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BACKGROUND: Primary hyperparathyroidism is regarded as a common endocrine disorder that is biochemically identified and could be symptomatic or asymptomatic. A detailed history and a thorough evaluation with regular follow-ups are required until a definite diagnosis is made. The study aims to evaluate the characteristics of patients and the performance of a tertiary endocrine center in managing the disease in Basrah, Iraq. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted at the Faiha Specialized Diabetes, Endocrine, and Metabolism Center in Basrah, southern Iraq, on 106 patients diagnosed with primary hyperparathyroidism between 2012 and 2023. The patients' general characteristics were assessed, and those who underwent parathyroidectomy were evaluated post-surgery, and the cure rate was determined. RESULTS: The mean age of presentation was 47.5 ± 14.6 years, with a median of 50 years. The highest occurrence is in the sixth decade. Females comprised 79 (75%) of the patients, and the female-to-male ratio was 3:1. Symptomatic patients were 84 (90%), 30 (70%) of the patients had nephrolithiasis, and 52 (68%) had osteoporosis. The cure rate was 15 (83%). CONCLUSION: In our single-center study, the frequency of primary hyperparathyroidism has increased with time. The disease's highest occurrence was seen in the sixth decade. Females were substantially higher than males. Most patients were symptomatic. The cure rate was 83%.
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BACKGROUND AND AIM: Aldosterone-renin ratio (ARR) is an important screening tool for the assessment of primary aldosteronism as a cause of secondary hypertension. This study aimed to measure the prevalence of patients with elevated ARR among samples of Iraqi patients with hypertension. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted at Faiha Specialized Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolism Center (FDEMC) in Basrah during the period of February 2020 to November 2021. We evaluated the records of patients with hypertension whom were screened for endocrine cause, and an ARR cut-off equal or more than 5.7 was considered elevated. RESULTS: Of the total 150 patients enrolled, 39 (26%) of them had an elevated ARR. No statistically significant association for the elevated ARR with age, gender, BMI, duration of hypertension, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate, and presence or absence of diabetes mellitus or lipid profile. CONCLUSION: High frequency of elevated ARR was seen in 26% of patients with hypertension. More studies need to be conducted in the future taking larger samples.
RESUMEN
Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate whether a shorter fasting duration of five to six hours can be used as an alternative to the usually recommended eight hours for fasting glucose measurement. Methods: This one-month observational, cross-sectional study was conducted during Ramadan (May to June) 2019. It included those attending Faiha Specialized Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolism Center, Basrah, Iraq; all individuals ate a pre-dawn meal (suhoor) followed by a complete fast for many hours. Two fasting serum glucose (FSG) venous samples were taken; the first was taken five to six hours and the second eight hours after the pre-dawn meal. Participants were divided into two groups: individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and those with a normal glucose level. T2DM patients were further subdivided into three groups: those without treatment, those on oral antidiabetic drugs (OAD) and those using insulin and OAD. Results: A total of 200 individuals participated in this study. There was no significant difference found between the mean FSG levels in the first and second samples for those without T2DM (104.5 ± 21.4 mg/dL versus 104.8 ± 12.6 mg/dL; P = 0.80) as well as those with T2DM (235.0 ± 107.0 mg/dL versus 230.0 ± 105.0 mg/dL; P = 0.20). Untreated T2DM patients had non-significant FSG readings for the two samples (194.0 ± 151.5 mg/dL versus 193.9 ± 128.9 mg/dL; P = 0.90). Patients on insulin and OAD showed a similar pattern of FSG (268.0 ± 111.0 mg/dL versus 269.0 ± 114.0 mg/dL). However, the two FSG samples were found to be significantly different among patients on OAD (220.0 ± 78.0 mg/dL versus 207.0 ± 77.0 mg/dL; P = 0.01). Conclusion: The fasting duration of five to six hours can give a comparable measurement of FSG as that obtained after eight hours.