Background: The previous studies refer to Helicobacter pylori infection, which has a wide distribution, affecting about 50 and 90% of people worldwide, to cause inflamed, ulcers, and cancers of the gastric mucosa, and may be related to their transfer via the blood circulation from the gut into the liver.Objective: Therefore, the current study sought to discover the relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and some biochemical parameters, such as liver enzyme activity and lipid profile, as indicators of liver stress and metabolic disturbance. Methods: This study was conducted on 24 participants, aged 30 to 60 years, of both sexes. The participants were divided into two equal groups (n=12). Group 1 (G) consisted of healthy individuals not infected with Helicobacter pylori, while Group 2 (GG) consisted of patients infected with Helicobacter pylori who exhibited symptoms such as loss of appetite, vomiting, abdominal pain, and heartburn. We work on laboratory analysis of liver function tests and blood lipid profile tests to compare the infected and healthy groups, all these after ensuring that participants are of a similar weight and avoiding obese individuals who may affect the results.Results: Statistical analysis showed a highly significant increase (p<0.001) in the activity of liver enzymes in the H. pylori group (GG) compared to the healthy control group. Furthermore, an increase in the significance of lipid profile, e.g., triglyceride, total cholesterol, and LDL parameters of the infected group compared to the control group. All these indicate to found relation between bacterial infection and liver dysfunction and dyslipidemia associated with this condition. Conclusion: Referenced our study results for the Helicobacter pylori group, which exhibited raised levels of liver enzymes (ALT, AST, ALP) and blood lipid profiles, although bacteria colonize in the gastric mucosa, confirming that the pathological effects of H. pylori extend beyond local gastric lesions to include the stimulation of systemic inflammation.

Background: Otitis media and rhinosinusitis are common inflammatory disorders of the upper airway that frequently coexist due to shared anatomical and immunological pathways. Increasing evidence supports the concept of a unified airway, suggesting that inflammation of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses may extend to the middle ear.  Objective: To evaluate systemic inflammatory markers in patients with combined otitis media and rhinosinusitis and compare them with healthy controls. Methods: This hospital-based case–control study was conducted at the Department of Otolaryngology, Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq, between March 1, 2025, and December 30, 2026. A total of 140 participants were enrolled, including 70 patients diagnosed with combined otitis media and rhinosinusitis and 70 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Clinical diagnosis was confirmed through otoscopic examination, nasal endoscopy, and radiological assessment when indicated. Venous blood samples were collected to measure systemic inflammatory markers including white blood cell count (WBC), neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet count, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and hemoglobin levels. Results: No significant differences were observed between groups regarding age or sex distribution (p>0.05). Patients with combined OM and RS demonstrated significantly elevated WBC (9.80±2.10 vs. 6.70±1.50 ×10⁹/L), neutrophil count (6.50±1.90 vs. 3.80±1.20 ×10⁹/L), NLR (3.50±1.20 vs. 1.40±0.60), platelet count (320.00±60.00 vs. 260.00±50.00 ×10⁹/L), PLR (160.00±40.00 vs. 95.00±30.00), CRP (12.40±5.60 vs. 3.20±1.80 mg/L), and ESR (28.60±10.20 vs. 12.30±5.40 mm/hr) compared with controls (all p < 0.001). Lymphocyte count was significantly reduced in cases (2.10±0.70 vs. 2.80±0.80 ×10⁹/L, p < 0.001). Hemoglobin was mildly but significantly lower in cases (12.60±1.40 vs. 13.20±1.30 g/dL, p = 0.02). Correlation analysis demonstrated significant associations among inflammatory indices, particularly between NLR and CRP, ESR, and neutrophil count (p<0.001). Conclusion: Combined otitis media and rhinosinusitis are associated with significant systemic inflammatory response. Hematological inflammatory indices such as NLR, PLR, CRP, and ESR may serve as accessible and cost-effective markers reflecting disease burden and inflammatory severity. Incorporating systemic inflammatory markers into clinical evaluation may enhance patient stratification and management strategies.

Background: Femoral shaft fractures in adults are major long-bone injuries that commonly follow high-energy trauma and are associated with substantial morbidity, prolonged hospitalization, and clinically important complications. Objective: To determine the frequency, patterns, and predictors of complications among adults with femoral shaft fractures managed at Al-Kadhimiya Teaching Hospital and Imam Ali Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq. Methods: A hospital-based retrospective observational study was conducted from February 1, 2021 to June 30, 2025. Adults (≥18 years) with radiologically confirmed femoral shaft fractures and complete records were included; pathological and periprosthetic fractures and incomplete files were excluded. Data were extracted from admission logs, operative records, and radiology databases. Variables included demographics, injury mechanism, fracture characteristics (including AO/OTA classification), open/closed status, associated injuries, comorbidities (including smoking and diabetes), treatment modality, time to surgery, hospital course, and early/late complications. Standard radiographs were used to assess alignment and union. Results: A total of 312 patients were analyzed (mean age 36.8 ± 12.4 years); most were males (236; 75.64%) and urban residents (204; 65.38%). Road traffic accidents were the leading mechanism (182; 58.33%), followed by falls from height (71; 22.76%). Most fractures were closed (247; 79.17%), with a substantial proportion of open fractures (65; 20.83%). AO/OTA 32-B patterns predominated (131; 41.99%). Intramedullary nailing was the main treatment (208; 66.67%), and the mean time to surgery was 3.4 ± 1.9 days. Major complications included delayed union (36; 11.54%), surgical site infection (29; 9.29%), nonunion (21; 6.73%), malunion (18; 5.77%), and implant failure (15; 4.81%). Significant predictors of major complications were smoking (p=0.002), diabetes (p=0.004), open fractures (p<0.001), surgical delay >5 days (p<0.001), and associated injuries (p=0.011). Conclusion: Adult femoral shaft fractures in Baghdad predominantly affect young men and are primarily caused by road traffic trauma. Complications remain frequent and are strongly associated with modifiable patient factors (smoking, diabetes) and injury/management factors (open fractures, polytrauma, delayed surgery). Targeted prevention and optimized perioperative pathways focusing on early stabilization and risk-factor control may improve outcomes.

The terrible effects of gastric cancer on health around the world are always there. Even though cancer rates are going down overall, stomach cancer is still the second most common cancer-related death and the fourth most common disease in general. This review aims to look at the disease's global frequency and downward trend, group the different types of pathology into subtypes based on immunohistochemical staining patterns and genetic signatures, and investigate the role of the H. pylori virus in the development of tumours, talk about how the disease is becoming more common among young people in the West, and explain how biological agents are used to treat the disease.

Background: Prolonged pregnancy is associated with increased risks of fetal hypoxia and adverse perinatal outcomes. Conventional fetal surveillance methods have limited ability to detect subclinical intrauterine hypoxic stress. Erythropoietin (EPO), a hypoxia-induced glycoprotein hormone, has emerged as a potential biochemical marker of fetal oxygenation.  Aim: This study aimed to evaluate amniotic fluid and umbilical cord serum EPO levels as biomarkers of fetal hypoxia in term and prolonged pregnancies and to assess their relationship with gestational age, umbilical artery pH, and labor characteristics. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at the Gynecologic and Pediatric Hospital in Kirkuk, Iraq, from January 2024 to August 2025. Forty women with singleton pregnancies undergoing planned induction of labor at ≥37 weeks were enrolled. Amniotic fluid and umbilical cord blood samples were collected at delivery and analyzed for EPO using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Umbilical artery pH was measured using the Epoc Blood Analysis System. Maternal, obstetric, and neonatal data were recorded. Statistical analysis included independent t-tests, Chi-square tests, and Pearson correlation coefficients. Results: The mean maternal age was 30.8±4.6 years, and mean BMI was 26.2±4.4 kg/m². Prolonged pregnancy was observed in 55.0% of participants. Amniotic fluid EPO levels were significantly higher in prolonged pregnancies compared with term pregnancies (5.12±1.28 vs. 3.45±0.68 IU/L, P = 0.0001). Similarly, umbilical cord serum EPO levels were markedly elevated in prolonged pregnancies (58.40±14.95 vs. 32.60±6.20 IU/L, P = 0.0001). A strong positive correlation was observed between amniotic fluid EPO and gestational age (r = 0.67, P < 0.001), and between cord serum EPO and gestational age (r = 0.64, P < 0.001). Amniotic fluid and cord serum EPO levels were also significantly correlated (r = 0.59, P < 0.001). Umbilical artery pH was significantly lower in prolonged pregnancies (7.24±0.05 vs. 7.30±0.04, P = 0.02), and labor duration was significantly longer (405±22.4 vs. 285±16.8 minutes, P = 0.001). Conclusion: Amniotic fluid and umbilical cord serum erythropoietin levels increase significantly with advancing gestational age and are associated with reduced umbilical artery pH and prolonged labor. These findings indicate that EPO is a sensitive biomarker of fetal hypoxic stress in late-term and prolonged pregnancies. Combined assessment of EPO and conventional fetal monitoring may improve risk stratification and support timely obstetric intervention.