Utility of erythrocyte indices in identifying iron depletion in pregnancy.

Background: Iron deficiency anaemia in pregnancy is common and is a major cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity worldwide. Serum ferritin is the current gold standard test for identifying iron depletion, with a cut-off value of 30 µg/L. Recent studies in low- and middle-income countries have identified mean cell haemoglobin concentration as a surrogate marker for the prediction of iron depletion.

Afternoon ward rounds: bad for patients, bad for doctors?

Hospital medicine in the UK is under unprecedented pressure, with increasing demand on physicians as well as challenges in recruiting new doctors into the physicianly specialties. We sought to assess the prevalence of the afternoon ward round and its effect on those undertaking them. We sampled each hospital within our postgraduate region, surveying junior doctors working on inpatient medical wards.