There are a few studies that discuss the medical causes for diabetic foot (DF) ulcerations in Iraq, one of them in Wasit province. The aim of our study was to analyze the medical, therapeutic, and patient risk factors for developing DF ulcerations among diabetic patients in Baghdad, Iraq.

Background: Practicing self-medication is common and a worrisome issue because of irrational drug use. This study aimed to evaluate self-medication knowledge and views among the final year pharmacy students in Iraq.  Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from December 2018 to January 2019. A pre-validated and self-administered questionnaire was recruited to survey pharmacy students at the University of Baghdad and Al-Rafedain University College. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20 (SPSS v. 20) software used to save and analyze the data. Results expressed as numbers and percentages. Results:  A total of 344 students (response rate: 94.24%) with a mean age of 22.10 years included in this study. Most of them were female (61.60%). Self-medication was high in the past year (84.88%), and most of them (86.04%) got their medications from pharmacies. About (62.79%) of students used antibiotics as self-medication for a few days, although a significant number were aware of bacterial resistance. The main reasons to self-medicate were quick relief desired, convenience, and avoiding waiting at clinics. The reasons against it were a misdiagnosis, adverse effects' risk, and wrong medication use. Doctor visits sought necessary in cases of worsening symptoms, severe pain, and serious problems. Headache, cough, and diarrhea were the most frequent indications. Conclusion: The self-medication prevalence is high; the knowledge is moderate, and the views about the self-medication concept are generally appropriate.

Aim of present work was to summarize existing proof of clinical presentation, symptoms and maternal outcomes of coronavirus-2 throughout pregnancy. Methods Science Direct, PubMed, and Google Scholar have been searched for relevant researches published from January 1, 2020 to June 30, 2020, and the following search according to Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms was applied in each database accordingly: "clinical features," "manifestations," "outcomes, maternal outcomes" "COVID

Background: An evolving need for highly qualified pharmacists is encountered recently in pharmacy practice; as a result, an increasing number of pharmacists considered a postgraduate study to improve their careers. Objectives: to identify the pharmacy students' intentions and perceptions toward postgraduate study and the factors influencing their decision. Methods: A questionnaire was answered by final year pharmacy students' in the College of Pharmacy/ University of Baghdad. Numbers and percent used to measure the frequency of responses and a 5-point Likert scale were used to assess factors influencing students' preferences. Results: out of 182 students, about 84.1% intended to join the residency program in Iraq, a small percentage wanted to pursue postgraduate study directly post-graduation (4.95% in Iraq vs. 2.75% abroad). After the residency program, most students intended to pursue postgraduate studies in Iraq (62.1%) vs. (9.9%) abroad; a considerable percent (28%) decided not to pursue further study. Funding was mostly influencing students' intentions to study. University grades were a determinant in choosing higher education over residency program. The 3 most preferable areas of specialization were clinical pharmacy, pharmacology and quality control of drugs, in order to get a better job opportunity. Conclusions: pharmacy students had the intentions to pursue postgraduate studies in Iraq but after completing their residency program. Getting married is the main obstacle against studying abroad. Unaffordable cost was the most influencing factor against studying directly after graduation. The most effective motive for pursuing postgraduate study was to get better job opportunities.

Background: Interprofessional learning (IPL) is considered as the gold standard strategy to improve health-care teamwork. The IPL will help the students to improve their knowledge and professional attitudes. The advantages of IPL depend on the readiness of health-care students to learn with others. Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the attitudes of pharmacy and medical students toward IPL in Iraq. Materials and Methods: The readiness for IPL scale questionnaire was applied to evaluate the readiness of the students towards IPL. It was distributed to medical and pharmacy students in Iraqi universities. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20 (SPSS) software was used to save and analyze the data. Chi-square test was performed to assess differences between groups. Results: From 165, 149 students returned the questionnaire; the response rate was 90.3%. The majority of students revealed positive attitudes toward IPL. The IPL was reported to have a positive effect on patient care and professional working relationships. However, the two groups differed: Pharmacy students indicated more strongly that an outcome of IPL would be a more effective team working and better ability to understand clinical problems. Medical students were less sure that IPL will improve their positive thinking about others, and saw doctors as the predominant in health-care system. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated that medical and pharmacy students have favorable attitudes to IPL and willing to share knowledge with other health-care students to enhance the patient care and health-care services quality by encouraging teamwork and collaboration skills.

Pain is a sensory and emotional experience that is influenced by physiologic, sensory, affective, cognitive, socio-cultural and behavioral factors. Postoperative pain is the commonest reason for delayed discharge and unanticipated hospital admission after ambulatory surgery. Our Objective is to test the hypothesis that administration of 2 ml/kg/hr preoperative IV fluids may attenuates postoperative pain.The study was carried out in the Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Al-Yarmok Teaching Hospital and Al-Karama Teaching Hospital from 12 May till 17 June 2009. The total number of patients was 120 (35 males and 85 females) with their age ranged between 10-90 years. The patients were divided into two groups according to administration of preoperative IV fluids, group A (65 patients) did not receive IV fluids and group B (55 patients) received IV fluids preoperatively. Regarding group A, the pain scale was ≤ 5 in 15.3% of patients, and it was >5 in 84.7% of patients and these results obtained within 0-5 hours after awaking from anesthesia. Whereas in group B, the pain scale was ≤5 in 29.09% of patients and was >5 in 70.9% of patients. We have demonstrated that the preoperative administration of 2ml/kg/hr IV fluids (crystalloid) to patients who had fasted from fluids decreased the severity of postoperative pain, and the need for postoperative analgesia.  We report for the first time that administration of large volume preoperative IV fluids significantly reduce the incidence and severity of pain in patients at high risk for pain. Key words: I.V fluids, Pain, Surgery.

Health literacy is an important method used by the authorities to strengthen the health system. The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge of some basic health principles among women of different educational states. This is a crosssectional study, performed from December 2014 until January 2016, Baghdad. All candidates were: females > 18 years, neither medical staff nor students. They were divided into two groups: educated and uneducated. The sample included 213 women, there were 112 educated and 101 uneducated women. Regarding educated group, accurate answers regarding route of transmission of typhoid fever was 73.2% in educated subjects vs. 49.5% in uneducated subjects. Main source of information for both groups was personal experience, but internet was used more by educated 59 (52.7%) whereas television by the uneducated 48 (47.5%). In conclusion, educated women had better health literacy than uneducated. Pharmacists played an impotent role in health literacy in the uneducated. Activities of the Ministry of Health were influent on the educated women.

Objective: Diabetic macular edema (DME) is a swelling of the retina resulting from leakage of fluid from blood vessels within the macula (the centre of the retina), it involves retinal thickening and formation of hard exudates that occurs secondary to diabetic retinopathy. The aim of the study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ranibizumab versus laser therapy in DME patients. Methods: A randomized controlled open labeled clinical trial with 4 months duration was performed. 40 Patients with DME were randomly allocated to receive either ranibizumab 0.5mg intravitreal injection monthly for three months or laser photocoagulation at baseline and were evaluated at baseline and one month after completing their treatments. Clinical assessment was done by measuring best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central retinal thickness (CRT), and monitoring of the adverse events. Results: Ranibizumab was superior to laser (P=0.0001) in improving BCVA letter score, mean change from baseline to the end of the study was (+8.75 vs +2.75), with significant increase in VA for both ranibizumab (P < 0.0001) and laser (P = 0.005). The mean CRT was significantly reduced from baseline with ranibizumab (-126.4μm) versus laser (-67.85 μm) both with significant change (P<0.0001). Ranibizumab was better in reducing CRT (P=0.0003). No endophthalmitis and no clinically significant increased intraocular pressure (IOP) for both ranibizumab and laser arms. One case of cataract was reported in laser arm. Other adverse events include eye pain, conjunctival hemorrhage (in both arms), increased lacrimation, foreign body sensation and eye floaters (in ranibizumab arm) and eye pruritus (in the laser arm). There were no systemic adverse events and no deaths reported. Conclusion: Ranibizumab provided significantly superior BCVA and CRT improvement over laser therapy. It had a good safety outcome similar to the established safety profile of ranibizumab. It was well tolerated in DME.