Hilla university college Journal For Medical Science

Background: Globally, the prevalence of T2DM has risen dramatically, becoming a signicant public health concern
due to its various complications. The diabetic patients may have a higher prevalence of sensorineural hearing loss
(SNHL) compared to the non-diabetic population.
Objectives: This study aimed to identify the prevalence of SNHL among diabetic patients in clinical settings in the
Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study with a comparative group was designed for the current healthy and
type II diabetic patients. The study was conducted at Galiawa Diabetes Center and Rzgary Teaching Hospital in Erbil
city (October 2024 - October 2025).
Results: The study included 150 participants, with 50% diabetic and 51.3% female. Most had higher education (46%),
middle socioeconomic status (62%), and 64% faced SNHL. Left-side SNHL (3.3%) was most common, with 23.3% mild
and 1.3% severe cases. The mean age was 50.45 ± 8.98 years, diabetes duration 4.85 ± 4.52 years, and HbA1c 6.86 ±
0.89%. No signicant association was found between diabetes and gender, education, or socioeconomic status (p > 0.05).
However, SNHL was higher in diabetics (52% vs. 20%), with signicant links to bilateral (44%), left (5.3%), and right
(2.7%) SNHL, as well as severity (29.3% mild vs. 2.7% severe, p < 0.05).
Conclusions: The study conrms a signicant association between diabetes and SNHL, with diabetics showing higher
prevalence (52%), longer disease duration, and poorer glycaemic control. SNHL severity and laterality were also linked
to diabetes, with no associations with gender, education, or socioeconomic status.

Background: Accurate diagnosis of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries is critical for selecting appropriate
treatment strategies and preventing long-term knee dysfunction. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is widely used
as a non-invasive diagnostic tool, while arthroscopy remains the gold standard.
Objectives: This study aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of MRI against arthroscopic ndings in ACL injuries
and to assess its current performance in clinical settings for the years 2024–2025.
Methods: A total of 40 patients (31 males, 77%; 9 females, 23%) aged 20–50 years (median age 35 years) who presented
with suspected ACL injury were enrolled. All patients underwent MRI examination followed by arthroscopic evaluation, which served as the reference standard. Diagnostic indices, including sensitivity, specicity, positive predictive
value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and overall accuracy, were calculated.
Results: MRI correctly identied 22 actual positive cases and three true negative cases, with one false positive and 14
false negative results when compared with arthroscopy. The calculated diagnostic performance of MRI was as follows:
sensitivity 93%, specicity 88%, PPV 82%, NPV 95%, and overall accuracy 90%.
Conclusion: MRI demonstrates high sensitivity and accuracy in diagnosing ACL injuries, making it a valuable
non-invasive diagnostic tool. However, certain discrepancies compared with arthroscopy suggest that MRI should be
interpreted with caution in equivocal cases.

Background: The lack of comprehensive cancer registries and underreporting of cases may further complicate efforts
to assess disease patterns and implement effective control measures.
Objectives: This study aims to analyze cancer trends in Al-Najaf Governorate, Iraq from 2020 to 2023, addressing gaps
in local data and providing insights that could inform future healthcare strategies and resource allocations.
Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the Middle Euphrates Oncology Center
and the Statistics Department for Cancer Research at Al-Najaf General Health Directorate. The study included children
younger than 18 with histologically and hematologically veried cancer from January 2020 to December 2023.
Results: 417 pediatric cancer cases were documented from 2020 to 2023. A higher portion of these cases (158 cases)
was documented in 2022, followed by 2023 (103 cases), 2021 (85 cases), and 2020 (71 cases). Bone cancer was the most
common, particularly in 2020, 2021, and 2022, with brain cancers surpassing bone cancers in 2023. Lymphoma and blood
cancers were consistently among the top three, with blood cancers peaking in 2022 (34 cases) before declining in 2023
(14 cases). The age distribution showed that most cases occurred in children older than 10 years (54%), followed by 5-10
years (27.1%) and those under 5 years (18.9%). Cancer prevalence varied by sex, with bone, blood, and brain cancers
being more common in males, while thyroid, ovarian, and kidney cancers were more frequent in females. The study
highlights geographic, temporal, and sex-specic differences in pediatric cancer incidence.
Conclusion: Higher cancer cases were documented across Al-Najaf within 4 years. The highest number of cases was
documented in 2022. The Center district of Al-Najaf consistently reported the highest number of cancer cases across
all years. Bone ca

Background: Acne scars represent a signicant dermatological concern, manifesting as marks and indentations on the
skin surface following severe or prolonged acne. Both Plasma-Jet and Stromal Vascular Fraction (SVF) have been used
in a synergistic approach to treat moderate to very severe types of acne scars.
Objectives: The aim of this study is to evaluate the efcacy and safety of combining SVF and Plasma-Jet in the
management of acne scars.
Materials and Methods: This prospective single-arm clinical trial was conducted from September 2024 to September
2025 at Rizgary Teaching Hospital and Zheen International Hospital in Erbil, Iraq. Twenty patients aged 20–45 with
moderate to very severe facial acne scars were treated with SVF and Plasma-Jet. The scar severity, improvement, and
satisfaction were the outcomes of the study.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 31.4 years (SD: 6.52, range: 20–45 years), predominantly male (80%). Most
scars were bilateral cheek lesions (90%), classied as type II (55%), III (20%), or IV (25%), with moderate severity
being the most common (55%). The baseline mean Goodman and Baron score was 16.1, signicantly reduced to 8.05
post-treatment (p < 0.0001). Patient satisfaction was high, with 85% satised (50% very satised, 25% satised, and 10%
satised but wanting more sessions), while 15% were not satised. All patients showed improvement: 50% signicant,
35% moderate, and 15% mild. Improvement was consistent across age, gender, Fitzpatrick skin type, and initial severity
(p > 0.05 for all), indicating the treatment’s effectiveness regardless of demographic or clinical factors. The combination
therapy demonstrates promising results for diverse acne scar types and severities.
Conclusion: Combined SVF and plasma-Jet treatment signicantly improves acne scars, with high patient satisfaction
and consistent results across age, gender, skin type, and severity, demonstrating safe and effective outcomes for diverse
scar types.

Background: Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) in children imposes a signicant caregiving burden on parents,
affecting their psychological and social well-being. Understanding this burden and its associated factors is crucial for
improving family-cantered diabetes care.
Objectives: This study aimed to assess the level of caregiver burden among parents of children with type 1 diabetes
mellitus (T1DM) and explore its association with sociodemographic, clinical, and management-related factors.
Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted at Dr. Jamal Ahmad Rashid Pediatric Teaching Hospital
in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, between November 2024 and February 2025. A total of 160 parents of children with T1DM
were recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, including the Zarit
Burden Interview (ZBI), and analyzed using descriptive statistics, as well as Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests, with a
signicance level of p < 0.05.
Results: The mean ZBI score was 42.51 ± 14.47 (range: 5–83). Most caregivers experienced mild-to-moderate (41.9%)
or moderate-to-severe (38.8%) burden, while 13.1% reported severe burden. Burden levels were signicantly associated
with caregiver education (P-value 0.001), employment (P-value 0.034), economic status (P-value < 0.0001), child age (Pvalue 0.003), disease duration (P-value 0.003), and insulin administration responsibility (P-value 0.005).
Conclusion: Caregivers of children with T1DM experience a considerable burden in uenced by socioeconomic, educational, and disease-related factors. Targeted psychosocial support, structured diabetes education, and community-based
interventions are essential to reduce caregiver stress and enhance family well-being.

Background: Cancer patients often undergo complicated treatment plans that involve numerous medications throughout therapy. Pharmacists’ knowledge about the potential drug interactions in cancer patients and their practices is
essential to reduce avoidable drug-related problems and increase the efcacy and compliance of chemotherapy. A
validated knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) questionnaire regarding pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes, and
practices related to potential drug interactions among cancer patients isn’t available.
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to develop a reliable and valid questionnaire to assess pharmacists’
knowledge of possible medication interactions with cancer patients.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among pharmacists working in oncology departments in the Babylon Governorate. After 100 individuals nished the questionnaire, 50 of them retook it two weeks
later. Using Cronbach’s α and interclass correlation coefcients, respectively, internal and test-retest reliability were
evaluated. Exploratory factor analysis was used to evaluate construct validity.
Results: The questionnaire was completed by 100 individuals, with a mean age of 28.32 ± 2.59 years, and 77% of them
were female. The Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice parts, and the overall questionnaire, have Cronbach’s α values of
0.719, 0.782, 0.803, and 0.795, respectively. According to the interclass correlation coefcient, the test-retest reliability
results for knowledge, attitudes, and practices were 0.816, 0.783, and 0.839, respectively. Seven factors involving (30)
items were obtained in the exploratory factor analysis, with a cumulative initial eigenvalue contribution rate of 71.39%.
Conclusion: The questionnaire’s criteria for assessing pharmacists’ knowledge of possible medication interactions with
cancer patients were effective.

Background: Due to the increasing presence of antibiotic resistance genes, treatment options for clinical infections are
becoming increasingly limited.
Objectives: This study aimed to synthesize, optimize, characterize, and evaluate the bioactivity of biogenic silver
nanoparticles (Ag bioNPs) against a clinical isolate of E.faecalis.
Materials and Methods: The formation of silver nanoparticles was conrmed under optimized conditions, with a
UV-Vis absorption peak at 419 nm, and their crystal structures were veried by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Fourier transform
infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis demonstrated the interaction of protein molecules with the nanoparticles, and
transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed monodisperse spherical silver nanoparticles with sizes ranging from
2 to 7.5 nm.
Results: The bacteria were capable of forming biolms, with 37 samples exhibiting weak biolm formation, 3 samples
exhibiting moderate biolm formation, and 10 samples exhibiting strong biolm formation. However, adding 12.5 µg/ml
of silver nanoparticles reduced bacterial growth and biolm formation. Furthermore, increasing silver nanoparticles
(AgNPs) dilution had an inhibitory effect on biolm formation against E.faecalis samples.
Conclusion: This study concluded that naturally made silver nanoparticles could be a cheap, environmentally friendly,
and strong alternative to traditional methods for ghting infections, especially those caused by hard-to-treat germs like
E.faecalis.

Background: Low women’s awareness of their health during the menopausal period is creating a global hidden
problem that affects women’s quality of life and their related families and communities.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to nd changes in the menopausal age after wartime con ict and assess women’s
knowledge of their health during this critical period. A mixed-method design was adopted. A mixed approach of a
multistage cross-sectional study with a sample of 382 women aged ≥ 60 years attending primary health care centers
in Mosul, Iraq, was included, supported by private in-depth qualitative interviews with 14 women. Proper statistical
analysis was conducted. The ndings show the mean menopause age among participants was 48.28 ± 5.33 years; early
and late menopause were detected in 6.3% and 29.3%, respectively. The analysis of the age of menopause dependent
variable by different independent variables using multiple linear regression shows a signicant decrease in the age of
menopause among those nulliparous or single women, smokers, subject to stress, and living in middle or low economic
status, p-value is < 0.05. Higher parity, higher education, and rural or suburban residence signicantly increase the
age of menopause among women in a variable range. The majority of women (75.1%) possessed poor knowledge
about how to manage their symptoms during menopause, which was simultaneously consolidated by their qualitative
expressions. The study indicates that a higher percentage of women experiencing menopause at an unusual age could
be a post-con ict effect. This, accompanied by gab of knowledge regarding how to alleviate menopausal symptoms,
indicates serious health deterioration which calls for community-based educational programs directed at community
strata involved, including health policymakers.

HbA1c, C-Peptide, and Other Biochemical
Indicators in the Management of Type 1
Diabetes Mellitus: A Review

This review discusses denitions, complications, etiologies, diagnoses, and management of ankyloglossia. Ankyloglossia is dened as a developmental anomaly of the tongue, which occurs when the lingual frenulum attachment is
too tight to the tongue. Several protocols exist for the diagnosis of this condition, including that proposed by Hazelbaker,
who assessed tongue movements (seven different movements) and ve appearance characteristics (Hazelbaker Assessment Tool for Lingual Frenulum Function), as well as Kotlow’s classication method, which categorizes the severity
of ankyloglossia through the attachment of the lingual frenulum to the tongue. In addition, scenarios suggested for
case management are related to the severity of the condition, which begin with a “wait and see” approach as a rst-line
treatment for management and subsequent surgical intervention scenarios.

Background: The chronic in ammatory bowel illness known as ulcerative colitis (UC) is characterized by dysregulated
mucosal immunity. There is much more to learn about the relationship between interleukin-17 (IL-17), a key mediator
in the Th17 pathway, and systemic in ammatory and metabolic indicators.
Objectives: To examine the relationship between in ammatory (CRP), metabolic (FBS, HbA1c), and micronutrient
(zinc) indicators and blood levels of IL-17 in individuals with UC, while excluding those with diabetes, autoimmune,
hepatic, or renal disorders.
Methods: In a case-control research, 90 participants were matched for age, sex, and BMI: 45 UC patients and 45
healthy controls. Measurements were made of zinc, HbA1c, FBS, CRP, and serum IL-17. Using Pearson correlation and
independent t-tests, the data were examined.
Results: IL-17 levels in UC patients were substantially greater than those in controls (63.85 ± 6.53 vs. 28.38 ± 4.94
pg/mL, p = 0.01). Moreover, CRP was signicantly higher (31.29 ± 5.42 vs. 2.64 ± 0.28 mg/L, p = 0.01). IL-17 and CRP
showed a high positive association in the UC group (r = 0.804, p < 0.01). On the other hand, zinc levels in UC patients
were considerably lower (55.82 ± 3.32 vs. 89.18 ± 5.36 µg/dL, p = 0.001). The groups’ FBS and HbA1c levels did not vary
signicantly from one another.
Conclusion: Increased systemic release of IL-17 along with its robust positive association with CRP suggest a key
role of IL-17 in active systemic and mucosal in ammation in UC, whereas low levels of zinc contribute to exaggerated
Th17 responses. Importantly, these ndings were robust even after excluding the patients who were both autoimmune
positive and who had metabolic and systemic autoimmune comorbidities which also increased the reliability of these
ndings. In UC, zinc status in relation to IL-17 may be a focus for diagnosis and treatment.

Background: Weight disorders, including obesity and overweight, are major global public health concerns, particularly in developing countries where underweight and obesity coexist. These conditions lead to serious health problems
like diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and cancer. University years are critical for forming lifelong health habits, yet
data on obesity prevalence and student awareness remain limited.
Aim: To assess the prevalence of overweight and obesity among university students and evaluate their awareness of
these conditions and related health risks.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 756 students selected from eight colleges at Sulaimani
University, using a stratied random sampling method. Data were collected through direct interviews, anthropometric
measurements (weight, height, waist, and hip), and a structured questionnaire assessing socio-demographic factors, dietary habits, and knowledge about obesity. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 25, with signicance
set at p < 0.05.
Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 27.5% and 8.6%, respectively. BMI was signicantly associated
with age, gender, marital status, college, father’s education, and family history of obesity (p < 0.05). Poor dietary habits,
such as large fast-food portions and low fruit consumption, were also linked to higher BMI. Over half of the students
(54.8%) demonstrated good knowledge about obesity, which was signicantly associated with healthier BMI categories
(p = 0.003).
Conclusions: Over one-third of students were overweight or obese, with BMI signicantly linked to demographic
and familial factors. Despite adequate knowledge among many students, overweight and obesity remained prevalent,
indicating that awareness alone is insufcient. Comprehensive interventions addressing lifestyle and environmental
factors are required.

Regenerative medicine is a very active topic in medicine. Regenerative medicine is entails the utilization of cells
available in our body called stem cells in reaching to the root causes of the diseases rather than treatment of the
symptoms of the disease. The advantage of using one’s own body cells is to prevent not to consider the stem cells
as a heterograft, which are rejected by the immune system of the body. The pericytes possess all the features to be
nominated as the main cells in our body to be utilized as stem cells. The pericytes have been considered pleuripotential
stem cells due to their ability to differentiate into many types of cells which are of mesenchymal origin. Thus, pericytes
have a therapeutic target to cure many pathological conditions, or at least, diminish the severity of diseases. They have
been clinically practiced in conditions like dental caries, periodontitis, dental implantology, wound healing, diabetic
retinopathy, coronary heart disease, and liver cirrhosis. In the next thirty to fourty years the world will see the eruption
of the dawn of a new era in medicine, utilizing the fascinating multidisciplinary functions pericyte as potent cells in
regenerative medicine.