Disease-modifying therapies, outcomes, risk factors and severity of COVID-19 in multiple sclerosis: A MENACTRIMS registry based study.

Background: There is a lack information regarding risk factors associated with worse COVID-19 outcomes in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the MENA region.

Methods: This is a multicenter, retrospective cohort study that included all MS patients with a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection using the MENACTRIMS registry. The association of demographics, disease characteristics, and use of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) with outcomes and severity of COVID-19 were evaluated by multivariate logistic model.

Iraqi experts consensus on the management of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis in adults.

Objective: In Iraq, a lack of evidence-based management protocols for diagnosing, treating, and managing multiple sclerosis (MS) poses risks of suboptimal outcomes and clinical practice variability and potential harm to the patients. This study aimed to develop consensus recommendations regarding the diagnosis and management of MS in Iraq, specifically focusing on treatment-naïve patients, suboptimal responders, and women of childbearing age during preconception, pregnancy planning, and lactation.

Unlabelled: A survey was conducted to collect feedback from a panel of ten key opinion leaders (KOLs), who evaluated and discussed the statements to determine agreement levels.

Electrophysiological findings in patients with restless legs syndrome.

Background: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) manifests as an urge to move the body to relieve the discomfortable sensations, primarily when resting, sitting, laying down, or sleeping. Diagnosis of RLS relies on clinical criteria, and the immobilization test was the only instrumental tool with equivocal results.

Objectives: To assess different electrophysiological findings in patients with RLS, and compare the diagnostic values of these parameters in the diagnosis of RLS.

Association of ABCB1 gene polymorphism (C1236T and C3435T) with refractory epilepsy in Iraqi patients.

The mechanisms of refractory epilepsy (RE) are most likely multifactorial, involving environmental, genetic, as well as disease- and drug-related factors. We aimed to study is to investigate the possible association of two ABCB1 gene polymorphism (C3435T and C1236T) with the development of RE in Iraqi patients. One hundred patients with either generalized tonic-clonic seizures, myoclonic epilepsy, or absence epilepsy comprised of 60 patients responsive to AEDs and 40 patients who were refractory to treatment who used multi AEDs for at least one month were studied.

Epileptic Patients are at Risk of Cardiac Arrhythmias: A Novel Approach using QT-nomogram, Tachogram, and Cardiac Restitution Plots.

Background: Sudden death is reported in patients who had a history of epilepsy and some authors believed that is due to cardiac arrhythmias.

Objectives: This study aimed to predict that the epileptic patients are at risk of serious cardiac arrhythmias by QT-nomogram, tachogram (Lorenz), and cardiac restitution plots.

Methods: A total number of 71 healthy subjects (Group I) and 64 newly diagnosed epileptic patients (Group II) were recruited from Al-Yarmouk and Baghdad Teaching hospitals in Baghdad from March 2015 to July 2015 and included in this study.

Results of a multinational study suggest the need for rapid diagnosis and early antiviral treatment at the onset of herpetic meningoencephalitis.

Data in the literature regarding the factors that predict unfavorable outcomes in adult herpetic meningoencephalitis (HME) cases are scarce. We conducted a multicenter study in order to provide insights into the predictors of HME outcomes, with special emphasis on the use and timing of antiviral treatment. Samples from 501 patients with molecular confirmation from cerebrospinal fluid were included from 35 referral centers in 10 countries.

Hamsi scoring in the prediction of unfavorable outcomes from tuberculous meningitis: results of Haydarpasa-II study.

Predicting unfavorable outcome is of paramount importance in clinical decision making. Accordingly, we designed this multinational study, which provided the largest case series of tuberculous meningitis (TBM). 43 centers from 14 countries (Albania, Croatia, Denmark, Egypt, France, Hungary, Iraq, Italy, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Syria, Turkey) submitted data of microbiologically confirmed TBM patients hospitalized between 2000 and 2012.

Assessment of nitrosative oxidative stress in patients with middle cerebral artery occlusion.

Objective: To assess serum levels of nitric oxide and peroxynitrite in patients presenting with cerebral infarction resulting from middle cerebral artery occlusion, at 48 hours from stroke onset.

Methods: We conducted the study in the Department of Pharmacology and in cooperation with Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital and the Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Al-Mustansiriya University, Baghdad, Iraq from October 2003 to May 2004. Twenty patients presented with neurological deficits of middle cerebral artery occlusion, and we also enrolled 20 healthy individuals to serve as a control group.

Transient ischemic attack and ischemic stroke, risk factors and preventive roles of the first contact physicians.

Objective: This study had been designed to find the relative frequency of each of ischemic stroke`s risk factors and to evaluate the action of the first contact physician for transient ischemic attack (TIA) cases.

Methods: This study is a cross sectional study that enrolled 100 randomly selected patients with clinical and radiological diagnosis of ischemic stroke, who had attended Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq during the period between the 1st of January 2002 and the 1st of July 2002.

Results: The patients` age range was 40-79 years old (mean 63.

Post-stroke seizure.

Objective: This study was designed to estimate the incidence of seizures in patients with stroke and its relative frequency with each type of stroke, to find the frequency of early and late seizures, recurrent seizure, and the EEG findings.

Methods: This is a cross sectional study that enrolled 176 randomly selected patients with stroke admitted to Al-Yarmouk, Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq during the period between October 1998 and June 2001. Out of these, 42 patients with post-stroke seizure were chosen to undergo thorough clinical examination and investigations.

Autonomic dysfunction in multiple sclerosis.

Objective: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system. Autonomic dysfunction in MS patients may cause significant morbidity. The aim of this controlled cross sectional study was to investigate the prevalence, pattern and severity of autonomic dysfunction in Iraqi MS patients and to correlate them with patient`s age, disease course, duration and severity.

Clinical evaluation of optic atrophy in patients with neurological disorders.

Objective: Optic atrophy is a pathological term applied to optic nerve shrinkage from any process that produces degeneration of axons in the anterior visual system (the retino-geniculate pathway). The pathologist can make the diagnosis of optic atrophy by direct observation of the histopathological changes in the optic nerve. The clinician is restricted to indirect evidence by observing the optic nerve as it enters the eye and through testing its function.

Outcome of thymectomy in patients with Myasthenia Gravis.

Objective: Myasthenia Gravis is a neuromuscular disorder characterized by weakness and fatigability of skeletal muscles. Thymectomy is now beneficial even for non-thymomatous patients. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the role of thymectomy as on the treatment options for myasthenia gravis.

Outcome of thymectomy in patients with Myasthenia Gravis.

Objective: Myasthenia Gravis is a neuromuscular disorder characterized by weakness and fatigability of skeletal muscles. Thymectomy is now beneficial even for non-thymomatous patients. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the role of thymectomy as on the treatment options for myasthenia gravis.