The preparatory course for graduates of the College of Medicine at Al-Mustansiriya University continues, aiming to enhance the practical and clinical skills of new doctors. The college organized an extensive scientific lecture supervised by Ammar Wahm Ashour, a lecturer in the Department of Internal Medicine, on managing headache cases in the emergency department at Al-Mustansiriya Medical Complex.

Lecturers Tabarak Hakim Mahdi, Ahmed Taher, and Raafat Mohammed discussed the latest diagnostic methods and differentiation between simple headaches and serious cases requiring rapid intervention. They emphasized the importance of accurate assessment to avoid complications and ensure optimal medical care. They also addressed handling stroke, epilepsy, and seizures in the emergency department, reviewing early diagnosis and rapid intervention methods to save patients’ lives.

The lecture stressed the necessity of rapid medical evaluation to ensure the best treatment opportunities and reduce complications. It also focused on managing high blood pressure in the emergency department, outlining rapid assessment principles and effective treatment options for critical cases, highlighting early intervention’s importance.

Student Hind Saad Rasheed, specializing in Clinical Biochemistry at the college and enrolled in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Al-Mustansiriya University, received a very good grade for her research on children with short stature due to growth hormone deficiency.

Master’s Thesis Discussion

A master’s thesis titled “Study of the Amino-terminal Propeptide of C-type Natriuretic Peptide and Afamin Levels in the Serum of Children with Short Stature and Growth Hormone Deficiency” was discussed under the supervision of the examination committee. The study indicated that growth hormone deficiency in children may result from congenital or acquired causes, leading to growth failure, body composition changes, and metabolic complications. Although growth hormone stimulation tests remain the primary diagnostic tool, they have notable limitations, including variability and high false-positive rates. Identifying reliable biomarkers is critical to improving diagnostic accuracy, with C-type natriuretic peptide and afamin emerging as promising candidates.

The study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility of pre-stimulation levels and distinguish between short stature related and unrelated to growth hormone deficiency. It concluded that afamin is a promising diagnostic marker with high sensitivity and specificity, showing significant post-stimulation level increases in growth hormone-deficient patients.

PhD Thesis Discussion

PhD candidate Hiba Ghassan Rajab discussed her dissertation titled “Evaluation of Filamin-A, Arstin-B, and Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor-Interacting Protein Levels and Their Genetic Polymorphisms in Patients with Acromegaly,” earning a very good grade. The study explained that acromegaly is a rare, slowly progressing endocrine disorder caused by excessive growth hormone secretion, often due to pituitary tumors.

The research evaluated serum levels of filamin A, beta-arstin, and aryl hydrocarbon receptor-interacting protein in acromegaly patients and assessed the frequency of genetic polymorphisms in the latter’s gene in Iraqi patient samples compared to controls and acromegaly patients with variable responses to somatostatin analogs.

Study Results

Results showed a consistent pattern of elevated filamin A and beta-arstin levels in acromegaly patients, with additional increases in diabetic cases. Serum levels of aryl hydrocarbon receptor-interacting protein remained relatively stable across groups. Growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 levels were elevated in acromegaly cases regardless of diabetes status, confirming their reliability as diagnostic markers.