The Medical Journal of Basrah University

ABSTRACT
The data of this study of cleft lip & Palate are related to a sample of 638 patients who were born with this deformity and
were referred to the plastic unit between1994-2003. These patients were evaluated in respect to age at presentation,
family history, and type of deformity, sex ratio, laterality and clinical severity. All patients were operated on then followed
up for a period of 5 months to 2.5 years. The results of the analysis of the data show that there is steady increase in the
number of referred cases each year. The bulk of the orofacial defect is the isolated cleft lip, which account for 44.4% of
the cases with male predominance except in cleft palate. Left sided cleft with or with out palate was found to be as twice
common as right side cleft lip. The unilateral cleft is three times as bilateral; while in cleft lip and palate it's twice as
common. The increase in the number of referred cases may reflect the increase in the birth rate and also increase in the
number of cases due to increase environmental pollution.

ABSTRACT
In this study, aimed to evaluate changes in utero-placental circulation in normal as well as abnormal pregnancies, 25
women with first trimester threatened abortion with a living embryo, 5 women with anembryonic pregnancy (Blighted
ovum), in addition to 30 women with normal pregnancies were included. In all women, trans-abdominal colour Doppler
ultrasound study was performed including measurement of systolic / diastolic (S/D) ratio, resistance index (RI) and
pulsatility index (PI) of uterine arteries. Women with threatened abortion showed significantly lower RI (P<0.05)
compared to those with normal pregnancies, and significantly lower S/D ratio (P<0.01) and RI index (P<0.01) than
women with anembryonic pregnancy. Patients with anembryonic pregnancy showed significantly higher S/D ratio
(P<0.01) and RI index (P<0.05) in comparison to those with normal pregnancies. We conclude that first trimester
threatened abortion and anembryonic pregnancy are associated with marked changes in uteroplacental circulation.
Further studies are needed to clarify whether those alterations are the cause or the result of these conditions.

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Bladder cancer is one of the commonest malignancies in Iraq and especially in Basrah province. This retrospective study
was conducted to outline some of the clinicopathological aspects (namely sex, age, presenting symptom, site, type,
grade, stage and bilharzial ova association) of bladder cancer in our locality. The study was done on 442 cases collected
from different histopathological laboratories from 1989-1998. Males were more affected than females in a ratio of 2:1.
The commonest age group was the seventh decade of life in males and sixth decade of life in females. Haematuria was
the commonest presenting symptom (70.7%). Transitional cell carcinoma was the commonest histopathological type
(65.4%) followed by squamous cell carcinoma (27.6%) in both sexes. Bilharzial ova were seen in 5.7% of cases. The
study also showed a defect in both clinical and histopathological reports.

Abstract

ABSTRACT
This is a cross sectional record based study that included all registered cancer cases in Basrah Oncology Center for 6
years period (1997-2002). The number of deaths due to cancer and the total population of Basrah for these years were
obtained from Basrah Health Office, and Central Statistical Bureau, respectively. The study showed that the incidence of
cancer in Basrah steadily increased in the years (1997-2002). It increased from 17.9/100,000 population in 1997 to 25.4/
100,000 population in 2002. The increase in the incidence was more marked for males where the incidence increased
from 13.4/100,000 in 1997 to 24.5 /100,000 in 2002.Despite this increase the incidence and mortality rates of cancer in
Basrah were less than that reported in Western societies by more than 10 times. These rates were also less than that
registered in Baghdad or Nineveh. The rates in Western Basrah were less than that in the center or the East of the city.
This may reduce the significance of the carcinogenic effect of industrial pollution or the use of depleted uranium in this
part of Basrah. The deficient screening programs and recording system for cancer can be explanations for the low
incidence of cancer in Basrah.

ABSTRACT
Electrocardiographic (ECG) criteria for left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy have been almost exclusively elaborated and
calibrated in general population. Because several differences in ECG characteristics have been found in athletes, the
applicability of these criteria to athletes individuals remains to be demonstrated. We therefore investigated the
performance of classic ECG criteria (Sokolow-Lyon voltage criterion) for detection of LV hypertrophy in professional
athletes. We compared ECG patterns with cardiac morphology (as assessed by echocardiography) in 90 athletes (aged
23.4+4.3 years). we found that, the value of Sokolow-Lyon voltage criterion in athletes ranged from 18 to 53 mm (mean,
34.7+8 mm), and about 56% of them had Left ventricular hypertrophy according to this criterion. The sensitivity of ECG
to detect correctly the presence of ventricular hypertrophy in athletes is low (63.6%) which means that the ECG missed
36.4% of cases of left ventricular hypertrophy. On the other hand, the ECG ability to exclude ventricular hypertrophy
among athletes without such condition (specificity) was very low (50.9%). So that, caution should be taken when using
ECG voltage criteria for LV hypertrophy detection in athletes because they exhibit only limited accuracy (generally due to
poor sensitivity and specificity).

Abstract

ABSTRACT
This paper reports the results of a survey carried out in 27 primary schools covering 1580 children randomly drawn from
these schools. The aim was to determine the prevalence rate of dental carries among these children. On the basis of
examination, children were classified into those with dental carries (regardless of the number of teeth involved) and
those without dental caries. The prevalence rate was 41.2% with significantly higher rate among boys (44.9%) as
compared to girls (37.6%). The prevalence rate tended to decrease with increasing age and was much related to the lack
of dental hygiene as indicated by the habit of tooth brushing.

ABSTRACT
A seroepidemiologic survey of Crimean-congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) was carried out on rural community of
Basrah, southern Iraq from November 1st 1996 through June 1st 1997. A total of 682 serum samples were obtained from
apparently healthy individuals with their age range from 5 to 76 years and nearly 20% of these sera were obtained from
occupational risk group (veterinarian, abattoir workers, and farmers). Serum samples from domestic animals were
collected from areas where CCHF cases were recognized. A total of 74 sheeps and 48 cattle sera were collected parallel
to the collection of 42 tick’s pools from these animals. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for the
detection of antibody against CCHF virus in human and animal sera. The prevalence of IgG antibody to CCHF in
residents of rural community of Basrah was 4.3% indicating that CCHF virus is circulating below the endemic level.
Seropositivity to CCHF in northern Basrah inhabitants was 9.7% while seropositivity in animals was observed in 20% of
sheeps and 37% of cattles in this area. Ticks identification revealed that 100% of the identified ticks from northern
Basrah were adult ticks of Hyaloma marginatum. The ecologic and economic characteristics of the area are the major
variables that assisting the existence of enzootic focus for CCHF virus in northern Basrah.

Abstract

ABSTRACT
The intima media thickness (IMT) of the extra cranial carotid arteries (ECA) measured by 2 Dimentional ultrasound is a
valid estimate of carotid and coronary atherosclerosis and reflects the extent and severity of clinical coronary heart
disease (CHD). The value of the IMT of the ECAs was assessed in relation to clinical cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and
to risk factors (RFs) of CVD including age, male gender cigarette smoking hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), obesity
and total serum cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio (TSC/HDL C) value>5 in patients who had at least one RF for CHD,
using 10 MHz probe. The total of 1170 patients were studied they were divided into four groups according to the value of
the IMT of their ECAs Group (1) had an IMT of 0.79 mm or less, it contained 300 patients (25.64%), group (2) had a
value of 0.8-0.99 mm and included 262 (24.1%) patients, group no (3) had an IMT of 1-1.29 mm and is comprised of 390
patients (33.33%) and group (4) had IMT of 1.3mm and over and were 199 patients (16.92%). Collected data in group 1
to group 4 in sequence were: mean age of 45.22, 55.26 55.1 and 67.9 years, male gender 31%, 51%, 51%and 53.03%
,smoking rate 16%, 28%, 31.5% and 39.39%. DM in 16%, 21.2%, 28.46% and 37.87%, hypertension in 55%, 58.5%,
66.92% and 74.24%, myocardial infarction (MI) was detected in 66 (22%), 66 (22%), 123(31.15%) and 81(40.9%)
patients in these four groups consecutively, angina pectoris (AP) in 81(17%), 51(18%), 84(21.5%) and 27(13.63%)
patients, stroke in 18(6%), 18(6.3%), 26(6.92%) and 27(13.63%), cardiomegaly (CMG) in (3%), 18(6.3%), 36(9%) and
36(18.18%), congestive cardiac failure (CCF) in 6(2%), 12(4.2%), 9(2.3%) and l2(10.60%). Risk factors particularly
advancement in age, DM, hypertension (numerically the most prevalent), smoking, TSC/HDL C ratio but not BMI were
markedly increased in the group of the highest IMT. Conclusion: IMT of the ECAs is shown to be the function of the RF s
studied all together and of each one independently, hypertension was the most prevailing RF, The rate of MI, AP, strokes
CMG and CCF were related to the IMT level 2D U/S of the ECAs should become more popular in considerations related
to assessment of RF of CVD and in the follow up of prevention protocols.

ABSTRACT
In this cross-sectional study 344 patients with symptoms or signs suggestive of ischaemic heart disease were admitted
to the coronary care unit in Al-sadder General Hospital in Al-Ammara city from August2000 to May 2001. The most
frequent complaint was chest pain (77.6% of patients admitted). Out of the 344) patients admitted, 306 patients (89%)
were found to have abnormal ECG changes of different, varieties and the remaining 38(11%) were found to have normal
ECG. The aim of the study was to shed light on the incidence and nature of ischemic heart disease among patients
admitted from emergency department to the coronary care unit with particular concentration in the risk factors associated
with the disease.

ABSTRACT
Host-Trichomonas vaginalis relationship was investigated by establishing an infected laboratory mouse model by a local
strain. BALB/c mice were inoculated S/C (5 mice) and I/P (5 mice) with a medium containing Trichomonas vaginalis. At
the same time, another mice were inoculated S/C (5 mice) and I/P (5 mice) with a medium only to serve as a control
groups. There were ascites and multiple abscesses on the visceral organs during post-mortem of mice injected
intraperitoneally (I/P). There was a localized abscess at the site of subcutaneous (S/C) injection of T. vaginalis. The
histopathological changes of the internal organs and skin were studied and reported for the infected and control mice
.Conclusion: There were pathological changes in mice infected with T.vaginalis local strain. Such animal model is useful
for pathological, biochemical and therapeutic investigations.

Abstract

ABSTRACT
In this study, the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia among people in Missan province was assessed through the
analysis of total serum cholesterol level of patients tested for this metabolic disorder during the years 1998, 1999, 2000,
and 2001. Out of 5870 patients investigated for hypercholesterolemia, 764(13%) were found to have abnormally high
total serum cholesterol.

Abstract

Overview & objectives
Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease that causes millions of deaths, infects one third of the world
population and profoundly damages households and country economies. It is a major health and
social challenge. Iraq is one among eastern Mediterranean countries with moderate to high burden
of tuberculosis