Thi-Qar Medical Journal
type: channel
description: Thi-Qar Medical Journal (TMJ) is a peer-reviewed publication dedicated to medicine, health sciences, and emerging clinical research. It focuses on the challenges of modern healthcare, publishing research on clinical medicine, public health, and biomedical sciences. TMJ follows a libre open access policy under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The journal promotes global collaboration and advancing medical research in critical areas. The journal publishes Semiannual. All manuscripts undergo a thorough double-blind peer review process to ensure the highest standards of scientific integrity and quality.
publisher: University of Thi-Qar
language: en
publication name: Thi-Qar Medical Journal
issn: 1992-9218
items: Effect Of the Size of Tympanic Membrane Perforation on The Success of Type-1 Tympanoplasty, Baghdad, 2018.
items: Association Between Cytomegalovirus Infection and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Serological, Molecular and Cytokine-Based Study
items: Association of Vitamin D Status with Renal Function Markers in Elderly Women with Diabetes Mellitus
items: Serological detection of Epstein-Barr virus in Hemodialytic patients associated with hematological parameters
items: Clinical Predictors of Non-Response to Initial Antibiotics in Pediatric Community-Acquired Pneumonia: A Risk Score Approach
items: Diagnostic Accuracy of LI-RADS Version 2018 for Hepatocellular Carcinoma against Histopathology: A Retrospective Cohort
items: Predictors of Failed Induction of Labor in Nulliparous Women: A Retrospective Cohort from a Bint al-Huda Hospital in Al-Nasiriyah City, Iraq.
items: Evaluation of serum Procalcitonin in patients with Pustular Psoriasis
items: Diagnostic Accuracy of Doppler Ultrasound versus CT Angiography in Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome
items: ROLE OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING IN EVALUATING DEGENERATIVE LUMBAR SPINE INSTABILITY
items: https://www.jmed.utq.edu.iq/index.php/main/article/view/704
items: Management of Environmental Risks from Air Pollution Exposure on Cardiovascular and Respiratory Health Using Hybrid Predictive and Optimization Framework
items: Assessment of Atrial natriuretic peptide serum level in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome in Iraqi population
items: Assessment of Maternal and Neonatal Risk Factors for Tetralogy of Fallot among children & adolescents at Sulaimani Children's Heart Hospital: A cross-sectional study.
items: Role of Primary Healthcare Centers in Prevention of Overweight and Obesity, Baghdad, 2025.
items: Assessment of Nutritional and Psychological Factors to The Occurrence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Among Adults
items: Assessment of Psychological and sociological health issues and associated factors among female students: a A Cross-Sectional Study
items: Portable Microfluidic Devices-Based Nanosensors for Detection of Mercury and Cadmium in Blood Plasma
items: Comparison of Viperin and IFN- α in HBV and HCV infections
items: Evaluation of Autonomic Functions in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease by using Electro Diagnostic Study and Composite Autonomic Symptom Score-31
items: Demographic and clinical characteristics of colorectal cancer patients
items: Aberrant Expression of CD2 in cases with de novo Acute Myeloid Leukemia Blast Cells
items: Assessement of interleukin 37 and some immune parameters in patients with giardiasis : A Case Control Study
items: Assessment the level of Urinary nephrin as an early biomarker in Diabetic Nephropathy
items: Tryptophan metabolite as predictive biomarkers for prognosis of ischemic heart Disease
items: The Clinical differentiation between acute appendicitis and right overian cyst
items: Assessing miR-222-3p and miR-21-5p: Predictive miRNAs for Complications in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.
items: Prevalence of the Carbapenem and Fluoroquinolone Resistance Gene among K. pneumoniae Isolated from Genitourinary Tract Infections in Infertile Males
items: Characterization of Gelatin Methacrylate (GelMA) Hydrogels for Cartilage Tissue Engineering Applications
items: Physiological and Psychological Factors Associated with Sleep Deprivation among High School Students

Effect Of the Size of Tympanic Membrane Perforation on The Success of Type-1 Tympanoplasty, Baghdad, 2018.
type: item
description: Background: Type I Tympanoplasty is a commonly performed operation in the ENT department that aims to repair a defect in the tympanic membranes, to improve hearing to a serviceable level, and to minimize the occurrence of complications. Aim of the study: To evaluate the impact of tympanic membrane perforation size on graft take and on hearing improvement in type I tympanoplasty. Methods: This prospective study was carried out at Al-Shaheed Ghazi Al-Hariri teaching hospital for specialized surgeries in the period between 1st July 2016 to 1st January 2018, in which 50 patients with tympanic membrane perforation underwent type I Tympanoplasty using an underlay temporalis fascia graft. Preoperative and postoperative examination of the patients was carried out by clinical and audiological assessment. Result: The graft success rate was 84%. Significant predictors of failure included smoking and perforation size >50%. For successful takes, hearing improvement showed a direct correlation with perforation size; the mean air-bone gap (ABG) reduction was 5.25 dB, 14.05 dB, 21.24 dB, and 20.63 dB for small, medium, large, and subtotal perforations, respectively. Conclusions: The size of tympanic membrane perforation is an important factor affecting graft taking. Hearing loss was associated proportionally with the size of tympanic membrane perforation. Postoperative hearing gain for graft success cases was directly related to the preoperative size of the tympanic membrane perforations.
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: Tympanoplasty type
  topic: keywords
subject: TM perforation
  topic: keywords
subject: Graft success
  topic: keywords
subject: Air-bone gap
  topic: keywords
creator: Mohammed Aatia Karim
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Mohammed Aatia Karim https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
date: 2026-06-08
publication date: 2026-06-08
starting page: 56
ending page: 61
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2026.30.49

Association Between Cytomegalovirus Infection and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Serological, Molecular and Cytokine-Based Study
type: item
description: Background. Cytomegalovirus (CMV), a member of the Herpesviridae family (subfamily Betaherpesvirinae), is highly prevalent worldwide (seroprevalence 45-100%) and can cause severe disease in immunocompromised hosts. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic psychiatric disorder affecting at least 2% of the population, in which immune dysregulation has been implicated. Objective. To investigate the association between CMV infection and OCD using serological, cytokine, and molecular markers. Methods. Ninety Iraqi participants were enrolled: 60 OCD patients (40 females, 20 males) and 30 healthy controls, aged 20-60 years. CMV-specific IgG, IgM, PP65 antigen, IL-6, and TNF-α were measured by ELISA, and CMV DNA was detected by real-time PCR of the UL83 (PP65) gene. Results. OCD patients showed significantly higher positivity than controls for CMV IgG (96.67% vs 56.67%), IgM (75.00% vs 20.00%), and PP65 antigen (90.00% vs 16.67%) (P = 0.000). IL-6 (191.28 ± 74.03 vs 14.33 ± 8.22) and TNF-α (581.26 ± 90.01 vs 45.10 ± 16.10) were markedly elevated, and CMV DNA was detected in 45% of patients versus none of the controls (P = 0.000). No significant associations were found with gender or occupation. Conclusions. CMV infection and the accompanying immune activation are significantly associated with OCD, consistent with Khanna et al. (1997), suggesting that CMV-induced immune dysregulation may contribute to OCD pathogenesis.
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
  topic: keywords
subject: Obsessive-compulsive disorder
  topic: keywords
subject: Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)
  topic: keywords
subject: IgG, IgM, PP65 antigen
  topic: keywords
subject: Interleukin-6 (IL-6)
  topic: keywords
creator: Ruqayah Taher Habash
creator: Fatemeh Roodbari
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Ruqayah Taher Habash, Fatemeh Roodbari https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
date: 2026-06-07
publication date: 2026-06-07
starting page: 49
ending page: 55
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2026.30.48

Association of Vitamin D Status with Renal Function Markers in Elderly Women with Diabetes Mellitus
type: item
description: Background: Diabetes is a significant cause of mortality among older adults and is often misunderstood as a chronic disease. Poor management of diabetes can lead to complications like renal dysfunction. Key renal markers, such as urea and creatinine, can be affected by these complications. Additionally, Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to various health issues in diabetic patients. Objective: To explore the correlation between Vitamin D levels and renal biochemical markers in elderly diabetic women, an area that has been under-researched. The primary goal is to measure serum levels of urea, calcium, creatinine, and Vitamin D, and assess how Vitamin D levels relate to renal function in this population. Materials and methods: A case-control study was conducted at Nasiriyah Teaching Hospital in Thi-Qar Governorate, Iraq, from November 2024 to March 2025. The study involved 100 women aged 60 to 75, divided into two groups: 50 healthy individuals and 50 diabetic patients. Researchers measured serum levels of urea, creatinine, total calcium, and vitamin D through biochemical and immunoassay methods after collecting venous blood samples. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 23, employing one-way ANOVA for group comparisons and Pearson's correlation coefficient to assess associations between variables. The diagnostic utility of vitamin D was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: compared to the control group, diabetic patients exhibited considerably greater serum urea [(47.8 ± 11.5 mg/dL)] and creatinine [(1.48 ± 0.33 mg/dL)] levels than the control group [(31.5 ± 7.2 mg/dL and 0.96 ± 0.17 mg/dL, respectively; p < 0.001)] ; p < 0.001]. Diabetic patients had lower serum vitamin D levels [(16.2 ± 5.8 ng/mL)] than the control group [(28.1 ± 6.6 ng/mL; p < 0.00001)]. Serum calcium levels were statistically similar in both groups. Vitamin D had statistically significant negative correlations with serum creatinine [(r = –0.…
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: Diabetes mellitus
  topic: keywords
subject: Vitamin D deficiency
  topic: keywords
subject: Renal function
  topic: keywords
subject: Urea
  topic: keywords
creator: Isam Nghaimesh Taeb
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Isam Nghaimesh Taeb https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
date: 2026-06-07
publication date: 2026-06-07
starting page: 39
ending page: 48
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2026.30.47

Serological detection of Epstein-Barr virus in Hemodialytic patients associated with hematological parameters
type: item
description: Background. Epstein-Barr virus is a herpes virus member infects many people across the world. In people of strong immune status, the infection mainly became asymptomatic and is well controlled, while in immunocompromised as hemodialysis patients, the EBV can cause severe illness due to loss of kidney function. Objective. This study objective was to detection of presence the IgG and IgM antibodies against EBV in HD patients and the suspected connection between produced antibodies and hematological parameters (CBC). Methods. During the period started from November 2025 to the end of January 2026, Blood samples obtained from 270 chronic kidney disease’s patients were collected. As 137 samples were taken from hemodialytic men, and 133 samples are obtained from women patients. The age group of patients who were chosen in the study varied from 20 to 70. Serum samples were examined for EBV-IgG/IgM antibodies. Whole blood using for analysis complete blood count (CBC) by automated hematology analyzers. Results.Levels of specific viral IgG/IgM antibodies related to EBV genome was 54.8% and 10.4% respectively. The level IgM antibodies was statistically significant and were measured higher in the age group 20-30 years to 24% than what was detected in other age groups, and lowest among those aged 51–60 years (3.4%). The availability of IgM antibodies specific for EBV indicated to their correlation with the younger age group, duration of dialysis and frequent dialysis per week. Conclusion. No statistical stratified difference between patients with EBV-IgG and age and frequency dialysis.
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: Epstein Barr virus (EBV)
  topic: keywords
subject: EBNA1
  topic: keywords
subject: EBNA2
  topic: keywords
subject: hemodialytic patients
  topic: keywords
subject: chronic kidney disease (CKD)
  topic: keywords
creator: Tamarh Jasim Mohamed
creator: Mohammed Jasim Mohammed Shallal
creator: Haider Mohammed Alyasiri
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Tamarh Jasim Mohamed, Mohammed Jasim Mohammed Shallal, Haider Mohammed Alyasiri https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
date: 2026-06-07
publication date: 2026-06-07
starting page: 28
ending page: 38
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2026.30.46

Clinical Predictors of Non-Response to Initial Antibiotics in Pediatric Community-Acquired Pneumonia: A Risk Score Approach
type: item
description: Background. Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains the leading cause of hospitalization and a major contributor to mortality amongchildren under five years of age globally. First-line antibiotic therapy fails in a substantial minority, with reported failure rates of 10–30% depending on definition and setting. Locally relevant predictor models that combine routine clinical variables with inflammatory biomarkers may improve early identification of children at risk of failure. Objective. To identify clinical, radiographic, and biomarker predictors of first-line antibiotic treatment failure in children hospitalized with CAP at a single tertiary center, and to develop a multivariable risk model with internal validation. Patients and methods. A prospective cohort study was conducted at Bint Al-Huda teaching hospital from January 2023 through June2024. Eligible children were aged 2 months to 14 years admitted with World Health Organization (WHO)-defined CAP. Hospital-acquired pneumonia, immunocompromise, chronic lung disease, and aspiration were excluded. The primary outcome was treatment failure within 7 days, defined as antibiotic escalation before day 5, pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) transfer, or 30-day readmission. Univariable comparisons used the chi-squared, Fisher exact, Student t, or Mann–Whitney U test as appropriate. Multivariable logistic regression identified independent predictors; discrimination was assessed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) with bootstrap internal validation. Results. Of 512 children assessed, 348 formed the analytic cohort; 74 (21.3%) experienced treatment failure. Independent predictors wereprocalcitonin (PCT) ≥ 1.0 ng/mL (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.86–5.43), severe acute malnutrition (aOR 2.94, 1.61–5.36), SpO₂ < 92% on room air (aOR 2.86, 1.62–5.04), C-reactive protein (CRP) ≥ 80 mg/L (aOR 2.42, 1.42–4.12), multilobar consolidation (aOR 2.21, 1.30–3.78), and…
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: community-acquired pneumonia
  topic: keywords
subject: pediatric
  topic: keywords
subject: treatment failure
  topic: keywords
subject: procalcitonin
  topic: keywords
subject: C-reactive protein
  topic: keywords
subject: prediction model
  topic: keywords
subject: risk stratification
  topic: keywords
creator: Roua Hameed Kadhem
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Roua Hameed Kadhem https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
date: 2026-06-04
publication date: 2026-06-04
starting page: 19
ending page: 27
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2026.30.45

Diagnostic Accuracy of LI-RADS Version 2018 for Hepatocellular Carcinoma against Histopathology: A Retrospective Cohort
type: item
description: Background. The Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) standardizes interpretation and reporting of liver computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients at risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Its per-category diagnostic performance against a histopathological reference standard has been characterized largely in high-resource settings. Objective. To determine the diagnostic accuracy of LI-RADS version 2018 (v2018) for HCC against histopathology in at-risk patients, to quantify per-category positive predictive value (PPV), and to compare the LR-5, combined LR-4/5, and ordinal LI-RADS strategies. Patients and methods. A retrospective single-center diagnostic-accuracy cohort study was conducted at Al-Hussein Teaching Hospital. At-risk patients with a multiphasic liver CT or MRI and a histopathological reference standard (resection, explant, or core-needle biopsy) for the index observation were included. The primary outcomes were per-category PPV for HCC, and the sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of LR-5, combined LR-4/5, and ordinal LI-RADS. Results. Of 388 patients screened, 247 observations in 218 patients formed the analytic cohort; 158 (64.0%) were HCC. PPV for HCC rose monotonically across categories: 0% (LR-1), 4.5% (LR-2), 9.1% (LR-3), 44.4% (LR-4), and 92.6% (LR-5). LR-5 achieved a sensitivity of 82.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 75.4–87.9%) and specificity of 94.4% (95% CI 87.4–98.2%), with an AUC of 0.88 (95% CI 0.83–0.93). Conclusions. LI-RADS v2018 LR-5 demonstrated high specificity and good sensitivity for HCC against histopathology in this Iraqi cohort.
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: LI-RADS
  topic: keywords
subject: Hepatocellular carcinoma
  topic: keywords
subject: Structured reporting
  topic: keywords
subject: Computed tomography
  topic: keywords
creator: Firas Abdullah AlBaghdadi
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Firas Abdullah AlBaghdadi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
date: 2026-06-04
publication date: 2026-06-04
starting page: 11
ending page: 18
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2026.30.44

Predictors of Failed Induction of Labor in Nulliparous Women: A Retrospective Cohort from a Bint al-Huda Hospital in Al-Nasiriyah City, Iraq.
type: item
description: Background. Induction of labor (IOL) is among the most common obstetric interventions, but a meaningful minority of nulliparous women undergoing IOL ultimately deliver by cesarean. Locally relevant prediction tools, built from variables routinely available before induction, support patient counselling and protocol design. Objective. To identify independent clinical, anthropometric, and ultrasonographic predictors of failed IOL defined as cesarean delivery during an induction attempt among nulliparous women at a single tertiary center, and to compare a multivariable model with the modified Bishop score alone. Patients and methods. A retrospective cohort study was conducted at Bint al-Huda Hospital from January 2023 through December 2024 (24 months). Eligible records were those of nulliparous women with singleton, term (≥ 37 weeks), cephalic-presenting pregnancies undergoing IOL. Multiparous women, multiple pregnancies, prior cesarean delivery, intrauterine fetal death, and major fetal anomalies were excluded. The primary outcome was failed IOL. Univariable comparisons used the chi-squared, Fisher exact, or Mann–Whitney U test as appropriate. Multivariable logistic regression identified independent predictors. Discrimination was assessed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Results. Of 612 eligible inductions, 145 (23.7%) ended in cesarean delivery. Independent predictors of failed IOL were modified Bishop score ≤ 5 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.18–4.62), pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m² (aOR 2.55, 95% CI 1.66–3.92), sonographic cervical length ≥ 30 mm on transvaginal scan (aOR 2.11, 95% CI 1.34–3.32), maternal age ≥ 35 years (aOR 1.89, 95% CI 1.21–2.95), estimated fetal weight ≥ 3,800 g (aOR 1.96, 95% CI 1.27–3.02), hypertensive disorder of pregnancy (aOR 1.78, 95% CI 1.10–2.88), and maternal height < 155 cm (aOR 1.69, 95% CI 1.04–2.74). The combined model achieved an AUC of 0.82 (95% CI …
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: induction of labor
  topic: keywords
subject: failed induction
  topic: keywords
subject: nulliparous women
  topic: keywords
subject: Bishop score
  topic: keywords
subject: cervical length
  topic: keywords
subject: obstetric risk prediction
  topic: keywords
subject: cesarean delivery
  topic: keywords
creator: Huda Adnan Sahib
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Huda Adnan Sahib https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
date: 2026-06-04
publication date: 2026-06-04
starting page: 1
ending page: 10
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2026.30.43

Evaluation of serum Procalcitonin in patients with Pustular Psoriasis
type: item
description: This study evaluates the effect of corticosteroids on procalcitonin levels in patients with pustular psoriasis compared to those with psoriasis vulgaris and healthy controls. The aim was to assess the potential role of procalcitonin as a marker for inflammation and disease severity. The study was conducted at Al Nasiriyah Teaching Hospital from March 2023 to October 2024, with diagnoses confirmed by histopathological examination. The results demonstrated significant differences in procalcitonin levels among the groups, suggesting a potential role for corticosteroids in modulating systemic inflammation in psoriasis.
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: Corticosteroid Pustular Psoriasis Inflammation Systemic Inflammation
  topic: keywords
creator: Ahmed Abdulhussein Kawen
creator: Saddam Sahib Atshan
creator: Ahmed Sadek
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Ahmed Abdulhussein Kawen , Saddam Sahib Atshan, Ahmed Sadek https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
date: 2025-12-15
publication date: 2025-12-15
starting page: 225
ending page: 228
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2025.29.42

Diagnostic Accuracy of Doppler Ultrasound versus CT Angiography in Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome
type: item
description: Background: Superior mesenteric artery syndrome (SMAS) is a rare vascular compression phenomenon causing duodenal obstruction. CT angiography (CTA) is the test of choice; ultrasound Doppler offers a noninvasive alternative. Aim: to verify the diagnostic accuracy of both tests to verify an evidence-based pathway in SMAS diagnosis. Methods: A total of 48 patients suspected as SMAS were enrolled in this prospective multicenter study. All patients had a standard ultrasound Doppler and CTA protocol scan. Validity measures were based on the consensus clinical diagnosis reference standard. Results: Ultrasound sensitivity was 87.5% (95% CI 71.0–96.5) and the specificity was 81.3% (95% CI 54.4–96.0) versus CTA specificity of 100%. Patients who were obese (BMI >30; OR 6.7, p=0.003) and patients with bowel gas (OR 8.2, p=0.001) showed high discordance rates by each definition. The mean aortomesenteric angle difference between modalities was 2.3° (95% LoA: −5.1°‐9.7°). Conclusion: Ultrasound Doppler can be a valuable method for the primary screening of SMAS, and high-BMI or surgical patients should receive CTA examination for diagnosis verification of SMAS.
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: superior syndrome Doppler US CTA
  topic: keywords
creator: Firas Abdullah Noori Al Baghdadi
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Firas Abdullah Noori Al Baghdadi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
date: 2025-12-14
publication date: 2025-12-14
starting page: 214
ending page: 224
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2025.29.41

ROLE OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING IN EVALUATING DEGENERATIVE LUMBAR SPINE INSTABILITY
type: item
description: Background: Lower back pain, it is one of the 10 most frequent reasons for visiting a family doctor, and at least 85% of the population will experience low back pain at some point in their lives. Instability here means the absence of stability in a mobile vertebral segment. This disorder represents the most common cause of work-related disability and state disability services costs among individuals aged less than 45. Low back pain is a common clinical condition, and lumbar instability plays an important role in the decision for surgery, such as vertebral fusion with decompression. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the magnetic resonance imaging findings suggestive for instability in the lumbar vertebrae. Patients and methods: We reviewed the MRI studies of the lumbar spine of 48 patients with backache who had functional dynamic radiographs proved that they have lumbar spinal instability. In each study, we classify grade of facet arthropathy, Modic changes, spondylolisthesis, disc degeneration, and presence of osteophytes and annular tear, and we correlated between them Results: We review 48 MRI studies of patients with lumbar instability, 28 (58%) patients was female and 20 (42%) was male. We found most patients had grades II and III facet arthropthy (81.2%), grade I Spondylolisthesis (77.1%), Modic changes type II (41.7%), grade IV and V disc degeneration (75%), annular tear (79.2%), and osteophytes (66.7%). We found that facet arthropathy has a correlation with the disc degeneration degree (p <0.05), with the presence of osteophytes (p < 0.0325) and with the most affected segment (p < 0.001). Likewise, disc degeneration was correlated significantly with the Modic changes (p <0.01) and with marginal osteophytes (p = <0.01), while no significant correlation between osteophytes and Modic changes (p> 0.19). Conclusion: MRI can accurately assess the structures that maintain lumbar stability.
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: lumbar instability magnetic resonance imaging low back pain
  topic: keywords
creator: Riyadh Adel Jaed
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Riyadh Adel Jaed https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
date: 2025-12-14
publication date: 2025-12-14
starting page: 205
ending page: 213
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2025.29.40

https://www.jmed.utq.edu.iq/index.php/main/article/view/704
type: item
title: Colon and rectal polyps: a clinical, endoscopic, and pathological study in patients from adolescence to old age with gastrointestinal disorders referred for colonoscopy at the Gastroenterology Unit of Al-Hussein Teaching Hospital in Dhi Qar Governorate
description: The potential for colorectal polyps to develop into colorectal cancer (CRC), the third most prevalent cancer diagnosed globally and a leading cause of cancer-related death, makes them a serious concern for gastrointestinal health. This study intends to assess the frequency and categorization of colorectal polyps found at the GIT Center in Thi-Qar as a result of screening and diagnostic colonoscopies. The goal of the study is to shed light on the risk factors and regional trends connected to colorectal neoplasms. Gaining insight into these trends can help develop more effective management plans and preventative actions that are suited to the local populace. In this analytical observational research, Between November 1, 2024, and March 20, 2025, the study was conducted in the endoscope department of an Al-Hussein teaching hospital next to the college of medicine in the governorate of Thi-Qar, Iraq. The age range of 41 to 60 years old had the highest prevalence of colorectal polyps, accounting for 44% of all cases, according to this study. The frequency was higher among male patients (104 instances) than among female patients (62 cases). The quantity of polyps and gender do not significantly correlate (P>0.05). who found that although there was a higher frequency in men overall, there was no discernible gender difference in the number of polyps. The higher relative occurrence in men may indicate underlying risk factors that warrant further research, even though the link is not significant. The study is likely to produce important discoveries related to the epidemiology of colorectal polyps in Thi-Qar, and data collecting is still ongoing. Through an examination of these polyps' morphological and histological properties, the study aims to shed light on geographical trends and risk factors related to colorectal neoplasms.
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: Colorectal polyps Pattern colonoscopy
  topic: keywords
creator: Faez K. Abdulmuhsen
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Faez K. Abdulmuhsen https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
date: 2025-12-14
publication date: 2025-12-14
starting page: 196
ending page: 204
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2025.29.39

Management of Environmental Risks from Air Pollution Exposure on Cardiovascular and Respiratory Health Using Hybrid Predictive and Optimization Framework
type: item
description: Air pollution is a serious health problem in the world especially to those who already have cardiorespiratory illnesses. Although the association between exposure to pollution and health exacerbation is well-established, the current interventions in the area of public health are not customized by taking into account personal vulnerability, geographic position, and daily routine activities. Existing studies are mainly concentrated on predictive modeling based on machine learning or macro-level resource optimization, but do not combine these two measures into practical and personalized guidance. This work fills this critical gap by hypothesizing and confirming the new hybrid machine learning-optimization model to produce individual alerts on air pollution exposures. An artificial group of 100 patients with asthma, COPD and ischemic heart disease is modeled in 90 days. The first stage entails the training of a logistic regression model to estimate short-term exacerbation risk (with an AUC of 0.979 and an accuracy of 0.961). This risk score is then inputted into a second-stage mixed-integer linear programming resulting in the production of optimal daily action plans. The findings indicate that the framework effectively orders viable interventions in a successful completion of an average personal exposure reduction of 39.4 percent of all case studies without violating individual involvement restrictions and interests, making it a viable paradigm of precision environmental health.
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: Air Pollution, Cardiorespiratory Health, Machine Learning, Optimization, Personalized Medicine.
  topic: keywords
creator: Mahmood Jamal Abdulhasan
creator: Safwan Nadweh
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Mahmood Jamal Abdulhasan, Safwan Nadweh https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
date: 2025-12-14
publication date: 2025-12-14
starting page: 183
ending page: 195
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2025.29.38

Assessment of Atrial natriuretic peptide serum level in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome in Iraqi population
type: item
description: Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a prevalent metabolic condition in women of reproductive age. The prevalence rate is approximately 9% among women of reproductive age. This study sought to assess the levels of atrial natriuretic peptide in patients with PCOS and its correlation with insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism. Methods: 60 patients with PCOS were screened to be suitable for participation in this study, aged from 19 to 45. They were attended to at the outpatient clinic, as well as 30 healthy women as a control group. Serum levels of insulin, testosterone, and corin were estimated using an ELISA kit, as well as glucose, FSH, LH, and HbA1c. Results: The present study revealed that there are no significant differences in ANP serum level between PCOS patients and the healthy control group. As well as it showed an increase in the corin levels, although corin is part of its function, which is to activate the ANP. In addition, the study demonstrated that the plasma ANP was directly correlated with insulin resistance and the LH/FSH ratio. Conclusions: The results of this study emphasize the importance of NP and Corin serum levels in women with PCOS. Our data suggest that circulating corin reflects the metabolic abnormalities of PCOS patients. We also discovered a robust positive association between the ANP level and insulin resistance.
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: PCOS
  topic: keywords
subject: ANP
  topic: keywords
subject: insulin resistance
  topic: keywords
subject: hyperandrogenism, and corin
  topic: keywords
creator: Maryam Ahmed Abdulrahman
creator: Sami . A. Zbaar
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 admin; Maryam Ahmed Abdulrahman, Sami . A. Zbaar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-12-14
publication date: 2025-12-14
starting page: 175
ending page: 182
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2025.29.37

Assessment of Maternal and Neonatal Risk Factors for Tetralogy of Fallot among children & adolescents at Sulaimani Children's Heart Hospital: A cross-sectional study.
type: item
description: Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is one of the most common congenital heart defects, and understanding the associated risk factors is crucial for developing preventive strategies and improving patient outcomes. This study investigates the maternal and neonatal risk factors associated with Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) among children and adolescents in Sulaimani City. The research was conducted at a specialized Children's Heart Hospital. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out, surveying 100 parents using a structured questionnaire, The majority of TOF diagnoses (92%) occurred within the first year of life. Age distribution among the children showed that 26% were aged between 6-8 years, while 11% were under 3 years. Significant maternal factors associated with TOF included age during pregnancy, consanguineous marriage, and multiparity, which together accounted for a total variance of 20.842%. Maternal nutrition during pregnancy showed that 63% of mothers reported having a normal diet, 36% had poor nutrition, and 1% reported smoking during pregnancy. Additionally, 62% of the families had no history of heart disease, with the majority being of Kurdish nationality. Maternal factors such as mode of delivery, folic acid consumption three months before pregnancy, maternal habits, and diseases during pregnancy (including perinatal infections, anemia, and vitamin D deficiency) were significant contributors to the risk of TOF. The study recommends promoting a healthy diet during pregnancy and implementing educational programs to mitigate the identified risk factors.
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: Tetralogy of Fallot
  topic: keywords
subject: Risk Factors
  topic: keywords
subject: Maternal Health
  topic: keywords
subject: Neonatal
  topic: keywords
subject: Adolescents
  topic: keywords
subject: Congenital Heart Disease
  topic: keywords
creator: Chia H. Sadiq
creator: Pary M. Aziz
creator: Soran Husen Mohamad
creator: Aso Faeq Salih
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Chia H. Sadiq, Pary M. Aziz, Soran Husen Mohamad, Aso Faeq Salih https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-12-14
publication date: 2025-12-14
starting page: 166
ending page: 174
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2025.29.36

Role of Primary Healthcare Centers in Prevention of Overweight and Obesity, Baghdad, 2025.
type: item
description: Background: About two-thirds of the population worldwide is obese or overweight, and if the current trajectory continues, 50% of the population will be obese by 2030. Community health centers and primary care providers are leading the charge against this epidemic. Aim of study: To report on sharing primary healthcare centers in the prevention of obesity via knowledge, attitude, and practice of primary healthcare physicians. Methods: A cross-sectional study with analytical components was conducted, involving a total of 224 primary healthcare physicians for the period from November 1, 2024, to April 1, 2025. In addition to demographic data, knowledge, attitude, and practice were obtained using Likert scales. Scores of knowledge and attitude out of scope, good and poor for knowledge, and positive and negative attitudes were not included in the analysis. Results: In this study, 43.8% of eligible participants showed a good level of knowledge of preventing and managing obesity, 67.9% showed a positive attitude, and 38.8% showed a good practice level. Higher qualifications were significantly associated with good knowledge, but not with attitude or good practice. Conclusion: Low figures of good knowledge, positive attitude, and good practice were observed in this study. Reforms in training for undergraduates and postgraduates in medical schools are of importance.
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: Obesity
  topic: keywords
subject: overweight
  topic: keywords
subject: PHCCs
  topic: keywords
subject: knowledge; attitude; practice
  topic: keywords
creator: Safana Ghassan Al-Chalabi
creator: Eman Adnan Al-Kaseer
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Safana Ghassan Al-Chalabi, Eman Adnan Al-Kaseer https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-12-14
publication date: 2025-12-14
starting page: 161
ending page: 165
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2025.29.35

Assessment of Nutritional and Psychological Factors to The Occurrence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Among Adults
type: item
description: Background: Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a chronic functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by abdominal pain associated with defecation or a change in bowel habits. It is a chronic disorder that affects 9%-23% of the population across the world. Mostly occurred as a result of nutritional and psychological imbalance, therefore, this study aimed to assess the nutritional and psychological factors contributing to the occurrence of the irritable bowel syndrome. Methods: A quantitative design /cross-sectional design descriptive study was conducted. Using the non-probability purposive sampling in selected places in Ranya district in Kurdistan Region from 10th November 2024 to 15th February 2025. Results: The majority of the participant age group 39.5% were over 40 years, and the majority of them 73.2%, were female. Additionally, most of the participants experienced abdominal discomfort 47.7%. the study found that eating beans and legumes was shown to be associated with bloating and gas among the study sample (p-value =0.03). Regarding psychological factors, about 15.06 % of participants had anxiety, which was the highest among other psychological conditions. The study found that stress and constipation among participants have a significant association, p-value=0.01. Conclusion: The most common symptoms were fatigue, bloating, and abdominal discomfort, but constipation was more common than other types of IBS. The nutritional and psychological status are substantially correlated with the occurrence of IBS. A multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach to minimize the occurrence of irritable bowel syndrome and the management of patients is highly essential.
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: Irritablbowel syndrome Nutritional and psychological factors Lifestyle factors
  topic: keywords
creator: Chra Mustafa Abdulla
creator: Ribwar A. Mohammed
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Chra Mustafa Abdulla, Ribwar A. Mohammed https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-12-14
publication date: 2025-12-14
starting page: 150
ending page: 160
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2025.29.34

Assessment of Psychological and sociological health issues and associated factors among female students: a A Cross-Sectional Study
type: item
description: female students frequently encounter psychological and sociological difficulties, including anxiety, depression, stress, pressure from peers, and social isolation. This concern can have an impact on their well-being and academic performance. to identify sociodemographic characteristics, to determine the psychological and social health issues among female students, to assess the main factors influenced teenagers health issues, and to find out the association between some of sociodemographic characteristics, psychological and social health issues and associated factors. A quantitative, cross-sectional study design was conducted at Qaladze primary and secondary schools, from 15 December 2024 to 16 March 2025. Data were collected using a constructed questionnaire developed based on a review of relevant literature. The questionnaire was validated by 17 professional experts in related fields and the questionnaire had a reliability coefficient of r = 0.75. A total of 400 female students participated in this study the mean age of the participants was 16.37 years. The majority lived in nuclear households(82%) and urban areas (93%), with (77.5%) reporting sufficient income level. Psychological difficulties were widespread, with 42.5% reporting eating discomfort, 24.3% experienced sleep disorders, and considering self harm. Emotional discomfort was substantial y associated with dissatisfaction with body image particularly weight, and skin, as well as perceived pressure from parents, friends, society, and media(P,0.05). negative life events such as parental neglect, family strife, and verbal bullying all been linked to sociological difficulties. The multivariate analysis revealed dissatisfaction with weight (aOR=2.137), parental (aOR=3.874), and society pressure (aOR=2.766) are independent predictors of psychological discomfort. Parental neglect (aOR=5.390), older age (aOR=1.366), and lower levels of parental education (aOR=0.286) all substantially predicted sociological distre…
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: teenage girls
  topic: keywords
subject: psycological health
  topic: keywords
subject: social health
  topic: keywords
subject: associated factors
  topic: keywords
subject: How to cite
  topic: keywords
creator: Sanarya Hassan Yousif
creator: Sanaa Hassan Abdul Sahib
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Sanarya Hassan Yousif, Sanaa Hassan Abdul Sahib https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-12-14
publication date: 2025-12-14
starting page: 133
ending page: 149
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2025.29.33

Portable Microfluidic Devices-Based Nanosensors for Detection of Mercury and Cadmium in Blood Plasma
type: item
description: Heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd²⁺), mercury (Hg²⁺), and lead (Pb²⁺) are considered some of the most dangerous environmental pollutants due to their high toxicity and cumulative effects on human health and the environment. With the increasing need for precise, rapid, and highly sensitive detection technologies, the integration of nanomaterials with microfluidic techniques has emerged as one of the effective solutions in developing advanced sensing systems Nanomaterials provide unique properties such as high surface area and distinctive electrochemical and optical characteristics, enabling them to capture heavy metal ions with exceptional efficiency. When integrated into microfluidic platforms (Lab-on-a-Chip), a precise analytical environment is achieved, enabling detection using minimal amounts of samples and reagents, with a short analysis time. These systems are characterized by their ability for on-site detection. Various characterization measurements such as UV, XRD, FESEM, TEM, FT-IR, and Zeta Potential were conducted to characterize the nanoparticles. The study indicated that the best elements used for detecting heavy metals in blood plasma are zinc oxide and copper. This integration is considered one of the promising recent trends in the field of environmental monitoring and precise medical analysis.
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: Heavy metals
  topic: keywords
subject: Microfluidics
  topic: keywords
subject: Nano structure
  topic: keywords
subject: Hg²⁺ detection
  topic: keywords
subject: Cd²⁺ detection.
  topic: keywords
creator: Baheya Abdulbaqi Alaziz
creator: Mundher Al-Shakban
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Baheya Abdulbaqi Alaziz, Mundher Al-Shakban https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-12-14
publication date: 2025-12-14
starting page: 118
ending page: 132
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2025.29.32

Comparison of Viperin and IFN- α in HBV and HCV infections
type: item
description: Background: Viperin is an interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) with broad-spectrum antiviral activity, primarily induced by interferon-alpha (IFN-α). Both are critical components of the innate immune response against hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). This study investigates sex-based differences in viperin gene expression and IFN-α levels among patients infected with HBV and HCV Methods: Eighty blood samples were collected from patients with confirmed HBV (n=40) or HCV (n=40) infections in Thi-Qar, Iraq. IFN-α levels were measured using ELISA, while viperin expression was assessed through qRT-PCR. Statistical analyses were performed to compare values between male and female patients within each infection group. Results: In HCV patients, females showed slightly higher viperin expression and IFN α levels compared to males, though the differences were not statistically significant. However, in HBV patients, viperin expression was significantly higher in females than males (p = 0.020), suggesting enhanced innate immune activation. IFN-α levels in HBV patients did not differ significantly by sex. Conclusion: The study highlights a significant sex-based difference in viperin expression among HBV-infected patients, with higher levels in females, potentially indicating a stronger innate immune response. No sex-related differences in IFN-α levels were observed in either group. These findings suggest that sex-based immune modulation, particularly in HBV, may inform personalized treatment approaches and warrant further investigation.
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: Viperin
  topic: keywords
subject: Interferon
  topic: keywords
subject: Gene expression
  topic: keywords
creator: Huda Najem Abd
creator: Ahmed Hasan Mohammed
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Huda Najem Abd , Ahmed Hasan Mohammed https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-12-14
publication date: 2025-12-14
starting page: 114
ending page: 117
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2025.29.31

Evaluation of Autonomic Functions in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease by using Electro Diagnostic Study and Composite Autonomic Symptom Score-31
type: item
description: The autonomic nervous system may be involved in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Autonomic dysfunction is linked to systemic issues and altered gut motility, possibly contributing to symptoms. This study evaluates autonomic function using electrodiagnostic measures and examines its relationship to factors such as age, sex, disease duration, treatment type, and the Composite Autonomic Symptom Score-31. A case–control design included 75 individuals, consisting of 45 patients diagnosed with Crohn’s disease or Ulcerative colitis and 30 healthy controls, aged 18 to 60 years, of either sex. Subjects fasted overnight and did not take any medications for IBD or those that might affect heart rate from noon the day before testing. Smokers were asked to abstain on the morning of testing. Patients exhibited lower heart rate variability during normal breathing and Valsalva maneuvers, with a prolonged palmar sympathetic skin response latency compared to controls. 22 (48.9%) showed early dysfunction, 3 (6.7%) had definite dysfunction, and 3 (6.7%) had severe dysfunction. Eleven (50%) early autonomic dysfunction patients showed parasympathetic involvement (7 Ulcerative colitis, 4 Crohn’s disease), 5 (22.7%) had sympathetic involvement (3 Crohn’s, 2 Ulcerative colitis), and 6 (27.3%) had both (3 Ulcerative colitis, 3 Crohn’s). The Composite Autonomic Symptom Score-31 was negatively linked to heart rate responses to deep breathing, Valsalva, and standing. Patients with IBD have lower autonomic functions. Patients with ulcerative colitis have significantly lower parasympathetic function in comparison to those with Crohn’s disease and healthy controls.
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: Autonomic nervous system
  topic: keywords
subject: Inflammatory bowel disease
  topic: keywords
subject: Sympatho-vagal imbalance
  topic: keywords
creator: Noor Jawad Kadhim
creator: Farqad Bader Hamdan
creator: Raghad J. Hussain
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Noor Jawad Kadhim, Farqad Bader Hamdan, Raghad J. Hussain https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-12-14
publication date: 2025-12-14
starting page: 105
ending page: 113
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2025.29.30

Demographic and clinical characteristics of colorectal cancer patients
type: item
description: Colorectal cancer is a predominant source of cancer-related illness and death worldwide. The study aimed to describe the demographic and clinical factors associated with CRC. A cross sectional study was conducted involving 74 cases of colorectal cancer patients. Analysis was done on demographic factors such age, sex, employment, and place of residence, we gathered clinical information from patients on their tumor site, family history, chronic illnesses, cancer grade, stage, and lymph node metastasis (LNM). Marked disparities were observed among colorectal cancer patients in term of age distribution and occupation with the largest proportion aged 41-50 years (31.08%). Tumor location was mainly on the left side (51.35%) with a significant association (p < 0.01). One-third of patients (33.78%) had a positive family history of colorectal cancer (p < 0.01). Chronic disease presence was higher in patients but not statistically significant (p = 0.11). Most patients presented with grade 2 tumors (78.38%) and stage T3 (78.38%) disease, with a high prevalence of lymph node metastasis (70.27%) (p < 0.01 for all). Sex and residency showed no significant differences between groups. The study highlights significant demographic and clinical disparities among colorectal cancer patients emphasizing the importance of age, occupation, tumor site, family history, and disease stage in CRC risk and progression. These findings can inform targeted screening and tailored treatment approaches.
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: clinic-pathological characteristics
  topic: keywords
subject: Demographic data
  topic: keywords
subject: Colorectal cancer
  topic: keywords
creator: Farah thiab hammed
creator: Saad Abdul Azeez Atiyah
creator: Hameed Naeem Musa
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Farah thiab hammed, Saad Abdul Azeez Atiyah, Hameed Naeem Musa https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-12-14
publication date: 2025-12-14
starting page: 98
ending page: 104
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2025.29.29

Aberrant Expression of CD2 in cases with de novo Acute Myeloid Leukemia Blast Cells
type: item
description: Background. Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is a malignant clonal disorder of immature cells in the haemopoietic hierarchical system. Flow cytometry (FC) immunophenotyping is essential for diagnosis and subtyping of AML. CD2 antigen is expressed on thymocytes, peripheral T cells, NKCs, and a subpopulation of B cells; it is aberrantly expressed in a quarter of cases of acute promyelocytic leukaemia. Aims. This study is designed to investigate the frequency of the aberrant CD2 expression on adult AML blast cells at the initial diagnosis, and correlate their expression with complete blood count (CBC) results, blast cells percent in peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM), the AML subtypes, extramedullary manifestations, and the initial response to the induction therapy. Methods. Thirty adult cases (> 15 years) with de novo AML were consequently selected in the period from the 5th of October 2023 to the 10th of March 2024. Their mean age was 38.97±18.59 yrs (18 males and 12 females). All AML cases were diagnosed according to the WHO criteria for AML and they were diagnosed by cytomorphology and FC for suspected cases. Aberrant antigens CD2 expressions was investigated by eight-color (BD FACSCanto II USA) at diagnosis. Results. CD2 was expressed on blast cells in 13.3% of AML cases. AML cases with positive CD2 expression were younger than those with negative expression and CD2 was expressed equally by males and females. CD2 was significantly more expressed on leukaemic cells of M3 cases. There was no significant correlation with any of the haematological parameters with CD2 expression. Also it appeared that there were no significant correlations between CD2 aberrant expression with the extramedullary manifestations and with the non-response to the induction therapy. Conclusion. Aberrant CD2 is significantly more expressed on leukaemic cells of M3 cases. Neither CD2 aberrant expression is found to be significantly correlated with the age, gender, nor with the haematologi…
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: Acute myeloid leukaemia
  topic: keywords
subject: Flow cytometry
  topic: keywords
subject: Aberrant expression
  topic: keywords
subject: CD2
  topic: keywords
creator: Haithem Ahmed Al-Rubaie Ahmed Al-Rubaie
creator: Najwan Salih Nima
creator: Sura Kanaan Mejeed
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Haithem Ahmed Al-Rubaie Ahmed Al-Rubaie, Najwan Salih Nima, Sura Kanaan Mejeed https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-12-14
publication date: 2025-12-14
starting page: 89
ending page: 97
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2025.29.28

Assessement of interleukin 37 and some immune parameters in patients with giardiasis : A Case Control Study
type: item
description: Background: Giardia lamblia is the cause of giardiasis, one of the most prevalent parasitic illnesses in the world that affects millions of people annually. Although the majority of infections are most likely asymptomatic, some are linked to intestinal irritation and subacute or chronic diarrhea, which can lead to malabsorption and nutritional deficiencies, particularly in children.Aim of study :is to Assessment of interleukin 37 and some immune parameters in patients with giardiasis .Patients and methods:The stool samples were collected and labeled with the patient's information in sterile plastic containers and checked via the naked eye for colour, consistency, after that, they were analyzed using light microscopy to check for the presence of Giardia trophozoite and cyst stage.(45)blood samples were taken from suspected G. lamblia patients, and (45) blood samples from healthy individuals as a control group. Blood samples were captured to enable to establish the white blood cell (WBC) count. Results: The outcomes of the research demonstrated that both male and female patients infected with G. lamblia had significantly lower levels of IL-37 (p >0.05) in their 72.36 ±10.87 concentrations than in the control group (86.51 ±11.83). WBC levels It reveals a substantial rise in the number of infected patients (8.94 ± 4.36) in contrast to 7.44 ± 2.4 of the control collective. (P<0.05) . Conclusion : the spread of the disease depends on the environmental conditions as well as on factors specific to the host and the strength of occurrence affected by these conditions.
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: Giardia lamblia
  topic: keywords
subject: Giardiasis
  topic: keywords
subject: Diarrhea
  topic: keywords
subject: interleukin 37
  topic: keywords
creator: Milad abdulkathem lahmod
creator: Murtada Hafedh Hussein
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Milad abdulkathem lahmod, Murtada Hafedh Hussein https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-12-21
publication date: 2025-12-21
starting page: 82
ending page: 88
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2025.29.27

Assessment the level of Urinary nephrin as an early biomarker in Diabetic Nephropathy
type: item
description: Most people with diabetes have hyperglycemia, or uncontrolled blood sugar, which can lead to a number of dangerous side effects, such as diabetic nephropathy. Finding new indicators that can give early diagnosis and prevent consequences has become more crucial as a result of the lack of early detection. Many kidney disorders originate and advance as a result of damage or dysfunction to podocyte cells. This increases the possibility of employing podocyte cell product targets, particularly in urine, as practical clinical markers for kidney disease diagnosis and surveillance. A cross-sectional study will be carried out to a group of 70 diabetic patients with diabetic nephropathy 20 healthy control. A total of 25 mL urine was collected. Alb/Cr ratio in a random urine sample . Serum creatinine, serum albumin and HbA1C. Urinary Albumin / creatinine ratio. Urinary podocalyxin, nephrin and podocin were determined by using commercially available ELISA test. According to the study, 50% of patients with normoalbuminuria have greater urine Nephrin levels than the healthy control group. Nephrin levels are also higher in the former group. These results imply that Nephrin initially manifests in the urine before microalbumin in the early stages of kidney injury. According to the data, both the UM/CR and CKD staging categories had significantly higher urine nephrin levels than the healthy control group. Urinary nephrin levels gradually increased with CKD stage, particularly in stages two and three, and it was shown that urine nephrin was more sensitive than the UM/CR ratio for early kidney damage identification. Diabetes patients had much greater amounts of nephrin, and podocalxyin in their urine compared to the healthy control group.
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: Diabetes
  topic: keywords
subject: Kidney disease
  topic: keywords
subject: Podocyte
  topic: keywords
subject: Nephrin
  topic: keywords
creator: Kanaan Faisal Yassin
creator: Sami A Zbaar
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Kanaan Faisal Yassin, Sami A Zbaar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-12-14
publication date: 2025-12-14
starting page: 76
ending page: 81
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2025.29.26

Tryptophan metabolite as predictive biomarkers for prognosis of ischemic heart Disease
type: item
description: Ischemic heart diseases (IHD) a condition that happens when the heart doesn't get enough blood. Inflammation is the underlying common mechanism involved in IHD. Kynurenine pathway, as a major route of tryptophan degradation, its metabolites have been revealed to be crucial in CVD and involved in several biological processes such as immune-regulation, inflammation, and metabolism. Different enzymes have been shown to participate in the kynurenine pathway such as KMO, 3-HHAO. The study aimed to identify whether the metabolites of tryptophan degradation have an association with development of inflammatory event of IHD and its progress A case-control study was conducted at cardiac center in Thi-Qar Governorate, with participants:90 patients with IHD divided into 3 groups, myocardial infraction (M, n=30), angina (AN, n=30) and heart failure (HF, n=30. A 60 sample (n=60) were collected from healthy people as control group. KMO, and 3HHAO were identified by ELISA, while tryptophan concentration was measured by HPLC technique. Statistical tests were applied by using one-way ANOVA and ROC curve analysis. Tryptophan concentration was decreased significantly (P value < 0.001) in patient groups compared to control group. The levels of KMO and 3-HHAO were significantly elevated (P value < 0.001) in patients than control. These findings suggest inflammatory events in IHD induced tryptophan catabolism through the kynurenine pathway which plays a significant role in modulating immune response and influencing the development of CVD.
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: Ischemic heart disease
  topic: keywords
subject: Tryptophan
  topic: keywords
subject: KMO
  topic: keywords
subject: 3HAAO
  topic: keywords
creator: Ali Jabbar Maeedi
creator: Anwar Jasib Thaaban Almzaiel
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Ali Jabbar Maeedi , Anwar Jasib Thaaban Almzaiel https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-12-14
publication date: 2025-12-14
starting page: 68
ending page: 75
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2025.29.25

The Clinical differentiation between acute appendicitis and right overian cyst
type: item
description: Evaluating female patients with severe lower abdominal pain in the casualty department presents a significant diagnostic challenge due to the presence of multiple pelvic organs with overlapping symptoms. Conditions such as pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, urinary tract infections, and acute appendicitis often mimic one another. Among these, differentiating right ovarian cysts from acute appendicitis is particularly difficult because both can present with similar right lower abdominal pain.This study aimed to differentiate them clinically based on history, clinical examination, and laboratory studies .The history of presentation is based on an analysis of pain (including severity, duration, time and location of onset, nature of pain, and associated symptoms such as nausea or vomiting), as well as factors like loss of appetite, abdominal distension, fever, frequency of urination, vaginal bleeding, irregular menstrual cycles, hormonal drug history, trauma to the abdomen, gynecological history, and surgical history. Physical examination relies on inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation. Our investigation indicates that acute appendicitis can induce abrupt and strong pain in the lower abdomen. A pain starts in the middle of the abdomen, around the belly button, and typically in the right iliac fossa. It could come and go for a few hours, and the pain moves to the lower right side of the abdomen. will lead to nausea and vomiting, the nausea goes away after a few hours, and the fever is caused by the immune system. (feel sick in general). This is because the appendix is bothering the colon next to it .Symptoms of ovarian cysts that don't involve speaking include pelvic pain, a feeling of fullness or pressure in the abdomen, bloating, changes in bowel habits (like constipation or trouble going to the bathroom), urinary problems (like needing to urinate often or having trouble emptying the bladder), and in some cases, problems with ferti…
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: appendix,
  topic: keywords
subject: right overian cyst,
  topic: keywords
subject: causlty room
  topic: keywords
subject: overies
  topic: keywords
subject: history
  topic: keywords
creator: Akeel abdali al-omeri
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Akeel abdali al-omeri https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-12-14
publication date: 2025-12-14
starting page: 61
ending page: 67
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2025.29.24

Assessing miR-222-3p and miR-21-5p: Predictive miRNAs for Complications in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.
type: item
description: Usually identified in the second quarter of being pregnant, pregnant diabetic mellitus (G.D.M) becomes a frequent pregnant problem. Mothering diabetic presents an important medical danger regarding the female as well as the fetus alongside is linked to pregnancies. There is mounting proof showing that pregnant women having presentational diabetic type1ـmellitus (T1.DM) as well as type ـ2 diabetes mellitus (T2.DM) experience greater numbers of serious pregnancy-related issues than pregnancies women having pregnancy-related diabetes mellitus (G.D.M). An overview of the current research on miRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers for pregnant as well as preـgestational diabetes is the goal of this research project. Methods: One hundred ladies participated in this research as participants. Between the fifth of September 2024, to the 28th of May 2025, 50 women with pregnancyـrelated diabetes visited the diabetic consulting clinics at the Maternals & KidsـEducationalـHospital located within Al-Diwaniyah Province. Medically historical events testing in the lab (HbA.1cـtest), as well as fasting evaluations were used for diagnosing individuals with pregnancy-related diabetes. Results: During the present research, the gene expression of comparative mi.RNA222 as well as the level of expression within the participants in the G.D.Mـgroup as well as the presumably controls were quantitatively examined using RTـPCR. Additionally, a mathematical RT-PCR examination for comparing miRNA222 expressing themselves was conducted in the present research compared the set of participants GDM as well as the controls, ostensibly. Conclusion: Owing to this research, miR5-21-p might be a useful biomarker for G.D.M. Additionally, miR3ـ222ـp seems to have a positive correlation between fasting plasma glucose, confirming its function in metabolizingـglucose, whereas miR-21 may affect resistant to insulin as well as the absorption of glucose.
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: Gestationalـdiabetesـmellitus
  topic: keywords
subject: miR 3 ـ 222 ـ miR ـ 21 ـ 5 p T1DM p
  topic: keywords
creator: Zahraa Abdulhadi Nima
creator: Orass Madhi Shaheed
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Zahraa Abdulhadi Nima , Orass Madhi Shaheed https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-12-14
publication date: 2025-12-14
starting page: 52
ending page: 60
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2025.29.23

Prevalence of the Carbapenem and Fluoroquinolone Resistance Gene among K. pneumoniae Isolated from Genitourinary Tract Infections in Infertile Males
type: item
description: One of the most significant opportunistic Gram-negative bacteria that frequently linked to catheter associated and urinary tract infection is Klebsiella pneumoniae. Their ability to produce biofilms and antibiotic resistance are the two main factors that contribute to the persistent infections. The dissemination of carbapenems and fluoroquinolones resistance offers a significant confrontation to the treatment of life-threatening infections produced by K. pneumoniae. The study aimed to investigation the prevalence of the carbapenems and fluoroquinolones resistance genes (blaOXA-48, and qnrS) in K. pneumoniae. From December 2023 until July 2024, a total of 200 samples were collected in this study including urine (n=100, 50%), and semen (n=100, 50%) from admitted patients to Fertility Center and outpatient from Private Labs in Al-Najaf, Al-Diwaniyah and Karbala governorates. Semen culture and urine culture were done for all the patients. Using Vitek2 compact system to identification and susceptibility to antibiotic profiling of K. pneumoniae. PCR experiment were performed on the isolates with specific primers to blaOXA-48, and qnrS. The results showed the recovery rate of K. pneumoniae isolates was (n= 17, 8.5%) from the clinical samples, divided as follow 13 isolates from urine and four isolates from semen, The prevalence of carbapenem resistance gene among K. pneumoniae isolates was to blaOXA-48 gene (64.7%), While fluroquinolones resistance gene qnrS was (94%). The study concluded increased carbapenem and fluoroquinolone resistance gene in Al Najaf, Al-Diwaniyah and Karbala governorates highlights the importance of this problem while managing life-threatening multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae infections.
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: Carbapenem Resistance
  topic: keywords
subject: fluoroquinolone resistance
  topic: keywords
subject: MDR K. pneumoniae
  topic: keywords
subject: genitourinary tract infections
  topic: keywords
creator: Rasha Mohsen AL-Hussaini
creator: Ibtisam Habeeb Al-Azawi
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Rasha Mohsen AL-Hussaini, Ibtisam Habeeb Al-Azawi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-12-14
publication date: 2025-12-14
starting page: 44
ending page: 51
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2025.29.22

Characterization of Gelatin Methacrylate (GelMA) Hydrogels for Cartilage Tissue Engineering Applications
type: item
description: Articular cartilage, a tissue that is particularly known for its self-repairing deficiency, is a major challenge in regenerative medicine. Gelatin Methacrylate (GelMA) is a multifunctional and biocompatible hydrogel, which has attracted much attention as a potential scaffold material for cartilage tissue engineering. This paper gives a detailed characterization of GelMA hydrogels with regard to the effect of polymer concentration on their physicochemical and biological properties. We performed an in-depth analysis of GelMA at concentrations of 5%, 10% and 15% (w/v) and their mechanical strength, swelling kinetics, degradation rates and porous architecture. Additionally, we have synthesized and critically reviewed optimal parameters for 3D bio-printing of constructs based on GelMA for cartilage regeneration. Our results show that the mechanical properties are significantly improved with an increase in the concentration of GelMA from 5% to 15%, and the compressive modulus has been increased from 3.3 +- 0.5 kPa to 30.0 +- 4.0 kPa. This enhancement, however, comes with a decrease in porosity, swelling ratio and degradation rate. While no one GelMA formulation reproduced the mechanical properties of native articular cartilage, a 10% (w/v) concentration of GelMA, with optimized 3D bioprinting parameters, appears to be a well balanced formulation. It provides a good compromise between mechanical stability and microenvironment that allows the viability, proliferation, and chondrogenesis of cells. This critical review highlights the opportunities of the GelMA as a highly tunable and promising platform in which effective and clinically relevant cartilage repair and regeneration strategies can be developed.
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: GelMA
  topic: keywords
subject: Hydrogel
  topic: keywords
subject: Characterization
  topic: keywords
subject: Cartilage tissue applications
  topic: keywords
creator: Hussein Mishbak
creator: Mohammed A. Albadri
creator: Mohammedsadiq A. Hasan
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Hussein Mishbak, Mohammed A. Albadri, Mohammedsadiq A. Hasan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-12-15
publication date: 2025-12-15
starting page: 36
ending page: 43
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2025.29.21

Physiological and Psychological Factors Associated with Sleep Deprivation among High School Students
type: item
description: Sleep deprivation is increasingly common among high school students in grades 10–12 due to academic pressure, social factors, and lifestyle changes. Although adolescents need 8–10 hours of sleep, most do not achieve this. Lack of sleep negatively impacts their physical health (metabolism, immunity) and psychological well-being (mood, thinking ability), and long-term deprivation can lead to depression, anxiety, obesity, and poor academic performance. Understanding these physiological and psychological factors is crucial for improving students’ overall health and school outcomes. The objectives of this study are to identify the main sociodemographic characteristics of high school students, to determine the physiological and psychological factors associated with sleep deprivation, and to assess the association between selected sociodemographic characteristics and the identified physiological and psychological factors among the study sample. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2024 to May 2025 to assess the prevalence and factors associated with sleep deprivation among high school adolescents in Ranya City. A representative sample was drawn from five randomly selected public schools using stratified random sampling. Data were collected through a constructed questionnaire based on relevant literature and standardized tools, validated by 19 experts, and shown to have a reliability coefficient of r = 0.736. The questionnaire covered sociodemographic information, academic performance, screen time, physical activity, caffeine intake, and sleep patterns. Out of 327 participating students, 229 who reported sleep deprivation were included in the analysis of physiological and psychological factors. Among them, 76.9% sometimes experienced physiological disruptions such as caffeine use, physical discomfort, and hunger before sleep, while 54.6% reported psychological discomfort related to schoolwork, personal matters, and emotional stress. Psychological…
subject: ARTICLE
  topic: section
subject: Physiological factors
  topic: keywords
subject: psychological factors
  topic: keywords
subject: sleep deprivation
  topic: keywords
creator: Parwin Anwar Muhammed
creator: Sanaa Hassan Abdul Sahib
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Parwin Anwar Muhammed, Sanaa Hassan Abdul Sahib https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-12-15
publication date: 2025-12-15
starting page: 26
ending page: 35
doi: 10.32792/jmed.2025.29.20