full article Volume 54, Number 2, December 2008

Abstract

The Iraqi Medical Journal is a periodic peer-reviewed journal published biannually by the Iraqi Medical Association. The journal welcomes original articles, case reports and letters to editor in all fields relevant to medicine. Review articles are usually by invitation only. However, review articles of high standards will be considered. Arabic or English languages could be used. Papers are accepted on the understanding that the subject matter has not and will not be submitted simultaneously to another journal. The following notes are expected to be considered carefully in writing manuscripts. 1- Manuscripts preparation: the format of the Iraqi Medical Journal complies with the “Uniform Requirement for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals” published by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) in Vancouver, British Colombia, in 1979 and its last update in February 2006, available on the website www.icmje.org. 2- Four clear and complete copies (including figures and tables) should be submitted. Manuscripts and figures will not be returned to the authors irrespective of the editorial decision to accept, revise or reject them. 3- Manuscripts must be accompanied by a covering letter signed by all authors that the paper has not been published and will not be submitted to another journal if accepted in the Iraqi Medical Journal. 4- The title page should include: • Title of the paper in Arabic and English. • Correct first name, middle name and family name of all authors in Arabic and English as well as a maximum of two highest academic degrees for each author. • Name (s) and address (es) of the institution (s) where the work was carried out. • The name and address of the author responsible for correspondence together with telephone number, fax number and e-mail address (if any). 5- Abstracts for original articles should contain a structured abstract of not more than 250 words in Arabic and English. Abstract headings include: Background  )
 ,  ﺗﻤﮭﯿ ﺪ( Objectives )
 ( , اﻷھ ﺪاف Methods )
 ( , اﻟﻄ ﺮق Results )
 ( اﻟﻨﺘ ﺎﺋﺞ and Conclusions )
 .  اﻻﺳ ﺘﻨﺘﺎﺟﺎت( Abstracts in Arabic and English of review articles and case reports should be unstructured and of not more than 150 words. 6- Three to ten keywords should be provided on the same page as the abstract in English and Arabic. As far as possible, the keywords should be selected from the National Library of Medicine, Medical Subject Headings. 7- The main text of the original article should be divided into sections, each section should be started on a new page after the title page: