Comparison of the effects of oral iron treatment every day and every other day in female patients with iron deficiency anaemia.

BACKGROUND: It is known that daily divided doses and high doses of iron increase hepcidin and reduce iron absorption. AIM: This study aimed to compare treatments of iron replacement every other day at low doses, once a day and twice a day in terms of their effectiveness and frequencies of side effects. METHODS: For a month, Group I received 270 mg ferrous sulphate twice a day (total elemental iron dose: 160 mg/day), Group II received 270 mg ferrous sulphate once a day (total elemental iron dose: 80 mg/day), and Group III received 270 mg ferrous sulphate every other day (total elemental iron dose: 80 mg/every other day). Intragroup and intergroup statistical analyses were carried out. RESULTS: Haemoglobin (Hb) increased significantly in all three groups (P = 0.00). The increase in Hb levels was similar among the groups (P = 0.09). Ferritin significantly increased in all three groups after the treatment (P = 0.00). The increase in ferritin in Group I was significantly higher than those in Groups II and III (P < 0.05). Gastrointestinal tract (GIS) side effects were also significantly higher in Group I in comparison to the others (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A low-dosage of iron treatment every other day may be used in the place of providing iron once or twice every day with similar effectiveness and lower rates of GIS side effects.

A comparison of haemogram parameters of patients with thyroid papillary cancer and nodular goiter in Van, Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the haemogram parameters of patients with thyroid papillary cancer and nodular goiter. METHODS: The retrospective comparative study was conducted at Van Training and Research Regional Hospital, Van, Turkey, and comprised data of patients who underwent thyroidectomy from 2011 to 2015. The data was compared between patients with papillary thyroid cancer (group 1) and those with nodular hyperplasia (group 2) in terms of age, gender and thyroid stimulating hormone level as well as haemogram parameters, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-lymphocyte ratio. SPSS 20 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Of the 90 patients, 53(59%) were in group 1 with papillary thyroid cancer and 37(%) in group 2 with nodular hyperplasia. Platelet-lymphocyte ratio was significantly higher in group 1 (p=0.015). Mean platelet volume was significantly higher in group 1 patients with a diameter of 1cm or more (p<0.05). Within group 1, lymphocyte count was significantly high in patients with invasion (p<0.05). In correlation analysis, group 1 patients with a tumour diameter of 1cm or more showed a significant correlation in mean platelet volume, tumour multicentricity, lymphocyte count, vascular invasion, thyroglobulin, platelet distribution width, platelet number and tumour multicentricity (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Only platelet-lymphocyte ratio could assist in distinguishing benign goiter from thyroid cancer. Also, mean platelet volume, lymphocyte count, and platelet distribution width appeared to be effective prognostic markers for papillary thyroid cancer.

Is Nutritional Screening of Patients with Lung Cancer Optimal? An Expert Opinion Survey of French Physicians and Surgeons.

Objectives: To assess how physicians and surgeons carried out malnutrition screening and follow-up for patients with lung cancer. Materials and methods: We carried out an expert opinion survey in France using an anonymous self-administered online questionnaire. Results: In 2017, 206 practitioners responded, of which 60.7% were pulmonologists, 17.4% thoracic surgeons, 11.2% oncologists, and 10.7% radiotherapists. At initial diagnosis, 79.3% of practitioners recorded patients' percentage of weight loss. During follow-up examinations, 67.5% recorded this data for patients at risk of malnutrition and 70.4 % for malnourished patients. Food intake was evaluated by 21.7% of practitioners at initial diagnosis. Surgeons assessed percentage of weight loss and food intake significantly less often than pulmonologists did, they were less likely to request serum albumin tests and waited for a greater percentage of weight loss before referring patients to a nutrition professional. All practitioners were well aware of the prevalence of malnutrition among lung cancer patients and its consequences. The main factors preventing optimal nutritional assessment reported by practitioners were a lack of time and limited specialized knowledge. Conclusion: Nutritional assessment remained suboptimal, especially for surgical patients. The importance granted to malnutrition needs to be increased for patients with lung cancer, especially in surgical departments. Highlights Physicians and thoracic surgeons are well aware of the prevalence and consequences in lung cancer patients. Thoracic surgeons seemed to be less sensitized to malnutrition screening than pulmonologists. Lack of time and limited specialized knowledge were reported as the main factors preventing optimal nutritional assessment.