Giving iron supplements every other day may be superior to daily divided doses

Serum hepcidin levels and iron absorption were compared in women given daily dosing of ferrous sulfate, women given alternate-day dosing, and women given two divided doses daily. Women on the alternate-day regimen and the single-day regimens had higher iron absorption and lower hepcidin levels than did the women on the split-dosing regimen; these findings need to be confirmed in patients with iron-deficiency anemia.

Citation: Stoffel NU et al. Iron absorption from oral iron supplements given on consecutive versus alternate days and as single morning doses versus twice-daily split dosing in iron-depleted women: Two open-label, randomised controlled trials. Lancet Haematol. 2017 Nov;4(11):e524-e33.

Immediate percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of the culprit lesion only in patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock may lead to better outcomes, even in those with multivessel disease

A total of 706 patients with multivessel coronary artery disease who presented with acute MI and cardiogenic shock were randomized to either PCI of the culprit lesion only (followed by optional staged revascularization of nonculprit lesions) or to immediate multivessel PCI. Patients who received PCI of the culprit lesion only had a lower 30-day risk of death or severe renal failure leading to renal-replacement therapy than did those who underwent immediate multivessel PCI.

Citation: Thiele H et al. PCI strategies in patients with acute myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock. N Engl J Med. 2017 Oct. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1710261 (epub ahead of print).