The Medical Journal of Basrah University

Objectives: This study was conducted on 152 mother-child pairs; to look for the relationship of maternal nutritional
status and iron status with that of their children.
Methods: Anthropometric data were obtained for mothers and their children and applied to appropriate charts to
estimate weight for length Z score, weight for age Z score and height for age Z score for children, and body mass
index was estimated for each mother. Hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, serum iron, total iron binding capacity
and transferrin saturation percentage were measured for 75 mother-child pairs.
Results: Concerning children; 30 (19.8%) have moderate and severe wasting, 44 (28.9%) have moderate and severe
underweight and 28 (18.4%) were with moderate and severe stunting. Nine mothers (6%) were with underweight
and protein-calorie malnutrition (body mass index ≤ 19 kg/m 2), while 62 (40.7%) were obese. There was a significant
negative association between the age of the child and his/her hemoglobin level, mean corpuscular volume (P-value
<0.05), serum iron and transferrin saturation percentage (P-value <0.01). The study has revealed also that there was
a significant positive association between the hematological parameters of children with the hematological
parameters of their mothers, P value <0.01.
Conclusion: The study didn’t reveal a significant association between the mothers' and the children's nutritional
status parameters. However, there was a highly significant association between the mothers' and the children's
hematological parameters.

Background: Abnormal blood lipid profiles have been associated with many malignant diseases especially in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia on L-asparaginase therapy Objective: To investigate the frequency and clinical significance of altered lipid profiles in children with Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) on L-asparaginase therapy Patients and Methods: A prospective study was carried out between February 2008 till January 2009 on a total of 50 patients with recently diagnosed and non-treated acute lymphoblastic leukemia who were admitted to pediatric oncology unit at Basrah Maternity and Children hospital. Fasting blood for lipid profiles [cholesterol (CH), Triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein(LDL), very low density Lipoprotein (VLDL)] were obtained from 30 children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia at diagnosis, during induction therapy with L-Asparaginase and after induction without L-Asparaginase, their ages range between (1-15) years and 20 patients were excluded because of incomplete information (non compliance). Results: Thirty patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) were studied, 20(66.7%) males and 10(33.3%) females. An altered lipid profile was observed during therapy with L-asparaginase especially (CH,TG), the means (222.3±62.9 mg/dl, 223.1±88.31 mg/dl) respectively were higher than the level before the initiation of therapy (158±36 mg/dl, 119.4±57.3mg/dl) and after induction (139.8±61.5 mg/dl, 96.2±30.7 mg/dl) and these were statistically highly significant (P-value <0.001) while no significant changes regarding other types of lipid profile. This study showed no significant changes of lipid profiles in relation to morphological type, risk of leukemia, sex, age and body mass index (BMI), before, during and after therapy with L-Asparaginase. Conclusion: Hyperlipidemia especially cholesterol and triglyceride levels were significantly higher during treatment with L -Asparaginse and were reversible after drug discontinuation but showed no significant correlation with age, BMI, risk group and morphological types.

Objective: To assess the seroprevalence of antibodies to occupational brucellosis among risky humans who are in
contact with domestic animals.
Methods: Seroprevalence for occupational brucellosis was done on 33 sera for humans (20 veterinary doctors, 5
veterinary assistants and 8 butchers) and 235 sera for domestic animals (102 sheep, 50 goats and 83 cattle)
brought to Basrah slaughter house. Sera were examined by using slide and tube agglutination methods for the
presence of antibodies to brucellosis.
Results: The overall seropositive for brucellosis was 21.2% among high risky humans in Basrah Province, Iraq.
The prevalence rates among veterinary doctors, veterinary assistants and butchers were 15%, 60% and 12.5%
respectively. In this study, the overall seroprevalence among domestic animals was 23.4%. However, the positive
rate among sheep, goats and cattle was 39.2%, 6%, and 14.5% respectively.
Conclusion: Occupational brucellosis remains a major public health problem and one of the zoonotic disease for
human beings during their work.

Background Post traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by the emergence of core symptoms of
the disorder after exposure to an extreme traumatic experience. Traumatic events that may cause Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder includes violent assault, kidnapping, sexual assault, torture, being a hostage, prisoner of war,
experiencing a disaster, violent automobile accidents or getting a life threatening illness.
Methodology A cross-sectional study was carried out to estimate the prevalence of trauma and probable Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder among the students of Basrah Medical College in 2007. A sample of 60 students was
selected randomly from each class.
A special questionnaire form was developed for the purpose of the study, containing the self – rating inventory for
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Results The results of the present study showed that 238 (66.1%) students had reported being exposed to traumatic
event during their life. The percentage of females who were exposed to trauma was slightly higher than that of males
(67.8% vs 64.4%). Out of the total studied students, 211 (58.6%) students fulfilled the symptom criteria for Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder, thus assessed as probable Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Background: Cryptorchidism is the most common genital problem encountered in pediatrics, it was first described by Hunter in 1786 and despite more than 100 years of research the anomaly is still not well defined and controversial. Objective: To determine the incidence of undescende testes in pupils of age group between 6-15 years in close Arab society, in Libya. Setting: Eleven primary schools in the city and outpatient department in Ibn Senaa University Hospital, Sirte, Libya. Methods: Between March and April 2001 a cross-sectional study involving 7301 male pupils of age group between 6-15 years were screened for presence of undescended testes. Permission was sought from school principles. The pupils were belong to close tribal society with two major clans, the marriage is usually and exclusively within the clan and the people claimed descent from common ancestor. Pupils were placed in frog leg position for examination and the testes milked down to the scrotum to eliminate the possibility of retractile testes. The positive cases were informed to report to the outpatient department for treatment. Results: From the 7301 pupils screened, 172 were found to have undescended testes accounting for about 2.3%. The unilateralism form the majority of the positive cases with only slight deference between left and right. Cases of bilateralism were small in number. The percentage of the positive cases in each school ranging between 0.92% to 3.2%. Small number of positive cases associated with hernias and retractile testes in the sound side or hernias in the affected side, in less than one third of the positive cases the undescended testes were located in the inguinal canal and the majority of them were not palpable. Conclusion: Figures obtained from our study compared with other different studies in fostering the hypothesis of gradual increase in incidence of the cryptorchidism during the past decades. The prevalence of the cryptorchidism is variable specially in close and related society like that of our study.

ABSTRACT Objective: To determine the prevalence of polycystic ovaries in women of reproductive age by using ultrasound and to assess the biochemical indicies in these women. Setting: This study was carried out in Basrah Maternity and Children Hospital for the period between 1st of January to 30th of September 2008. Methods: The prevalence of polycystic ovaries in gynaecological population of 617 women of reproductive age was determined by pelvic ultrasonography. The women included were any women attending the outpatient department and referred by gynaecologist to do an ultrasonic examination for any cause other than pregnancy. Ovarian volume was calculated in all women. Serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone & prolactin were measured in 42 women (55%) in group A, 10 (34%) in group B & 50 women (8%) in group C. Results: The ovarian ultrasonic appearance of 105 (17%) women met the morphological criteria of polycystic ovaries of which 88 women (14.3%) had bilateral polycystic ovaries and 17(2.7%) had unilateral polycystic ovaries; of these women, 76(72.4%) has irregular cycles (group A) and 29(27.6%) had normal cycles (group B). The remaining women with normal ovarian morphology constituted (group C). Group A shows lower mean age & lower parity than group B & C. Mean ovarian volume was statistically higher in both group A (14.3±0.8ml) & B (12.8±1.7) than in group C (6.3±0.2ml) & there is no significant difference in the number of peripheral cysts between groups A&B. Mean LH/FSH. ratio, serum testosterone & serum prolactin values were statistically higher in group A only. Obesity is more common in group A.

This is a case-control comparative study carried out in Al-Basrah maternity & child hospital to estimate the frequency of macrosomic newborns among all deliveries conducted in the study period (November 2008-September 2009) to identify demographic, medical and obstetrical risk factors that carry risk of macrosomia as well as to assess labor and neonatal outcome. All gravid women who delivered macrosomic newborns during the study period were included who constitute 208 cases. This case group was compared to 250 gravid women who were selected among those who delivered newborns with birth weight of 3.000gms and more and less than 4.000 gms as control group. Macrosomic newborns constitute 1.4% of all deliveries. Advanced maternal age, high parity and obesity were the main demographic risk factors. Other factors which carry risk for macrosomia include previous macrosomic infant, prolonged gestation, maternal D.M and hypertension and male sex of newborn. Macrosomic newborns were delivered more likely by cesarean section which was indicated commonly for cephalo-pelvic disproportion. Those who delivered macrosomic newborns had significantly higher obstetrical complications in term of meconium stained liquor, prolonged labor, postpartum hemorrhage and genital tract injury. Adverse neonatal outcome was reported among macrosomic newborns with significantly higher rate of stillbirth, shoulder dystocia and low apgar score.
In conclusion; macrosomia still represent a significant problem with increased maternal morbidity, neonatal morbidity and mortality.

ABSTRACT Background: The smoking epidemic is a matter of worldwide concern. It is notable that, the younger the age at which smoking is initiated, the greater is the chance of becoming a heavy smoker, and suffering from cigarette- related diseases. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence and determinants of smoking among university students in Basrah. Subjects and methods: For the period from the 1st of November 2008 to 30th of April 2009, 1650 students (mean age 21.6± 3.1 years) from four colleges in Basrah University participated in the study. The students filled in an anonymous questionnaire detailing their sociodemographic characteristics and smoking behavior. Results: Of the total participants; 51.2% were females. The prevalence of current smoking was 23.2%; (42.1% among males versus 5.1% among females). The smoking behavior of friends was the most powerful factor of smoking initiation. Smoking was associated with male gender, urban residence, family history of smoking, low educational level of father, and high economic level. Conclusion: Cigarette smoking is prevalent among university students in Basrah. There is a need to implement public health interventions, with special attention to the determinants of smoking in this age group.