No abstract

This is a cross sectional study done in I.C.U & Dept. of otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, B.S.M.M.U, Dhaka and Dhaka Medical College Hospital during the period of 1st March, 2003 to 30th August, 2003. 60 cases of tracheostomies, were included in this study, among them 30 cases of elective tracheostomies and 30 cases of emergency tracheostomies. In this study mean age of elective tracheostomy was 40.46 years & mean age of emergency tracheostomy was 50.50 years. Here Male was predominant both in elective (M:F= 6.5:1) and emergency tracheostomy (9:1). The common indications of elective tracheostomy were ICSOL (26.67%) & Head injury (26.67%) where as commonest indication of emergency tracheostomy was laryngeal carcinoma (53.33%). The frequency of complication for elective tracheostomy was 9.99% and emergency tracheostomy 33.35%. Here complications were 3.33 times more common in cases of emergency tracheostomy then elective tracheostomy. Key-words: Tracheostomy, elective and emergency.  DOI: 10.3329/bjo.v14i2.3282 Bangladesh J of Otorhinolaryngology 2008; 14(2) : 57-62

Iron deficiency anemia is common problem during pregnancy. Red cell size variation (anisocytosis) is the earliest morphologic changes in iron deficiency anemia. Red cell distribution width is a quantitative measure of red cell size variation and it can give the idea of early iron deficiency before other test to become positive.190 pregnant women were included in this study. Red cell distribution width was compared between iron deficient & non-iron deficient pregnant women. Red cell distribution width also compared with Hb level, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and peripheral blood film in prelatent iron deficiency, latent iron deficiency, mild and moderate iron deficiency anemia. Red cell distribution width had sensitivity 82.3% and specificity 97.4%. Whereas Hb level, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and peripheral blood film all had 56.6%, 29.2%, 68.1%, 15% and 38.9% sensitivity but specificity was 90.9%, 98.7%, 83.1%, 96.1% and 98.7% in the detection of iron deficiency. Red cell distribution width appears to be a reliable and useful parameter for detection of iron deficiency during pregnancy.

No abstract

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and beta-thalassemia trait (BTT) are the common causesof microcytic hypochromic anaemia. Several discrimination indices have beenintroduced to discriminate quickly these similar entities via parameters obtained fromautomated cell counter. The purpose of the study was to compare the value of twodiscrimination indices, red cell distribution width index (RDWI) and red cell distributionwidth (RDW) in differentiation of BTT and IDA. This study consists of 57 cases ofBTT and 72 cases of IDA. Severe anaemia (<7.0 gm/dl) had been excluded becausethese cases are not confused with BTT cases in practice. Sensitivity, specificity,positive and negative predictive values and Youden’s index of both indices indifferentiation of BTT and IDA had been calculated. RDWI appears to be reliable anduseful index for differentiation of iron deficiency anaemia and beta thalassaemia trait.Again RDWI is better than RDW in differentiating BTT from IDA.Key words: Microcytic hypochromic anemia; discrimination indices.DOI: 10.3329/bjch.v33i3.5690Bangladesh Journal of Child Health 2009; Vol.33(3): 100-103