ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The aim: The purpose of this study is to find out the association between procalcitonin and hepcidin in patients with COVID-19, in addition to their role as diagnostic markers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: A total of 75 patients infected with coronavirus were included in the current study, their age is ranging between 20 to 78 years. Those patients was hospitalized in Al-Sadr Teaching Hospital in Najaf, in Iraq. This study also included 50 healthy subjects which are volunteers and considered as a (control group). Biomarker (procalcitonin and hepcidin) measurements were achieved by electrochemiluminescent immunoassay (ECLIA) in the Elecsys immunoassay system. RESULTS: Results: The present study showed a significant increase the serum cencentration of hepcidin and procalcitonin in patients with COVID-19 as compared tohealthy subjects. There was a highly significant increasing(p < 0.01) in hepcidin and PCT level in patients with severe infection comparing to other catgaries.The current study also revealed that the sensitivity values of the markers were: 0.88%, 0.85 for procalcitonin and hepcidin respectively, which indicate high diagnostic power. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Serum levels of hepcidin and procalcitonin are increased as inflammatory markers in COVID-19 patients with relatively high sensitivity. It seems that these imflammatory markers obviously elevate in the severe cases COVID-19dusease.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Hepcidins , Procalcitonin , Adult , Aged , Humans , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Biomarkers/blood , COVID-19/blood , COVID-19/diagnosis , COVID-19 Testing , Hepcidins/blood , Iraq , Procalcitonin/bloodABSTRACT
Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, Cryptosporidium, and Blastocystis are some parasites primarily responsible for human infections. Giardia lamblia, also known as Giardia intestinalis or Giardia duodenalis, is a common pathogenic protozoan found in the human duodenum and jejunum that causes giardiasis. This study collected stool and blood samples from patients with diarrhea aged less than 1 month to 15 years, from September 2020 to December 2020, in Thi-Qar province. Our study aimed to reveal the diagnosis of Giardia lamblia using direct microscopy examination and detect some immunological parameters such as IL-17 and IL-35 in patients infected with giardiasis.
Subject(s)
Cryptosporidiosis , Cryptosporidium , Giardia lamblia , Giardiasis , Humans , Giardiasis/diagnosis , Giardiasis/parasitology , Interleukin-17 , Iraq/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Hypothyroidism is the most common long-term consequence after total thyroidectomy. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the lipid profile and liver function in patients after hypothyroidism. Sixty patients who underwent a surgical operation to remove thyroid were included in this study, and thirty healthy subjects were used as a control. The study was conducted at Al-Sadr Medical City in Al-Najaf city, in Iraq, from October 2020 to March 2021. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) was very high in patients at a hypothyroid stage after hypothyroidism. The results showed a significant increase in total cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and the ratio of total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein (HDL). The study also revealed a significant increase in the liver enzymes aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) and a significant decrease in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in patients with thyroidectomy compared to the control group. The correlation matrix revealed a strong positive correlation between TSH levels and total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, AST, ALT, and ALP. It was concluded that hypothyroidism, the major consequence of thyroidectomy, causes dysfunction in lipid metabolism and liver enzymes resulting in secondary hyperlipidemia and liver dysfunction.
