do not significantly affect RPR.","PeriodicalId":433524,"journal":{"name":"Al-Rafidain Journal of Medical Sciences ( ISSN: 2789-3219 )","volume":"107 18","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131913284","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
F. Isho Gorial, Sattar Jabbar Naema, Hameed Oda Ali, S. Hussain
{"title":"The Influence of Rheumatoid Arthritis on Work Productivity among a Sample of Iraqi Patients","authors":"F. Isho Gorial, Sattar Jabbar Naema, Hameed Oda Ali, S. Hussain","doi":"10.54133/ajms.v1i.47","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.54133/ajms.v1i.47","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder that impact daily life activities. The impact on work productivity is critical because of persistent work disability. Aim: To evaluate work productivity in RA patients compared to healthy controls, and to assess the impact of socio-demographic characteristics on work productivity. Methods: This was a case-control study conducted at the Rheumatology Unit of Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Medical City during the period from August 2020 to the end of March 2021. Seventy-two patients with RA were selected and compared with 72 healthy subjects as a control group. All patients were diagnosed according to ACR/EULAR 2010 RA classification criteria. The socio-demographic and clinical features, lifestyle practices, and disease activity of the patients and controls were all recorded during interviews. A standardized Arabic version of the Workplace Activity Limitation Scale (WALS) and the Job Limitations Questionnaire were used to assess the impact of RA on work productivity (WLQ-25). Results: The vast majority of patients were females (58.1%). Positive rheumatoid factor was reported in 94.4% of the patients. The patients showed a significantly lower WALS total score and higher WLQ-25 total score median (IQR) compared with controls. Conclusion: Active RA impairs the work productivity which was influenced by CDAI score and negatively associated with the use of DMARDs.","PeriodicalId":433524,"journal":{"name":"Al-Rafidain Journal of Medical Sciences ( ISSN: 2789-3219 )","volume":"58 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121466378","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Prevention and Management of Platinum Compounds-Induced Neurotoxicity","authors":"Bushra Hassan Marouf, Mayyadah Mahmood Ali","doi":"10.54133/ajms.v1i.43","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.54133/ajms.v1i.43","url":null,"abstract":"Oncologists considered platinum-based medicines as potent cytotoxic agents. Despite their efficacy in combination chemotherapy regimens for many solid tumors, they have many substantial side effects that limit their use. There is no known prophylactic strategy for platinum drugs-induced neurotoxicity, which limit a therapeutic dose benefit. This review highlights the etiology of platinum-drugs-induced neuropathy, and covers the preventative and therapeutic options for cancer patients. It focuses on clinical studies conducted between 2010 and 2020. Loss of functional indications such as touch, vibration and joint location, as well as diminished or missing deep tendon reflexes in the upper and lower limbs are all markers of neurotoxicity. These side effects may last for months or years after treatment, lower quality of life, and creating a substantial survivorship issue. DNA damage, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, dysregulation of intracellular signaling, impairment of voltage gated ion channel function, and neuro-inflammation have all been proposed as mechanisms for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). There are no proven pharmaceutical or nutritional therapies to prevent CIPN. Several anti-CIPN medications have been investigated, but either had no effect or had an effect in a limited sample study. Supportive care medications such anti-epileptics and antidepressants are used to treat CIPN.","PeriodicalId":433524,"journal":{"name":"Al-Rafidain Journal of Medical Sciences ( ISSN: 2789-3219 )","volume":"130 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125509054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Diagnostic and Predictive Utility of Serum Interleukin-37 in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Case-Control Study","authors":"F. Gorial, Samaa M. Ezat, Mahmood Raheem Mahmood","doi":"10.54133/ajms.v1i.39","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.54133/ajms.v1i.39","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common cause of inflammatory polyarthritis. Interleukin‐37 (IL-37) has been found to play an important regulatory role in the development of inflammatory diseases. Objectives: To assess serum IL-37 level in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients compared to controls, to evaluate its diagnostic and predictive utility in RA patients and to investigate IL-37 level correlation with demographic and clinical characteristics of RA. Methods: Eighty subjects, 40 RA patients aged between 23-63 years and 40 healthy controls aged between 28-67 years were evaluated. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to analyze the serum IL-37 levels. Results: Serum IL-37 was significantly higher in RA patients compared to healthy controls. At optimum cut off value of >58.275 pg/ml, serum IL-37 had 100% accuracy, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, sensitivity, and specificity. Serum IL‐37 level was not significantly related to Disease Activity Score of 28 joints‐erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28‐ESR), also not correlated with C-reactive protein(CRP), rheumatoid factor(RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (Anti-CCP). Also there was no correlation between the level of IL-37 and treatment. Conclusions: IL-37 was significantly higher in RA patients compared to healthy controls with a high diagnostic and predictive ability, and may be a potential biomarker for diagnosis and prediction of RA.","PeriodicalId":433524,"journal":{"name":"Al-Rafidain Journal of Medical Sciences ( ISSN: 2789-3219 )","volume":"11 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130030843","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evaluation of EOS Gene Expression and IL-6 Serum Levels in Iraqi Patients with Psoriasis","authors":"Shawq Al-Naqqash, Mohammed Mahdi Jawad, Zainab Thamer Showait Al-Asady, Sarmed Adnan Abdulrazaq","doi":"10.54133/ajms.v1i.36","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.54133/ajms.v1i.36","url":null,"abstract":"Background: EOS (encoded by the IKZF4 gene) is a member of the zinc finger transcription factor IKaros family, and plays a critical role in Treg suppressor functions, and maintaining Treg stability. IL-6 is a soluble mediator with a pleiotropic effect on inflammation, immune response, and hematopoiesis. Aim: To estimate serum IL-6 level and EOS gene expression in Iraqi patients with psoriasis. Method: Twenty-two patients with psoriasis (8 females, 14 males) with age ranged 18-72 years, were recruited from Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Dermatology Clinic, Baghdad, and 24 healthy donors. The serum levels of IL-6 by ELISA and the gene expression of IKZF4 (EOS gene) by RT-qPCR technique. Results: The results showed a non-significant difference in the level of IL-6 in those treated with topical therapy and others treated with Etanercept compared to control. A non-significant increase in patients treated with topical therapy was reported compared to patients treated with Etanercept. There was a higher significant percentage of IKZF4 gene expression folding in psoriasis patients treated with Etanercept compared to control group, while no significant differences reported between patients treated with topical therapy, Etanercept, and the control group. Conclusion: Activation of Regulatory T cells (Tregs) with Etanercept enhances EOS expression and decreases IL-6 production more than topical treatment in patients with psoriasis.","PeriodicalId":433524,"journal":{"name":"Al-Rafidain Journal of Medical Sciences ( ISSN: 2789-3219 )","volume":"54 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132924526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"An Overview of the COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness","authors":"A. A. Al-Jumaili, Manal Younus","doi":"10.54133/ajms.v1i.38","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.54133/ajms.v1i.38","url":null,"abstract":" ","PeriodicalId":433524,"journal":{"name":"Al-Rafidain Journal of Medical Sciences ( ISSN: 2789-3219 )","volume":"24 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134101810","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Toxic Effect of Platinum Compounds: Molecular Mechanisms of Toxicity","authors":"Magzoub Khalid Magzoub Ali, T. Aziz","doi":"10.54133/ajms.v1i.32","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.54133/ajms.v1i.32","url":null,"abstract":"Despite their effectiveness as a crucial component of combination chemotherapy regimens against solid tumors, platinum compounds have many serious side effects that limit their use. This review article focuses on the various toxic effects of platinum compounds in cancer patients and the mechanisms of toxicity associated with each of these toxic effects. It also describes the future directions for developing novel platinum compounds, using both animal and human studies. The reference lists of relevant publications were included after searching the Google and Google Scholar databases, PubMed, and scientific journals. It focuses primarily on trials that were published between 2005 and 2020. Platinum-based medicines, as a soft nucleophile, can freely bind to peptides and proteins containing sulfur residues from thiol-containing amino acids like cysteine and methionine, as well as the antioxidant peptide glutathione. Platinum medicines, on the other hand, are primarily directed at nuclear DNA. Platinum medicines bind to normal cells as well as malignant cells, particularly those in fast growing tissues, causing a variety of dangerous side effects. Fast-growing tissues such as the mucous membranes of the mouth, throat, stomach, and intestines, bone marrow, and hair follicles can be damaged by cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs, resulting in gastrointestinal toxicities, myelosuppression, and hair loss. Platinum compounds also cause nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity, which are well-known side effects. Current platinum-based chemotherapy treatments have been restricted in the last decade, prompting a search for novel platinum-based medications with mechanisms of action distinct from those of existing chemotherapeutics.\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 ","PeriodicalId":433524,"journal":{"name":"Al-Rafidain Journal of Medical Sciences ( ISSN: 2789-3219 )","volume":"74 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127202525","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effects of SGLT2 Inhibitors on the Risks of Hypertension and Heart Failure in Diabetic Patients: A Systematic Review","authors":"Harzhin Hiwa Ali, N. Mahmood, S. Hussain","doi":"10.54133/ajms.v1i.29","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.54133/ajms.v1i.29","url":null,"abstract":"Diabetes mellitus (DM) with uncontrolled blood sugar causes a variety of problems, including coronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure, hypertension, nephropathy, neuropathy, and retinopathy. These consequences harm the diabetic patients' lives. Many studies have shown that diabetic patients have a higher rate of heart failure and a worse prognosis than non-diabetic people. Sodium and glucose co-transporter receptor-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a relatively new class of anti-diabetic drugs. They not only regulate blood sugar but also have positive cardiovascular effects via a variety of mechanisms. This review intends to show that SGLT2 inhibitors, in addition to good glycemic control, possess a cardioprotective role. We conducted a literature review and identified 20 adequately powered clinical trials and animal studies in type 2 DM that investigated the cardiovascular (CV) effects of SGLT2 inhibitors (particularly heart failure and hypertension). These studies looked at the cardiovascular effects of three SGLT2 inhibitors: Empagliflozin, Canagliflozin, and Dapagliflozin. In diabetic patients, these three inhibitors of SGLT2 significantly lowered the risk of heart failure and hypertension, making them valuable therapy for lowering CV risks in high cardiovascular-risk individuals with T2DM. Finally, the use of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients without diabetes mellitus showed positive metabolic outcomes in weight and blood pressure control.","PeriodicalId":433524,"journal":{"name":"Al-Rafidain Journal of Medical Sciences ( ISSN: 2789-3219 )","volume":"89 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124239169","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Massara Salah Abbas, M. Jamal, M. Sabri, Z. Abdulrahman, S. Hussain
{"title":"Medication-Use Behavior of Elderly Patients in Baghdad City: A Cross-Sectional Study","authors":"Massara Salah Abbas, M. Jamal, M. Sabri, Z. Abdulrahman, S. Hussain","doi":"10.54133/ajms.v1i.30","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.54133/ajms.v1i.30","url":null,"abstract":"Background: As our society ages, the incidence of chronic diseases increases, and so does drug use and polypharmacy. Aim: To evaluate the medication use behaviors of selected elderly patients who lived in Baghdad city. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 225 subjects aged >60 years who lived in Baghdad city and consumed chronically prescribed medications. Data were collected using a survey form, and the survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews. The data are presented as numbers, percentages, and averages. Results: The majority were treated through polypharmacy, using various drugs. The most commonly used drugs included those used to treat cardiovascular diseases, DM, and dyslipidemia. 74.6% did not know about the side effects of the drugs they used, and 55.6% did not read the product information leaflet (PIL) of the drugs. Also, 70.7% said that the health care personnel did not educate them about their drugs. Of the elderly who were informed about their drugs, 128 obtained the information from the physician and 91 from the pharmacist. Conclusion: The majority of the elderly subjects used more than one drug, and the main drug class used was the cardiovascular agents. they are unaware of the side effects of the prescribed agents.","PeriodicalId":433524,"journal":{"name":"Al-Rafidain Journal of Medical Sciences ( ISSN: 2789-3219 )","volume":"17 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133917419","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Role of Autophagy in the Progression and Treatment of Tumors","authors":"I. Al-Janabi","doi":"10.54133/ajms.v1i.37","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.54133/ajms.v1i.37","url":null,"abstract":"Autophagy is a conserved homeostatic mechanism enabling cells to cope with various stresses. The pathways leading up to the activation of autophagy are interconnected with those of tumorigenesis. However, the relationship between the two events is not a straightforward one and very often context-dependent. Generally, autophagy appears to act against the tumor during the initiation stage and most often drives cancer progression subsequently. Published clinical trials for the treatment of various tumors, where autophagy was pharmacologically inhibited, were obtained and tabulated. Targeting autophagy for the treatment of tumors can be rewarding in the appropriate context, such as cancer type, grade, and microenvironment.","PeriodicalId":433524,"journal":{"name":"Al-Rafidain Journal of Medical Sciences ( ISSN: 2789-3219 )","volume":"25 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127847433","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}