Methods We designed a cross‐sectional, observational follow‐up for 284 COVID‐19 patients involving healthy patients, smokers, diabetics, and diabetic plus smokers recruited from May 1, 2020 to June 25, 2020. The clinical features, severity, duration, and outcome of the disease were analyzed. Results Of 284 COVID‐19 patients, the median age was 48 years (range, 18–80), and 33.80% were female. Common symptoms included fever (85.56%), shortness of breath (49.65%), cough (45.42%), and headache (40.86%). Patients with more than one comorbidity (diabetes and smoking) presented as severe‐critical cases compared to healthy patients, diabetics, and smokers. Smokers presented with a lower rate of death in comparison to diabetic patients and diabetic + smoking, furthermore, smoking was less risky than diabetes. Although the mortality rate was high in patients with smokers compared to healthy patients (4.22%, the hazard ratio [HR], 1.358; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.542–1.100; p = .014), it was less than in diabetics (7.04%, HR 1.531, 95% CI: 1.668–1.337, p = .000), and diabetic plus smoker (10.00%, HR, 1.659; 95% CI, 1.763–1.510; p = .000). Conclusion Multiple comorbidities are closely related to the severity of COVID‐19 disease progression and the higher mortality rate. Smokers presented as mild cases compared to diabetic and diabetic + smoking patients, who presented as severe to critical cases. Although a higher death rate in smokers was seen compared with healthy patients, this was smaller when compared to diabetic and diabetic + smoking patients.

The goal of this study was to assess the clinical effectiveness and safety profile of the COVID‐19 treatment protocol (containing both hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and azithromycin) in an Iraqi specialised hospital. Methods This prospective study used a pre‐ and post‐intervention design without a comparison group. The intervention was routine Ministry of Health (MOH) approved the management of COVID‐19 for all patients. The study was conducted in a public healthcare setting in Baghdad, Iraq from March 1st to May 25, 2020. The study outcome measures included the changes in clinical and biochemical parameters during the hospitalisation period. Paired t‐test and Chi‐square test were used to compare the measures of vital signs, lab tests and symptoms before and after treatment. Results The study included 161 patients who were admitted with positive RT‐PCR and clinical symptoms of COVID‐19. In terms of severity, 53 (32.9%) patients had amild condition, 47 (29.2%) had moderate condition, 35 (21.7%) had severe condition and 26 (16.1%) had critical condition. Most patients (84.5%) recovered and were discharged without symptoms after testing negative with RT‐PCR, while 11 (6.8%) patients died during the study period. The signs and symptoms of COVID‐19 were reduced significantly in response to a therapy regimen containing HCQ and azithromycin. The most common reported side effects were stomach pain, hypoglycemia, dizziness, itching, skin rash, QT prolongation, arrhythmia, and conjunctivitis. Conclusions This natural trial showed that the COVID‐19 regimen containing both HCQ and azithromycin can be helpful to promote the recovery of most patients and reduced their signs and symptoms significantly. It also shows some manageable side effects mostly those related to heart rhythm. In the absence of FDA‐approved medications to treat COVID‐19, the repurposing of HCQ and azithromycin to control the disease signs and symptoms can be useful.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of most common cause of death. Pulmonary hypertension, one of the major and under diagnosed complications of COPD which have a great impact on outcome of COAD and associated with frequent exacerbations and bad prognosis. Echocardiography provides a rapid, noninvasive, portable, and accurate method to evaluate changes related to pulmonary hypertension in COAD.Objective Of Study: Study pulmonary artery systolic pressure and Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion in patients with COAD by 2D ECHO Doppler and correlate them with COPD severity. Method:Cross sectional study was conducted on 50 COPD patients in Baghdad teaching hospital (age>40 year) from first of January to the end of June, 2017. First, the diagnosis of COPD was confirmed and evaluated for staging by history, clinical examination, and spirometery.All patients have undergone ECG and 2D echocardiography and systolic pulmonary artery pressure and Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion (TAPSE) were calculated. Patients with other cardiac or respiratory problems (asthma, pulmonary TB, lung malignancy, connective tissue diseases, interstitial lung disease, and cardiac ischemia, left side heart failure) were excluded from this study.Results: Study of PASP by TR jet with the use of 2D ECHO on 50 patients with COPD showed that 20 patients had normal echo study , mild increase in PASP was found in 15 patients, moderate 11, and severe increase in 4 patients.Study of TAPSE by 2D ECHO showed that 35 patients had normal TAPSE values, while others 15 had abnormal values classified as mild, moderate, and severe: 3, 9, and 3, respectively.A significant associations between echo findings of increasing PASP and abnormal TAPSE, with decrease in FEV1, and oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximeter, duration since COPD was diagnosed and MRC dyspnea scale. Conclusion:High incidence of pulmonary hypertension with increasing severity of COAD. Echocardiography is useful and effective tool for detection of PHT secondary to COPD.

The goal of this study was to assess the clinical effectiveness and safety profile of the COVID-19 treatment protocol (containing both hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and azithromycin) in an Iraqi specialized hospital. Methods: This prospective study used a pre-and post-intervention design without a comparison group. The intervention was routine Ministry of Health (MOH) approved management of COVID-19 for all patients. The study was conducted in a public healthcare setting in Baghdad, Iraq from March 1st to May 25, 2020. The study outcome measures included the changes in clinical and biochemical parameters during the hospitalization period. Paired t-test and Chi-square test were used to compare the measures of vital signs, lab tests and symptoms before and after treatment. Results: The study included 161 patients who were admitted with positive RT-PCR and clinical symptoms of COVID-19. In terms of severity, 53 (32.9%) patients had mild condition, 47 (29.2%) had moderate condition, 35 (21.7%) had severe condition, and 26 (16.1%) had critical condition. Most patients (84.5%) recovered and were discharged without symptoms after testing negative with RT-PCR, while 11 (6.8%) patients died during the study period. The signs and symptoms of COVID-19 were reduced significantly in response to therapy regimen containing HCQ and azithromycin. The most common reported side effects were stomach pain, hypoglycemia, dizziness, itching, skin rash, QT prolongation, arrhythmia, and conjunctivitis. Conclusions: This natural trial showed that COVID-19 regimen containing both HCQ and azithromycin can be helpful to promote recovery of most patients and reduced their signs and symptoms significantly. It also shows some manageable side effects mostly those related to heart rhythm. In the absence of FDA-approved medications to treat COVID-19, the repurposing of HCQ and azithromycin to control the disease signs and symptoms can be useful.

Background:  Relapse is defined as recurrent tuberculosis at any time after completion of treatment and apparent cure Recurrence of tuberculosis may occur as a result of relapsed infection due to the same Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain, or due to exogenous reinfection with a new strain. Objective: To study the factors associated with relapse of pulmonary  tuberculosis.  Methods:. Across sectional study had been done in the chest and respiratory diseases teaching specialized center in Baghdad during the period from the  1st  of January 2010 to the 30th of July 2011. A total of 58 patients with  relapsed pulmonary tuberculosis were included in this study. For each patient.the fallowing variables were collected age, gender, marital status, regularity of treatment, diabetes mellitus, smoking, alcohol intake and  prisonment have been studied. Results: Mean age for all relapsed cases was 47.4years.A 53patients(91.4%) of relapse cases were married. There was only 30 patients(51.7%)of relapse cases  regular on  treatment. It was 15 patients (25.9%) contribute to about one forth (25.9%) of relapsed cases was diabetic. There was 28 patients (48.3%)of relapsed cases was smokers. A17 patients (29.3)% of them was prisons.Finaly 13 patients(22.4%) of relapsed  cases had history of alcoholic intake. Conclusions: Recurrence of tuberculosis was more common in  male, married, diabetic, prisoners, and history of alcohol patients and patients presenting at least one of the risk factor can benefit from the implementation of a post-treatment surveillance system for early detection of recurrence.