Centers In Baghdad Research Articles

Prevalence of Torque Teno Virus (TTV) in Blood Donor from Baghdad-Iraq

Background: In 1997, Torque Teno virus (TTV) discovered for the first time in Japanese patients who suffer from hepatitis. Then, it is detected in healthy individuals without causing harmful effects. Also, it is a part of our microbiome, with a high rate in all populations. This virus belong to a large viral family called Anelloviridae. Today, there are many suggestions to use TTV as a novel biomarker for medical and environmental purposes.
 Objective: To determine the rate of TTV infection in Iraqi blood donors. And evaluate any association with demographic and risk factors.
 Methods: This cross-sectional study conducted on serum samples from 359 participants who attended the blood donation unit of Al-Imammain Al-Kadhimain Medical City Hospital and National Blood Transfusion Center in Baghdad. The study sample consists of 351 males and only 8 females; their mean age is (36.04 ± 9.35 SD). For a period from November 2022 to January 2023. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect TTV untranslated region.
 Results: The TTV virus was detected in 93.9% (337 out of 359) of blood donors. However, no significant association was found between demographic data (sex, age) and risk factors such as history of (medical surgery, tattooing, cupping practice, marital status, multiple sexual partners, animal husbandry , travel history), under line medical condition (diabetes mellitus and hypertension), viral hepatitis co-infection and occupation with TTV infection rate.
 Conclusion: This study showed a high prevalence of TTV among healthy blood donors with no significant association with demographic data and risk factors. These results support that TTV as a part of the human virobiome and normally found in the majority of populations.

Evaluating the Open Design Strategy in Promoting Urban Interconnection of New City Centers in Baghdad

Evaluating the Open Design Strategy in Promoting Urban Interconnection of New City Centers in Baghdad

Etiologies and Demographic Distribution of Uveitis in a Referral Center in Iraq

Purpose: To determine the etiologies and demographic distribution of uveitis in a referral center in Baghdad, Iraq, and to compare the results with a similar study done in the same center in 2014. Study Design: Descriptive observational study. Place and Duration of Study: Ibn Al-Haitham Teaching Eye Hospital, Iraq, from January 2019 to June 2022. Patients and Methods: Two hundred and fourteen patients with uveitis were included. They underwent complete ocular and relevant systemic examination. Data was collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Comparison was done with the data retrieved from 2014. Results: Out of 264 patients, only 214 (81%) completed follow up. Others did not show up again due to Corona virus Pandemic. There were 122 (57%) females, 95 (44.3%) were unilateral, 62 (28.9%) were granulomatous, 62 (28.9%) were anterior, 42 (19.6%) were intermediate, 4 (1.8%) were posterior and 106 (49.7%) were panuveitis cases. Cause was identified in 161 (75.3%) patients while 53 (24.7%) were considered idiopathic. Out of 214 patients, 84 (39.2%) were due to infectious causes like tuberculosis, herpes (herpes zoster or simplex viruses), and toxoplasmosis. On the other hand, 130 (60.7%) cases were non-infectious for example, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease, Behcet disease, connective tissue diseases such as Ankylosing Spondylitis, or idiopathic. Conclusion: A minor change was found from the 2014 study to 2023. Tuberculosis is now the most common cause of infectious uveitis instead of Toxoplasmosis. Furthermore, Idiopathic, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada, and Behcet disease are the commonest causes of non-infectious uveitis.

Clinical Evaluation of Correlation between Periodontal Diseases and ABO Blood Grouping

Periodontal disease, is a set of inflammatory conditions affecting the tissues surrounding the teeth. Several studies have focused on the relationship between ABO blood and RH factor groups and periodontal diseases. However, the results showed a lot of discrepancies Aim of the study: to evaluate the relationship between ABO, Rh blood groups and distribution of periodontal diseases. Material And Method: This study involved 560 subjects aged between 20 to 55 years; selected on random basis from the outpatient department of Periodontology at AL -mammon specialized dental center in Baghdad. The patients sample have been classified in a 3 groups in relation to their clinical presentation and the periodontal scores on a basis of Ramfjord’s Periodontal index. Result: out of 560 patients there were 312 male, 248 female patients. According to sample classification in relation to clinical condition and periodontal score, Group I 115 patients with healthy gingiva; group II 225 patients with gingivitis; and group III 220 patients with periodontitis ,the highest prevalence of periodontitis are among blood group O(34.1%), while higher gingivitis percentage are associated with blood group A (34.2%). The prevalence of gingivitis was higher in Rh positive group 43.1%, while periodontitis show higher prevalence in Rh negative group 40%. Discussion and conclusion: We concluded that there was significant relationship between ABO, Rh blood group system and periodontal disease. Blood group ‘A’ could be a factor of risk for gingivitis and blood group ‘O’ could be a factor of risk for the developing of periodontitis. Similarly Rh positive group considered a risk factor for gingivitis, while Rh negative group is a risk factor for periodontitis.

A Comparative Correlation between the Oral Microbiome of Diabetes Mellitus and Healthy Individuals and their Relation with Some Demographic Parameters

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a chronic disease distributed worldwide and dominantly related to different types of diseases especially microbial infections, this study aimed to find the relationship between DM mouth microbiome and some demographic factors. Sixty saliva specimens and bacterial oral swabs were collected from randomly selected DM patients, including 29 females and 31 males enrolled in this study, which was obtained from the Al-Mustansiriya University national diabetes center in Baghdad, and other 40 apparently healthy people specimens and swabs were collected from 25 females and 15 males as a control group for the period starting November / 2021 to February / 2022. The results revealed that the most prevalent bacterial genera in the patients' group were Staphylococcus spp. 57(38.26%), Enterobacteriaceae spp. 55(36.91%), Pseudomonas spp. 13(8.72%), Streptococcus spp. and Acinetobacter spp. each was 8(5.37%), and then, Corynebacterium spp. 5(3.36%), and each Neisseria spp., and H. influenza were 2(1.34%). These percentages were significantly different from those in the control group which were Staphylococcus spp. 33(43.4%)(S. aureus 34.21% and S. epidermidis 9.22%), Enterobacteriaceae spp. 32(42.11%), Bacillus spp. 4(5.2%), Acinetobacter spp. 3(3.9%), and each Pseudomonas spp. and Streptococcus spp. were 2(2.7%). In the same context, the results showed there is no significant difference between smokers for patients /control which were 25(17%)/15(19.74%), as well as, non-smokers 105 (71.43%) / 55 (72.37%) and ex-smoking 17(11.57%)/6(7.89%) in bacterial isolates foundation in the oral cavity of DM patients and control. Acidic oral pH is the predominant pH among patients and control individuals, in spite of there being no significant differences among different oral pH levels. As well as the results revealed that gender does not affect the types of the oral microbiome.

The challenges of breast conservative surgery in multifocal breast cancer: The first insights from Iraq experience

This article illuminates the changing landscape of managing multifocal (MF) breast cancer, specifically within the context of Iraq. Conventionally, MF breast cancer, characterized by multiple tumors within the same quadrant, has been deemed unsuitable for breast-conserving surgery (BCS) due to the perceived risk of local recurrence. However, data from our two centers in Baghdad may challenge this perspective. Of the 239 patients diagnosed with MF breast cancer in 2020, 73 underwent BCS, with only one local recurrence (1.37%), comparable to the recurrence rate in the mastectomy group (1.20%). Despite ongoing debates regarding MF breast cancer’s management and its association with higher local recurrence rates, our findings support emerging consensus on the effectiveness of BCS. Our experience from Iraq offers a unique perspective, suggesting equivalent local recurrence rates for BCS and mastectomy, necessitating a re-evaluation of surgical approaches and potentially endorsing less invasive treatments.

The Incidence of Dry Socket Development and Its Risk Factors

Dry socket (alveolar osteitis) is the most commonly encountered complication after tooth extraction in humans, and this has been widely reported. Dry socket lesion, although it is a self-limiting condition, the pain and discomfort that the patient complains of leads to lost days at work and many visits to the hospital. The exact and confirmed etiopathogenesis for dry sockets has yet to be well understood. This study aimed to determine the frequency, clinical picture, and risk factors for dry sockets. A total of 995 patients were included in this study. There were 593 (59.6%) male patients and 402 (40.4%) female patients. The age of patients ranged from 14 -70 years, with a mean of 33.9 ± 11.32 years, from January 2013 to March 2015. All consecutive patients were referred to the surgery Department in Al-Karama specialized dentistry center in Baghdad for consultation. A total of 995 patients were included in this study. Out of 995, 68 patients developed dry sockets (6.83%). Those patients who developed sockets et were between (18-67) years(mean 33.9,sd+11.32), most of them in the third decade of life; there were 593 (59.6%) male patients and 402 (40.4%) female patients with a higher percentage of dry sockets than the female group, 33(48.5%) of 68 cases who developed dry sockets had surgical extraction. There were significant differences in the development of socket pockets between the removal of the two teeth done surgically (51.5%) or non-surgically (48.5%), p= 0.033. The frequency of AO reported in this study is higher than the overall incidence of studies registered. There were significant differences concerning the patient's age and dry socket. There is no relationship between smoking and the occurrence of dry sockets found in the present study. It has been shown that the frequency of AO increases in patients with poor oral hygiene in the literature. Clinically, the picture of the dry socket that includes pain, empty socket and exposed bone were found in all patients. Keywords: Dry socket, frequency, risk factor, oral hygiene, surgical extraction

A cross-Sectional Study of Psoriatic Arthritis in One Center in Baghdad

Abstract Background: Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic inflammatory illness. Nearly, 15% of psoriasis patients have undiagnosed psoriatic arthritis. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of psoriatic arthritis and different clinical–epidemiological characteristics of the disease of patients. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included psoriatic patients who attended Baghdad Teaching Hospital. Clinical examination, laboratory investigations including rheumatoid factor analysis and radiological examination of axial and peripheral skeleton were done. The prevalence of PsA, age, sex, clinical variants of PsA, and psoriasis type were assessed. Results: The prevalence of psoriatic arthritis was 0.02% during the period of study, mean age of participants was 44 ± 33. Obesity and overweight were reported by 34.75%, smoking by 24.58% with significant association with gender, also 28.81% with family history more in females. Regarding comorbidity, 33.9% of patients were suffering from metabolic syndrome, 23.72% with dyslipidemia, 22.88% with hypertension, and 17.8% with diabetes. Higher percentages (65.31%) of polyarthritis had family history followed by oligoarthritis (24.45%) and distal interphalangeal (10.20%). However, the association between types of arthritis was found to be statistically nonsignificant. Regarding the distribution of study sample according to the types of treatment, higher percentage of patients (72.88%) were on methotrexate (MTX) followed by NSAIDs (64.4%), while the lower percentage (4.7%) for Golimumab. Conclusions: A high percentage of comorbidities such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity were observed. Psoriasis vulgaris was the most common type of skin lesion associated with axial involvement. Family history was associated with oligoarthritis more than other types. The first choice of treatment was MTX.

Screening of periodontal disease related Bacteria in Iraqi patients and their relationship with salivary TLR2 and IL-6 level

The oral cavity has the second major and most diverse microflora after the gut. Since it is the starting point of digestion; the oral microbiota is essential for maintaining oral and systemic health. Thus, this study aimed to find the bacterial isolates which act as a causative agent of periodontal diseases in Iraqi patients and their relation with some immune oral parameters. Saliva specimens and oral swabs of 91 patients (51) and control individuals (40) were collected in this study. The specimens of patients were collected from Al-Amirya and Almaamon Specialized Dental Centers in Baghdad for a period from November/2021 to February/2022. The microbiological results revealed, that the most prevalent bacterial isolates were related to the genus, which was descending graduated into Staphylococcus spp.74.5%> Enterobacteriaceae spp.62.7% > Streptococcus spp. 13.7% and Acinetobacter spp.13.7% > Neisseria spp.9.8% > Bacillus spp.5.8% > Corynebacterium spp. 3.9% and Pseudomonas spp.3.9%, and in the same context, the acidic pH of the patient's or control's mouths is more conducive for bacterial development than other pH items. As well by using the ELISA technique, the soluble form of TLR2 7.384 ± 4.031 ng/ml elucidated a significant increase in patients than the control group 5.313 ± 3.106 ng/ml, while interleukin 6 shows a strange increase in both patients and the control group saliva 50161 ± 63869, 52087 ± 62756 ng/ l respectively.

The impact of reproductive hormone changes on the immune response of patients with leukemia

Background & Objective: Leukemias have been associated with various immune and endocrine changes. Several studies have established a correlation between an imbalance in pituitary hormones and sex steroids and the initiation of illness in either one or both genders. The hormone changes can affect normal physiological homogeneity of the human body, thus effecting health as well as the course of unrelated diseases. We aimed to investigate the influence of alterations in reproductive hormones on the immune response of individuals diagnosed with leukemia.
 Material and Methods: In this case-control study, a total of 130 subjects, out of which 80 patients were known cases with hematological cancer, were enrolled at the Medical City Department/Hematology Center in Baghdad, Iraq, from February-October 2022. Out of 80 patients diagnosed with leukemia, 45 patients had acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and 35 patients had acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The study involved 50 healthy controls. Estradiol (E2), triiodothyronine (T3), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and progesterone levels were measured using both ELISA and the immunofluorescence assay method in all participants. C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was also determined.
 Results: The findings of the study demonstrated a significant elevation in the levels of CRP, ferritin (P < 0.001), and NLR (P = 0.01) in the individual’s group when compared to the control group. Serum progesterone was increased in patients diagnosed with AML and ALL in comparison to the control group (P = 0.01). FSH was elevated (P = 0.02) in AML and decreased in ALL. This difference was found to be statistically significant. The levels of T3 and E2 were found to be significantly reduced in both AML and ALL patients when compared to the control group (P = 0.1 and 0.02 respectively).
 Abbreviations: ACTH - Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; ALL - Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; AML - Acute Myeloid Leukemia; E2 – Estradiol; LH - Luteinizing Hormone NLR - Neutrophil-To-Lymphocyte Ratio
 Conclusions: The findings of the study offer empirical support for the impact of hormones on the immune response in leukemia pathogenesis.
 Key words: Leukemia; Reproductive Hormones; Immune Response
 Citation: Thabit JA, Almzaiel AJ, Kadhim MI, Alrufaie MA. The impact of reproductive hormone changes on the immune response of patients with leukemia. Anaesth. pain intensive care 2023;27(5):585−591; DOI: 10.35975/apic.v27i5.2317
 Received: August 06, 2023; Reviewed: August 12, 2023; Accepted: August 12, 2023

Historical Paths and the Growth of Baghdad Old Center

Urban growth of cities is connected with three related problems, the first one, is the deterioration of the center, which is a mark for historical origin. The second is the emergence of city edge, which contradicts by the center. The third one is the rapid semi urbanism of the edge. Literature review showed that Baghdad historical center (Old Rusafa and Karkh) had grown in four morphological stages, during which main paths had been changed from those which were perpendicular to the river front to those parallel to it. Research problem is that “there is a knowledge gap about the direction and origin of paths within Baghdad old center, after its growth”. The first research hypothesis is, “the direction of paths within old Baghdad center had been changed from those perpendicular to the river to parallel to it, then to a grid system by the effect of streets cut through and bridges constructions”. The second research hypothesis is that, “New paths (streets) which had been cut through old center had an origin within the historical paths”.The research aims to verify from the change in paths direction within old center, also from the origin of new streets in relation with historical paths. Research found that some new streets within Old Rusafa and Karkh, which are parallel to the river, existed as historical paths, according to the integration genotype of this center within the four morphological stages.

Knowledge and attitude about botulinum toxins and dermal fillers among females attending the primary health care centers in Baghdad

Background: Knowledge and attitude about botulinum toxins and dermal fillers need to be expanded in the community with the dramatic increase of these procedures nowadays in our country with financial burden and wrong practice and going to ineligible people. Objective: To find out the prevalence of esthetic procedures and reasons behinds seeking these procedures and to measure the knowledge level and attitude about the use of botulinum toxins and dermal fillers among females. Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted in the primary health care centers in Baghdad. A questionnaire had been given to 400 females by direct interview to collect the needed information. Results: Only 22% of studied sample practice filler and Botox for cosmetic reasons. 43.8% of them are within the age group of 30-39 years, 84.4% of them were married, 68.9% were employed. Mainly 31% to counteract the aging process, most of them performed these procedures in medical clinics; only 15.3% did it at beauty centers. 61.5% of the studied sample had an average level of knowledge about cosmetic procedures. Conclusion: The prevalence of cosmetic procedures is relatively low as about one quarter of the participants underwent these procedures. The rate of poor knowledge is higher in subjects who did not undergo esthetic procedure.

Prediction of ROP Zones Using Deep Learning Algorithms and Voting Classifier Technique

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) can cause blindness in premature neonates. It is diagnosed when new blood vessels form abnormally in the retina. However, people at high risk of ROP might benefit significantly from early detection and treatment. Therefore, early diagnosis of ROP is vital in averting visual impairment. However, due to a lack of medical experience in detecting this condition, many people refuse treatment; this is especially troublesome given the rising cases of ROP. To deal with this problem, we trained three transfer learning models (VGG-19, ResNet-50, and EfficientNetB5) and a convolutional neural network (CNN) to identify the zones of ROP in preterm newborns. The dataset to train the model contains 1365 fundus images from the ROP screening. This dataset was gathered from the Private Clinic Al-Amal Eye center in Baghdad, Iraq. The models above are ensemble through voting classifier techniques to increase the performance. The proposed method had an overall accuracy of 88.82 percent when employing the voting classifier. On the other hand, EfficientNetB5 has outperformed other models in terms of accuracy with 87.27%.

Study the predicators and risk factors for formation of gallstones in a sample of asymptomatic Iraqi patients in Baghdad

Background: A gallbladder stone (GBS) is a foremost reason of morbidity worldwide. Majority of the cases are asymptomatic (>80%). Gallstones can be divided into three main types: cholesterol, pigment and mixed stones. The documented risk factors for GBS mostly are the advanced age, female gender, obesity, high-caloric diets and oral contraceptive, all of these can increase the lithogenicity of bile. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study was conducted at general surgical consultation departments in two major multispecialty hospitals in Baghdad (Al-Yarmook and Al Karama Teaching Hospitals) and in different health centers in Baghdad and through an online survey between February 2022 and February 2023. The study sample included 225 participants of both genders. The study questionnaires were sent through electronic format to the participants and the questions were asked to the others directly with enough time to respond well. The target population was all segments of society in the city of Baghdad. Results: The 225 patients were collected which their age range from 18 to 80 years of age. According to the collected data which showed that the percentage of GBS higher in female than male in value (54.2%) while for male (45.8%). Additionally, also it was found that the residence place has an important impact for this study and it presented that residency in urban places was (96.9%) which is higher than rural places which was only (3.1%). Also, most of patients were with: collage education (73.8%), non-employed (52.9%), middle-income class (72.4%). The results showed significant result (p<0.05) and good association between age, and type of stones present (solitary or multiple); but for the gender, education level, occupation status, residence, socioeconomic class the results was non-significant (p>0.05). Conclusions: The prevalence of asymptomatic gallstone was relatively high in this region. Female gender, age, high cholesterol level, family history of gallstones, and increased BMI independent risk factors for gallstones formation.

A comparative study of the level of physical, skill and motor variables for specialized basketball centres in Baghdad

تحددت أهمية البحث في كونه دراسة عن واقع مستوى بعض المتغيرات البدنية و المهارية و الحركية للمراكز التخصصية في بغداد و ما هي فروقات التدريب بهذه المتغيرات فيها ، حيث تحددت المشكلة في قلة الدراسات التي تعطي واقعا حقيقياً للتدريب هذه المتغيرات و بيان اسباب قوتها و ضعفها ، و تحددت اهداف البحث في التعرف على مستوى المتغيرات و التعرف على الفروق بينها لدى المراكز التدريبية بالاضافة الى التعرف من الافضل في النتائج ، و كان مجتمع البحث هو لاعبين المراكز التدريبية المتخصصة في بغداد بأعمار (2008-2010م) و كان عدد العينة ( 54 ) لاعب ، و قد أتبع الباحث المنهج الوصفي بالاسلوب المسحي ، و أستعمل الباحث (3) أختبارات تتناسب و متطلبات البحث ، و قد توصلت الدراسة الى عدة استنتاجات أهمها هناك أفضلية لمركز الموهبة التخصصي / وزارة الشباب عن مجموعة المركز التدريبي في الكرخ و الاندية بدلالة أحصائية في أختبار تحمل القوة المميزة بالسرعة

The association of metformin dose up-titration and treatment duration with adiposity, lipid profile indicators, and serum leptin levels in T2DM Iraqi patients

Introduction: Numerous factors, including age, gender, physical inactivity, insufficient dose, noncompliance, and drug-drug interactions, may contribute to significant intraindividual variation in metformin (MET) response. This study aims to determine the effect of Met dose and treatment duration on adiposity markers and serum leptin levels in Iraqi patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: Between October 2021 and March 2022, a cross-sectional study at the Diabetes and Endocrinology Center in Baghdad included 150 type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with a disease duration of more than 1 year. Clinical and physical examinations were conducted before enrollment. We measured anthropometric variables such as body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, and visceral adiposity index. We evaluated glycated hemoglobin, leptin, C-reactive protein, total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), and triglycerides (TGs) in the serum. Results: Only the TC/HDL-c and TG/HDL-c ratios were significantly different after the data were arranged according to glycemic control level. Arrangement for MET doses and treatment duration, none of the evaluated parameters were significantly different (p > 0.05) between groups receiving different doses of MET for different durations, except visceral adiposity index (VAI), which shows a very slight decrease (p = 0.046) after more than 10 years of treatment. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed a weak and significant association between waist circumference (WC) and hip circumference and MET doses, and a weak and significant association between WC, VAI, and TG levels and treatment duration. The other markers lacked a significant relationship with MET doses or duration of treatment. Conclusion: MET dose and duration of treatment were not significantly correlated with adiposity and lipid profiles in Iraqi patients with T2DM.

The Health Belief Model Attitudes of Iraqi Women towards Breast Cancer and Its Early Detection Methods

Health Belief Model (HBM) is a very effective paradigm designed to explore behaviours, especially in breast cancer prevention. This study aimed to determine women’s attitudes regarding breast cancer by using HBM and the interaction between attitudes and practice. This prevalence survey was performed on a consecutive sample of 657 women visiting the primary healthcare centres in Baghdad/ Iraq. The data was collected over four months in 2019. A specially designed questionnaire of modified and translated health belief model related to breast cancer was adopted and filled out through face-to-face interviews. The age of participants was between (20-59) years. Women with adequate practice of BSE (Breast Self-Exam) had higher perceived benefits, susceptibility, and motivation than those who inadequately practised it. Women with adequate practice of mammography had higher perceived benefits and health motivation, and lower barriers, threat, and severity of breast cancer other than those with inadequate practice. Those participants who were more likely to perform CBE (Clinical Breast Exam) adequately, those with higher levels of perceived seriousness and health motivation. Study results suggested that practices of screening for breast cancer were inadequate in a majority of participants and need to be improved by educational health programs.

Evaluation of Osteocalcin and Some Biochemical Marker in Diabetes Mellitus Iraqi Women's patients with Osteoporosis

Diabetes mellitus is a set of metabolic diseases, the most prevalent of which is chronic hyperglycemia. The culprits include insulin synthesis, insulin action, or both. Osteoporosis is a progressive systemic skeletal disorder defined by decreased bone mass and micro architectural degeneration of bone tissue, resulting in increased bone fragility and fracture risk, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The degree of Nervosa damage determines how much a diabetic patient's body has been compromised. The current study's goal is an estimation: Age, BMI, FBS, HbA1C, D3, ALP, Ca, P, and Osteocalcin in Iraqi T2DM Women's patients with and without Osteoporosis. Three vitamins are required for Osteocalcin biosynthesis: vitamin K for Gla formation, vitamin C for hydroxylation of Pro-9 to hydroxyproline, and vitamin D for Osteocalcin production stimulation. Vitamin D is known to function in calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism. Osteocalcin is a hormone produced by osteoblasts and secreted into the extracellular matrix of bone and the bloodstream. It serves as a biological marker for bone formation. The work was classified into three groups. G1 (n= 40) is the control set that went to the Iraqi Ministry of Health's Endocrinology and Diabetes Center in Baghdad. G2 (n= 40) are patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus without Osteoporosis who visited the Endocrinology and Diabetes Center of the Iraqi Ministry of Health in Baghdad, and G3 (n= 40) are patients with type 2 diabetes Mellitus with Osteoporosis.

Procalcitonin Level In COVID-19 Patients: A single center study

Objective: The study the association of procalcitonin (PCT) and c-reactive protein (CRP) levels in COVID-19 patients and it's role as a guide in progress and management of those patients. Methodology: This cross-sectional study analyzed 200 CIOVID-19 patients in a single privet center in Baghdad, Iraq from January 1, 2021 to January 1, 2022. Demographic data like age, sex, and clinical symptoms were recorded. High sensitivity CRP and PCT in the serum were measured via dry fluorescence immunoassay (Lansionbio-China). Results: Out of 200 patients, 50 had moderate Covid and 150 had severe disease. Mean serum PCT levels was 0.039±0.05 ng/mL in the moderate group (range 0.011-0.067) and 0.43±0.21 ng/mL in the severe group (range 0.211±0.513). Mean serum PCT and CRP levels were higher in severe patients than in moderate patients. Conclusions: PCT and CRP may be an indicator of disease severity in COVID-19.

Causes of exclusive breastfeeding failure in a sample from a primary healthcare center in Baghdad, Iraq

Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is essential for the health of infants and mothers. Despite this, EBF failure is a common problem all over the world. Objective. To determine the causes of EBF failure in a sample from a primary healthcare center (PHС) in Baghdad city, Iraq. Patients and methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted at Sulayman Al-Faydhi PHC in Hay Albenouk district (Baghdad, Iraq) between August 1 and October 1, 2019. It included 222 mothers who failed to achieve EBF and their healthy infants under 6 months of age. All of these mothers had previously visited antenatal care providers. Results. Out of the total number of cases, 118 (53.3%) children were male, 73 (32.9%) children were first born, and most of them (170 (76.6%)) were delivered by cesarean section. Regarding the age of mothers, 68 (30.6%) of them were between 25–29 years old, and the level of education was secondary in 102 (45.9%). Most of these mothers (165 (74.3%)) failed to exclusively breastfeed their children during the first month after delivery, and 211 (95%) of them had no or poor knowledge about EBF. They mentioned many causes of EBF failure and the most common was low milk supply in 92 (41.4%). The second major cause was the prescription of formula milk in 65 (29.3%). Only 10 (4.5%) mothers mentioned child-related reasons such as prematurity and hospitalization. Conclusion. Beliefs about low milk supply and formula milk prescription were the main causes of EBF failure. This study showed that most mothers have little or no knowledge about EBF. Key words: exclusive breastfeeding, primary health care, infant