BACKGROUNDEven though ageing is considered as a natural process, various complex impairments and diseases can occur in many elderly people. Anaemia is common in elderly and its prevalence increases with age. In elderly population, anaemia is not to be considered as an age related change, as anaemia can never be a normal physiological phenomenon. There is an increased incidence of morbidity and mortality in patients with anaemia. In order to highlight this problem, we evaluated anaemia in elderly population coming to clinical pathology department for various medical ailments.

Background: The demand for blood and its components always exceeds the supply in our health care setting. Hence there is a need to prioritize the usage of these components. An audit makes this possible. The present study is conducted on utilization of Fresh frozen plasma which is one of the most requested blood components.Methods: The study was conducted on the first 241 FFP transfusions during the study period of 1 year. Requisition forms for issuing FFP from various departments were reviewed and relevant data collected. Patients’ case record was also retrieved to collect data related to the transfusion episodes. The data collected were compiled, coded and expressed using descriptive statistical tools like mean, mode, percentage and ratio using Microsoft Excel 2010.Results: Most of the patients who underwent FFP transfusion were males and in the age group 60-70. Most of the requests for FFP issue came from Cardiothoracic department. Most common indication for FFP transfusion was raised PT INR. FFP units remained unutilized in CTVS, General surgery and general medicine. 20% of the received request forms were incompletely filled with the Clinical diagnosis and Indication for FFP being most frequently omitted information.Conclusions: Various departments at Government Medical College, Kottayam are efficiently utilizing FFP. But more intervention is needed in addressing issues related to the sending of requisition forms and ensuring adequate usage of FFP to prevent its wastage.

BACKGROUNDHaemolytic anaemia's are characterised by increased RBC destruction and evidence of accelerated erythropoiesis. Haemolysis due to intrinsic RBC disorders, i.e. the inherited haemolytic anaemias are more common. Most of these anaemias are easily recognisable under the light microscope. MATERIALS AND METHODSTo study the clinical and morphological profile of different types of haemolytic anaemia due to RBC defects in patients admitted in a tertiary care hospital of North Kerala, India. RESULTSA cross-sectional study was carried out among 217 patients of haemolytic anaemia admitted in a tertiary care hospital over a period of five years from January 2012 to December 2016. The data on sociodemographic profile, relevant clinical history and clinical examination were collected in predesigned and pretested standard proforma and morphological parameters were assessed by using standard guidelines. CONCLUSIONSickle cell anaemia was found to be the most common of haemolytic anaemias reported in the hospital. HbE and HbD are extremely rare entities with only a single case report each. A single case of Paroxysmal Nocturnal Haemoglobinuria (PNH) was reported, this was included as it is an intrinsic RBC disorder.