Hilla university college Journal For Medical Science

Background: Hospital clothing can inadvertently be a vector for harmful microbes, spreading pathogens through direct
contact or airborne particles when clothes are touched or disturbed. Contaminated linens and clothing not only place
patients at risk but also threaten the safety of healthcare workers. The current study compares the daily use of healthcare
workers’ hospital clothes according to the infection prevention and control guidelines.
Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 450 healthcare staff providing medical care to patients
in Raparin province, Iraq healthcare settings. The study was carried out from 4th November 2023 to 20th January 2024.
Participants were selected using a non-probability convenience sampling method. Data were collected through interviews using a structured questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 25 to generate descriptive
statistics.
Results: The results indicated that, among the participants, just 27 (6%) did not utilize a designated work attire,
whereas 287 (63.8%) donned scrubs and 136 (30.2%) wore a white coat. Utilized clothes were stored at home by 194
(43.1%) people, while 230 (56.9%) utilized a dedicated cabinet. The healthcare workers who changed clothes at home
before going to work were (252, 56%) and after work (198 (44%).
Conclusion: The study determined that the majority of healthcare professionals in the Raparin province utilize special
clothes for their hospital duties, possessing multiple sets in various colors for everyday use. Contrary to established
guidlines, many healthcare workers change their hospital wear at home

For metallic materials, the corrosion behavior is the most important property to be considered due to the biocompatibility and cytotoxicity of the products of the corrosion process in vivo. Numerous coating processes have been developed
to improve corrosion resistance, enhance the metal’s surface qualities, and increase its service life. The purpose of this
review was to gather data on the corrosion of alloys in dentistry and plasma sputtering coating techniques to improve
the surface characteristics of substrates. Several databases, including google scholar, pubmed, science direct, and web of
science were searched electronically, and a manual search of the scientic literature was also carried out. Both searches
were undertaken concerning this subject. This research provides a summary of the ndings from seventy-seven studies
that were conducted between the period from 2015 to 2025.We utilized the following keywords: “dental alloy, corrosion
resistance, surface modication, sputtering coating technique”. According to the reviewed articles, Sputtering is an
approach that is mostly utilized for the purpose of depositing various coatings in order to enhance the surface qualities
of substrates. These properties include appearance, resistance to corrosion, resistance to wear, resistance to scratching,
and biological compatibility

Background: The hepatitis B virus is a major threat to public health because it causes disease. Approximately 5%
of people worldwide are chronically infected, and this virus has infected approximately one-third of the population.
The purpose of this study was to assess the risk factors for hepatitis B transmission among patients who visit medical
institutions in Sulaimani City.
Method: A case-control study was carried out among 240 individuals (120 cases and 120 controls) visiting health facilities
in Sulaimani City between August 11 and December 31, 2024. Convenient sampling was used for selecting participants.
Data on demographics, behavioural risk factors, and medical history were obtained through an organized questionnaire;
they were interviewed face-to-face. The Chi-square test (χ2-test), Fisher’s exact test, odds ratio (OR), mean, and standard
deviation were calculated.
Results: Overall, 120 cases and 120 controls participated in this study. Regarding the case group, 68.3% were males, 53.3%
were aged between 35 and 55, and 76.7% were married. The risks linked to hepatitis B infection were dental procedures
(OR = 2.9, P < 0.001), blood transfusion (OR = 2.9, P < 0.001), cupping therapy (Hijamat) (OR = 3.6, P < 0.001), tattooing
(OR = 2.6, P = 0.025), and sharing sharp personal hygiene items (OR = 2.6, P = 0.007). Merely 21.7% of those who took
part were aware of how the hepatitis B virus spreads.
Conclusions: Dental procedures, blood transfusions, cupping therapy (Hijamat), tattooing, and sharing sharp personal
hygiene items were hepatitis B infection. Most of the respondents had no information about the hepatitis B virus
transmission modes. These highlights demonstrate that in order to stop the hepatitis B virus from spreading further,
individuals must be educated about its risk factors and mechanisms of transmission. The goal of interventions should
be to reduce the risk factors for hepatitis B. Adults should remain the priority of hepatitis B vaccination efforts.

Background: People with thalassemia can have too much iron in their bodies. This overload can come from the disease
itself or from regular blood transfusions. Excess iron can harm the heart, liver, and endocrine system.
Objectives: This study aims to show how effective Deferasirox therapy is in lowering iron levels in thalassemia patients.
Materials and Methods: We enrolled 30 patients and a healthy control group from November 2022, to February 2023. The
participants were gathered from the maternity hospital’s Department of Genetic Diseases in Babylon Province, Iraq. The
patients were newly diagnosed, and the data included the sex of the patients—male and female—aged between 18 and
35 years, with a total of 20 patients. We collected data related to serum calcium and serum ferritin from medical records in
the maternity hospital’s Department of Genetic Diseases. The control group included 10 healthy men and women from
the general population who visited the hospital and do not have beta thalassemia major. We analyzed serum ferritin and
serum calcium levels.
Results: We found a signicant increase in serum ferritin in patients before and after blood transfusions in beta
thalassemia major when compared to healthy controls. We also observed a signicant decrease in serum calcium in
patients before and after blood transfusions in beta-thalassemia major compared to healthy controls.
Conclusion: The treatment for removing excess iron from the body is effective. However, the repeated blood transfusions
for patients reduce the effectiveness of Deferasirox in promoting iron excretion.

Background: Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), which is expressed on myeloid cells, detects harmful substances from
invading infections or host-damaged tissues, leading to in ammation.
Objectives: Evaluation of the effects of TLR2 gene mutation on pulmonary function in pulmonary tuberculosis.
Methods: A prospective observational study lasting from January 2024 to December 2024 carried out on a sample of
Iraqi patients from Kirkuk city who attended TB units at primary health care districts. Spirometry was done for all
patients 2 months after the onset of anti-TB treatment and again after 6 months at the end of the treatment course. Blood
samples from all patients were collected for TLR2 genetic analysis.
Results: The results showed a signicant difference in FEV1 (44 ± 14.6), (59.5 ± 25.6) between mutants and non-mutants
respectively, after 2 months of starting anti-TB treatment, while there was a signicant difference in FEV1/FVC (98.2 ±
8.1), (107.7 ± 11.1) between mutants and non-mutants respectively, after 6 months of starting anti-TB treatment.
Conclusion: TLR2 mutations in PTB provide new insights into future research and treatment plans as a possible
biomarker for respiratory dysfunction.

Background: The opinions and experiences of health workers can provide valuable insights into the current state of
family medicine and its potential to improve healthcare services in any country, including Iraq.
Objectives: To identify health workers’ perceptions in Karbala Governorate regarding the role of family medicine and
family physicians, and to explore their opinions on the performance of primary health care centers.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out from March through May 2024, involving health
professionals from various health service settings in Karbala Governorate, Iraq. Data were collected through a structured, self-administered validated questionnaire covering demographic data, knowledge and attitudes toward family
medicine and family physicians, as well as their perceptions of the performance of primary health care centers (PHCC).
Results: Out of 402 respondents, nearly two-thirds identied signicant shortcomings in PHCC performance. Only
37.5% felt they had adequate knowledge about the roles of family physicians, while 44.5% believed that these roles were
not well-dened.
Conclusion: The ndings highlight notable concerns among health workers regarding both the effectiveness of
PHCCs and their understanding of family physicians’ roles. No signicant associations were observed between these
views and the participants’ demographic proles.

Background: Women with PCOS experience pathological symptoms like diabetes and insulin resistance (IR), obesity
and being overweight, infertility, and irregular menstruation due to hormonal abnormalities.
Objectives: Study the association between metabolic and hormonal changes in PCOS.
Materials and methods: Forty-ve Iraqi women with newly diagnosed PCOS, aged between 20–40 years, were divided
into two groups X Obese Women with PCOS, Y Non-Obese PCOS. The samples were collected from private labs, AlSadr Teaching Hospital, and Al-Zahraa Hospital in the Najaf Governorate. Each was tested using an enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the subject’s reproductive hormones and by colorimetric methods used to determine
(Fasting serum glucose (FSG), triglycerides (TG), (Total cholesterol (TC), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C).
Results: Compared to healthy fertile women, PCOS patients had considerably lower levels of SHBG and HDL-C, while
PCOS women had signicantly higher levels of LH, TC, LH/FSH ratio, LDL-C, TT, FAI, FINS, FSG, TG, and HOMA-IR.
Obese women with PCOS had a signicantly higher serum level of LH than healthy women, especially in obese PCOS
women compared to non-obese women with Pcos Furthermore, PCOS patients in this research had signicantly elevated
levels (P = 0.0001). The in uence of obese and non- obese hormones levels on the biochemical parameters in women
patients with PCOS,evaluated by the correlation coefcient.
Conclusion: The present study had a benecial effect on in ammatory and endothelial dysfunction markers in
overweight and obese patients with PCOS, Since hepatic IR is only seen in obese women with PCOS, the combined
detrimental impact of obesity and PCOS on insulin action is well known.

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects both motor and nonmotor functions, including the autonomic nervous system. Autonomic dysfunction, particularly involving sympathetic
pathways, is a common but underdiagnosed feature in PD.
Objectives: This study aimed to assess autonomic dysfunction in Iraqi patients with Parkinson’s disease using the
Sympathetic Skin Response (SSR) test as a non-invasive neurophysiological tool.
Methods: A case-control study was conducted at Ghazi Al-Hariri Surgical Teaching Hospital, involving 40 patients
diagnosed with PD and 40 age-matched healthy controls. All participants underwent SSR testing to evaluate latency
and amplitude in the hands and feet under standardized conditions.
Results: PD patients exhibited signicantly prolonged SSR latencies and markedly reduced amplitudes in both hands
and feet compared to controls (p < 0.001). Clinically, the most frequent autonomic symptoms were constipation (87.5%),
impotence (80.0%), and dysphagia (75.0%).
Conclusion: The ndings indicate a clear disruption in sympathetic autonomic function among PD patients, as
revealed by SSR testing. This highlights the importance of early autonomic assessment in PD to facilitate timely
interventions and improve patient care.

Background: Breast cancer is a malignant neoplasm characterized by uncontrolled proliferation of breast epithelial cells, with potential for metastasis. Objectives: To follow the change in the level of trace elements (TEs) and the extent to which these changes are related to the risk of breast cancer before taking chemotherapy or removing the tumor. Materials and Methods: The case-control group had 90 Iraqi women with newly diagnosed breast cancer, alongside 90 healthy women who were matched for age and body mass index. Elements and electrolytes in the serum, such as iron, sodium, potassium, magnesium, and selenium, were measured using a spectrophotometer. The statistical signicance of the differences was determined using SPSS. Results: The evaluation of electrolytes showed a signicant increase in the concentrations of Na, K, in contrast to a signicant decrease in the concentrations of Se and Mg in the breast cancer patients compared to the healthy control group. In the current study, among breast cancer patients, the concentration of Iron in the serum was signicantly greater in patients with stage IV breast cancer. The Se level had a signicant association with the degree of effectiveness in diagnosing breast cancer. Conclusion: Trace elements and electrolytes can be used as biomarkers for the diagnosis of breast cancer, and further studies are needed to conrm the relationship between trace elements and breast cancer.Our study provides insights into the potential risk markers for breast cancer patients, especially in stage III and IV breast cancer, and the roles and effects of trace elements in breast cancer

Background: Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune condition that affects the small intestine, triggered by the intake
of gluten and related prolamines in genetically predisposed individuals. The anti-tissue tTG-IgA transglutaminase test
is a primary screening method for suspected celiac disease.
Materials and Methods: Forty-ve children with celiac disease were enrolled in the study, with an age range between
2–14 years, and 43 healthy subjects as the control group in the Medical City Hospital in Baghdad. The diagnosis of
the disease was conrmed by Anti tissue transglutaminase (tTG) IgA and IgG antibodies, IL-2, and IL-15 using the
enzyme-linked immunoassay technique (ELISA).
Results: The results showed that serum levels of anti-tTG (IgA, IgG) antibodies were signicantly higher in patients
with celiac disease than in the control group. The serum anti-tTG IgA level was 23.06 ± 15.6 in the patient group, while
the control group was 8.69 ± 0.61. Also, the serum anti-tTG IgG level was 104.10 ± 61.1 in the celiac group, and the healthy
control group was 7.41 ± 0.57. In addition, IL-2 and IL-15 serum levels were increased in the celiac disease groups with
highly signicant differences. The IL-2 level was 26.33 ± 6.59 in the patient group, and in the healthy control groups
were 6.55 ± 0.30, P value (P = 0.004). Furthermore, the serum IL15 level was 42.31 ± 7.42 in the celiac patient group and
12.70 ± 0.71 in the healthy control group, P value (P < 0.0001).
Conclusion: The elevated Interleukin-2 (IL-2) and Interleukin-15 (IL-15) levels in patients with celiac disease have
been suggested as biomarkers and therapeutic targets (immunotherapies) for celiac disease.

Background: About two-thirds of the population worldwide are 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.
Objectives: To report on sharing primary healthcare centers in the prevention of obesity via the knowledge, attitude,
and practice of primary healthcare physicians.
Methods: A cross-sectional study, including analytical components was performed, involving a total of 224 primary
healthcare physicians for the period 1st Nov. 2024 to 1st April 2025. In addition to demographic data, knowledge,
attitude, and practice were obtained using Likert scales. Score of knowledge and attitude out of scope good and poor for
knowledge and positive and negative for attitude, 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 qualications were signi-
cantly associated with good knowledge but were not associated with attitude and good practice.
Conclusion: Low gures for good knowledge, positive attitude; and good practice were observed in this study. Reforms
in training for undergraduates and postgraduates in medical schools are important.

Background: Chemerin, is regarded as an adipose-derived hormone regulating insulin sensitivity, lipid homeostasis,
adipogenesis and in ammatory responses. It has previously been shown that serum chemerin levels are linked to
metabolic syndrome and cardio-metabolic risk. More knowledge of its associations with lipid prole components might
improve early cardiometabolic risk stratication.
Objective: To evaluate the association of serum chemerin as a possible biomarker for Cardiometabolic Risk (CMR)
and to correlate it with lipidogram parameters in the adult population with metabolic syndrome.
Methods: A case-control study with 45 individuals with metabolic syndrome and 45 healthy controls matched for age
and sex. Serum chemerin concentration was assessed in fasting venous blood samples with a commercially available EC
ELISA kit (BT®Chemerin ELISA Kit (China)). Using recognized enzymatic methods, the lipid prole parameters—total
cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)—were evaluated. Group differences and correlations were analyzed after anthropometric and clinical
data were collected.
Results: Patients with metabolic syndrome had considerably higher serum chemerin levels than controls (p < 0.001).
Chemerin had a negative correlation with HDL-C and a positive correlation with triglycerides, total cholesterol, and
LDL-C (p < 0.05 for all). Elevated levels of chemerin were consistently linked to elevated cardiometabolic risk indicators.
Conclusion: Serum chemerin is a novel biomarker for predicting the risk of cardiometabolic disease and correlates
with abnormalities in the lipid prole. Routine assessment of chemerin, when integrated into standard lipid proling,
may provide more insights into identifying individuals at risk for cardiometabolic diseases at an earlier stage.