Background: There are scarce data on disease characteristics and severity of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) among Iraqi patients with rheumatic diseases (RDs). In this study, we aimed to report the disease characteristics and variables associated with COVID-19 outcome among patients with RDs.Methods: Between October 2020 and April 2021, rheumatic diseases (RDs) patients with COVID-19 were registered from different centres in Iraq. The patient's demographics, rheumatological history, COVID-19 symptoms, severity, and management, if any, their disease progress and outcome have been assessed. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine predictors of disease severity.Results: 253 patients were included in the study, and most were females. The commonest rheumatic disease was rheumatoid arthritis (RA), followed by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) (95, 52 and 20 patients respectively). It has been found that 50.6% of patients had mild COVID-19, and 49.4% had moderate disease; 18% of patients required oxygen support, no patient was treated in hospital, and there was no reported death. Patients with moderate COVID-19 had significantly higher age than mild type (p= 0.022); with more BMI (p=0.03), more in the number of comorbidities (p<0.001), more steroids users (p=0.012), higher steroid dose (P=0.034), had longer steroid duration, longer duration of conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (cDMARDs) (p=0.018), and biologic Diseasemodifying Antirheumatic Drug (bDMARDs) in months (p=0.025). Increasing body mass index (BMI), duration of biological DMARDs use, and an increasing number of comorbidities were significant independent factors that increase the risk of having more severe COVID-19, (p<0.05). Gorial et al.: COVID-19 patients with rheumatic diseases 90Conclusion: COVID-19 infection rheumatic patients tend to have mild-moderate disease course; BMI, duration of biological DMARDs use, and many comorbidities were significant independent factors that increase the risk of having more severe COVID-19.

Introduction:The diagnosis and treatment of spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a global challenge, with no cure available. Adherence to treatment with biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, such as the tumor necrosis factor-a inhibitor etanercept, varies among patients with SpA. Inadequate or poor adherence to treatment may have a negative effect on clinical outcome and quality of life and may lead to greater health-related expense. Methods: This observational, retrospective study used real-world patient data from the Iraq National Center of Rheumatology database to retrospectively assess long-term adherence to etanercept, specifically evaluating 1-and 7-year adherence to etanercept among Iraqi patients with SpA. Results: In total, data from 763 patients were included in the analysis. The majority of patients were men (82.2%). Mean disease duration at baseline was 5.85 years; 84.0% of patients received concomitant steroids, and 14.2% were treated with concomitant methotrexate. Measures of disease activity and functional status (mean ± SD) at baseline based on the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) were 8.06 ± 0.83 (range 6.0-9.5) and 7.75 ± 1.12 (range 4.1-9.7), respectively. Around 30% of patients initiated etanercept treatment within 1 year of diagnosis. After 1 and 7 years, 91.7% (700/763) and 60.6% (80/132) of patients were adherent to etanercept treatment. Mean (± SD) changes from baseline in BASDAI and BASFI scores for adherent versus non-adherent patients at 1 year were 6.73 (± 1.90) versus 4.20 (± 1.85) (p = 0.0001) and 6.43 (± 2.04) versus 4.18 (± 1.88) (p = 0.0001), respectively. Conclusions: These results suggest that Iraqi patients with SpA benefit from long-term adherence to etanercept treatment; however, additional analyses are needed to further assess the reasons for treatment discontinuation, which may include disease remission. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04507776.

This study was conducted to compare the usage of buffalo milk either raw, pasteurized or pasteurized with starter culture in the manufacture of Egyptian soft Domiati cheese. In addition, studing the chemical, microbial characterization and evaluation of biogenic amines throughout the ripening. The results revaled that organoleptic and chemical properties of the manufactured cheese were different. Soluble nitrogen, salt as well as pH values were higher in raw milk cheese in comparison with pasteurized milk cheese and pasteurized milk cheese with starter culture. Considerable changes had occurred in raw milk cheese during the storage period more than these with pasteurized milk cheese and pasteurized milk cheese with starter culture. Cheese made from raw milk showed higher microbial counts during ripening than those made from pasteurized milk. Raw milk cheese showed remarkably higher biogenic amines compared with pasteurized milk cheeses. Therefore, pasteurization of milk led to a decrease in final biogenic amine content of cheese as a result of the reduction of its microbial population. The obtained results suggest that, pasteurization greatly improves the keeping quality of soft Domiati cheese and increases its shelf life and decreases the formation of biogenic amines.

Introduction: "Ankylosing spondylitis (AS)" is an inflammatory disorder that affects the axial skeleton, peripheral joints, as well as entheses, resulting in significant disability. "Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)" inhibitors are regarded to be a helpful treatment for patients with active "AS". This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and response rate of "etanercept" in a group of patients with "ankylosing spondylitis" in Mosul, Iraq.Methods: A prospective, "open-labeled", non-randomized 12 weeks study was undertaken on 43 participants with "ankylosing spondylitis" in the "Rheumatology unit" of "Ibn Sina Teaching Hospital", and the diagnosis was made using the "modified New York criteria". Participants were assessed at the outset of the study, week 4, and week 12 after receiving etanercept 50mg subcutaneously once weekly. The "Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI)" was utilized to assess disease activity, while the "Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Function Index" was utilized to assess functional status (BASFI) at baseline, 4 weeks, and 12 weeks. BASDAI 50 was used to assess the response rate.Results: Mean patients' age was "36.6±8.47" years; men accounted for "90.7 %" of the cases, with the mean disease length being "9.6±5.90" years. A marked decrease in BASFI and BASDAI was found four and twelve weeks after commencing treatment compared to baseline (p=0.000). "BASDAI 50 %" response was fulfilled by 42.5 % of the participants after 4 weeks and by 65%% after 12 weeks of therapy with "etanercept". There was a marked fall in the mean ESR and CRP after four and twelve weeks of "etanercept" therapy. Conclusion:In "AS" patients, once weekly "etanercept" 50 mg given subcutaneously for twelve weeks was an effective therapy.