Anisocytosis is associated with myocardial fibrosis and exercise capacity in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Background: Red Blood Cell Distribution Width (RDW), a measure of variability in size of circulating red blood cells and is a marker of inflammation.

Objectives: We sought to test the hypothesis that RDW reflects an inflammatory milieu permissive for cardiac fibrosis in those with Heart Failure and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Methods: We analyzed the association between RDW and fibrosis in two separate cohorts.

Medical students' perception of the learning environment at King Saud University Medical College, Saudi Arabia, using DREEM Inventory.

Background: The students' perception of the learning environment is an important aspect for evaluation and improvement of the educational program. The College of Medicine at King Saud University (KSU) reformed its curriculum in 2009 from a traditional to a system-oriented hybrid curriculum.

Objective: The objective of the present study was to determine the perception of the second batch (reformed curriculum) of medical graduates about the educational environment at the College of Medicine, KSU, using the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) scale.

Autoantibody detection: prevailing practices at a tertiary care hospital in Riyadh.

Background: Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) test as the first level investigation for detection of auto-immune rheumatic disease has been recommended in a number of international guidelines. This study was performed to evaluate the local practice and trends of auto-antibody laboratory requests.

Methods: Data were collected from 249 initial laboratory requests for first level auto-antibody detection between April 2012 and April 2013 in the Immunology Unit at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh.