The Effect of Perioperative Iron Therapy in Acute Major Non-cardiac Surgery on Allogenic Blood Transfusion and Postoperative Haemoglobin Levels: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Perioperative anaemia in relation to surgery is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. In an elective surgical setting, it is possible to optimize patients prior to surgery, often by iron supplementation with correction of anaemia. Possibilities for optimization prior to and during acute surgical procedures are limited. This review investigates whether iron treatment initiated perioperatively improves outcomes in patients undergoing major acute non-cardiac surgery. METHOD: This systematic review was performed using PubMed, EMBASE (Ovid) and Scopus to identify current evidence on iron supplementation in acute surgery. Primary outcomes were allogenic blood transfusion (ABT) rate and changes in haemoglobin. Secondary outcomes were postoperative mortality, length of stay (LOS), and postoperative complications. Iron was administered at latest within 24 h after end of surgery. RESULTS: Of the 5413 studies screened, four randomized controlled trials and nine observational cohort studies were included. Ten studies included patients with hip fractures. A meta-analysis of seven studies showed a risk reduction of transfusion (OR = 0.35 CI 95% (0.20-0.63), p = 0.0004, I2 = 66%). No influence on plasma haemoglobin was found. Postoperative mortality was reduced in the iron therapy group in a meta-analysis of four observational studies (OR 0.50 (CI 95% 0.26-0.96) p = 0.04). No effect was found on LOS, but a reduction in postoperative infection was seen in four studies. CONCLUSIONS: This review examined perioperative iron therapy in acute major non-cardiac surgery. IV iron showed a lower 30-day mortality, a reduction in postoperative infections and a reduction in ABT largely due to the observational studies. The review primarily consisted of small observational studies and does not have the power to formally recommend this practice.

[Alternative food fortification during Christmas time]. / Alternative berigede fødevarer i juletiden.

Alcohol consumption is known to increase during Christmas time and excessive alcohol consumption has been proven to be associated with gastrointestinal bleeding and certain vitamin deficiencies. While food fortification is well known and practiced in most countries, food or beverages fortified with medicine has never been practiced on a wider scale, just as alcohol rarely is fortified. In this article it is speculated how alcohol fortified with proton pump inhibitor and vitamin B would effect alcohol-related morbidity.

Acute abdomen and perforated bowel with a rare pathology: nonfamilial visceral myopathy.

Visceral myopathy is a rare chronic disease affecting the peristalsis of the bowel causing intermittent pseudoobstruction. We report an atypical case of an eighty-nine-year-old woman with no prior history of abdominal illness who was admitted to our hospital with 2 days of increasing nausea, abdominal distension, and abdominal pain. On arrival at the hospital, she was critically ill. Abdominal X-ray showed distended loops of the colon and liquid levels resembling colonic obstruction. A subsequent abdominal CT scan confirmed the colonic obstruction. A suspicion of sigmoid volvulus was raised, that is why a barium enema was performed but no lower colonic obstruction could be confirmed. Acute laparotomy showed perforated cecum without intestinal obstruction. Postoperatively, the patient became septic which was fatal for the patient. Pathology gave the diagnosis visceral myopathy. It is very difficult to make the diagnosis clinically and radiologically since visceral myopathy mimics other more common gastrointestinal diseases. It is important to consider visceral myopathy as a possible diagnosis in cases with recurrent episodes of abdominal pain, vomiting, and abdominal distension, but without actual intestinal obstruction.