Comparison between intraarticular triamcinolone acetonide and methylprednisolone acetate injections in treatment of frozen shoulder.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of triamcinolone acetonide (40 mg) and methylprednisolone acetate (60 mg) in Iraqi patients with primary and secondary frozen shoulder.

Methods: A total number of 135 (93 males and 42 females) patients with frozen shoulder, allocated at outpatient clinic of rheumatology in Al-Yarmook Teaching Hospital (Baghdad-Iraq) from January 2004 to December 2005, were enrolled in non-controlled clinical trial. The diagnosis of frozen shoulder was made using the guidelines for shoulder complaint issued by the Dutch College of General Practitioners.

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.