Immunohistochemical expression in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies at a single center in Vietnam

Background@#The identification of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) requires a comprehensive analysis involving clinical manifestations and histological findings. This study aims to provide insights into the histopathological and immunohistochemical aspects of IIMs. @*Methods@#This retrospective case series involved 56 patients diagnosed with IIMs at the Department of Pathology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, from 2019 to 2023. The histology and immunohistochemical expression of HLA-ABC, HLA-DR, C5b-9, Mx1/2/3, and p62 were detected. @*Results@#We examined six categories of inflammatory myopathy, including immunemediated necrotizing myopathy (58.9%), dermatomyositis (DM; 23.2%), overlap myositis (8.9%), antisynthetase syndrome (5.4%), inclusion body myositis (IBM; 1.8%), and polymyositis (1.8%). The average age of the patients was 49.7 ± 16.1 years, with a female-to-male ratio of 3:1. Inflammatory cell infiltration in the endomysium was present in 62.5% of cases, perifascicular atrophy was found in 17.8%, and fiber necrosis was observed in 42 cases (75.0%). Rimmed vacuoles were present in 100% of cases in the IBM group. Immunohistochemistry showed the following positivity rates: HLA-ABC (89.2%), HLA-DR (19.6%), C5b-9 (57.1%), and Mx1/2/3 (10.7%). Mx1/2/3 expression was high in DM cases. p62 vacuole deposits were noted in the IBM case. The combination of membrane attack complex and major histocompatibility complex I helped detect IIMs in 96% of cases. @*Conclusions@#The diagnosis of IIMs and their subtypes should be based on clinical features and histopathological characteristics. Immunohistochemistry plays a crucial role in the diagnosis and differentiation of these subgroups.

Antibiotic-Resistant Gram-negative Bacteria Carriage in Healthcare Workers Working in an Intensive Care Unit / 감염과화학요법

Little is known about antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) intestinal carriage among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Vietnam. All HCWs at a tertiary intensive care units were asked to undertake weekly rectal swabs. Among 40 participants, 65% (26/40) carried extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL)/AmpC β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli. Two HCWs colonized with ESBL/AmpC β-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae. One HCW colonized with Acinetobacter baumannii. No one carried Pseudomonas spp.. A quarter (10/40) of HCWs were identified as persistent and frequent carriers. There is an urgent need to screen antibiotic-resistant GNB among HCWs and improve HCWs' hand hygiene compliance to reduce the transmission of antibiotic-resistant GNB in the hospital.

Antibiotic-Resistant Gram-negative Bacteria Carriage in Healthcare Workers Working in an Intensive Care Unit / 감염과화학요법

Little is known about antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) intestinal carriage among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Vietnam. All HCWs at a tertiary intensive care units were asked to undertake weekly rectal swabs. Among 40 participants, 65% (26/40) carried extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL)/AmpC β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli. Two HCWs colonized with ESBL/AmpC β-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae. One HCW colonized with Acinetobacter baumannii. No one carried Pseudomonas spp.. A quarter (10/40) of HCWs were identified as persistent and frequent carriers. There is an urgent need to screen antibiotic-resistant GNB among HCWs and improve HCWs' hand hygiene compliance to reduce the transmission of antibiotic-resistant GNB in the hospital.

The COVID-19 pandemic in the ASEAN: A preliminary report on the spread, burden and medical capacities

Objective: To provide preliminary descriptions of the spread, burden and related medical capacity characteristics of the ASEAN countries. Methods: We utilized the data from four main official databases, including WHO reports, the Statistics and Research of the Coronavirus Disease, and the Southeast Asia Program of the Center for Strategic and International Study. The spread of the COVID- 19 pandemic, current burden and the COVID-19 medical response capacities were extracted before April 11, 2020. Results: As of April 13, 2020, the ASEAN countries reported 19 547 COVID-19 positive cases with 817 deaths (case-facility rate of 4.2%). Thailand was the first country in the region that reported having the COVID-19 cases, while Laos was the last to report confirmed COVID-19 cases. Durations for the number of deaths to double were between 8-12 days. For the testing and treatment capacities, the number of PCR tests provided to the populations was the highest in Vietnam, followed by Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. Meanwhile, the percentage of the population being tested was the highest in Brunei (2.31%), followed by Singapore (1.30%). Conclusions: A wide range of interventions were taken into practice in response to the outbreak with an effort of curbing the rise of this pandemic. However, special care should not be overlooked as the pandemic is placing a huge impact on the population and becomes increasingly unpredictable. To tackle the spread of the pandemic in the region, the ASEAN countries should work together as one community to provide better responses to future pandemics and other transboundary public health challenges.

The COVID-19 pandemic in the ASEAN: A preliminary report on the spread, burden and medical capacities

Objective: To provide preliminary descriptions of the spread, burden and related medical capacity characteristics of the ASEAN countries. Methods: We utilized the data from four main official databases, including WHO reports, the Statistics and Research of the Coronavirus Disease, and the Southeast Asia Program of the Center for Strategic and International Study. The spread of the COVID- 19 pandemic, current burden and the COVID-19 medical response capacities were extracted before April 11, 2020. Results: As of April 13, 2020, the ASEAN countries reported 19 547 COVID-19 positive cases with 817 deaths (case-facility rate of 4.2%). Thailand was the first country in the region that reported having the COVID-19 cases, while Laos was the last to report confirmed COVID-19 cases. Durations for the number of deaths to double were between 8-12 days. For the testing and treatment capacities, the number of PCR tests provided to the populations was the highest in Vietnam, followed by Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. Meanwhile, the percentage of the population being tested was the highest in Brunei (2.31%), followed by Singapore (1.30%). Conclusions: A wide range of interventions were taken into practice in response to the outbreak with an effort of curbing the rise of this pandemic. However, special care should not be overlooked as the pandemic is placing a huge impact on the population and becomes increasingly unpredictable. To tackle the spread of the pandemic in the region, the ASEAN countries should work together as one community to provide better responses to future pandemics and other transboundary public health challenges.

Study Design for the 2016 Baseline Survey of a Health System Strengthening Project in Quoc Oai District, Hanoi, Vietnam

BACKGROUND: In order to provide essential scientific evidence on the population's health status and social health determinants as well as the current capacity of the health care system in Vietnam to health policy makers and managers, Vietnam Ministry of Health, Hanoi University of Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, and Ho Chi Minh University of Medicine and Pharmacy collaborated with Seoul National University (Korea) and conducted a health system survey in the Quoc Oai district (of Hanoi capital) that represented northern rural Vietnam. METHODS: The study design was a cross-sectional study. The survey covered different topics (more than 200 questions) and was administered in three separate questionnaires: 1) Basic information of all household members; 2) Household characteristics; and 3) Individual characteristics. Socio-demographic characteristics among the households and individuals were collected from 2,400 households sampled by multi-stage cluster sampling method: more than 200 questions. RESULTS: The household size of Quoc Oai was larger than the national average and there was no significant difference in gender composition. In addition, the proportions of pre-elderly, age 55–64, and elderly group (65 years old and over) were higher than the national population statistics. In this context, demographic transition has begun in Quoc Oai. CONCLUSION: This study design description provides the basic information about a baseline survey of a future prospective cohort (as a part of a collaborative project on strengthening the health system in Vietnam) to the prospective data user of this survey.

Cost of Hospitalization for Foodborne Diarrhea: A Case Study from Vietnam

Vietnam is undergoing a rapid social and economic developments resulting in speedy urbanization, changes in methods for animal production, food marketing systems, and food consumption habits. These changes will have major impacts on human exposures to food poisoning. The present case study aimed to estimate hospitalization costs of foodborne diarrhea cases in selected health facilities in Vietnam. This is a facility-based cost-of-illness study conducted in seven health facilities in Northern Vietnam. All suspect cases of foodborne diarrhea, as diagnosed by doctors, who admitted to the studied health facilities during June-August, 2013 were selected. Costs associated with hospitalization for foodborne diseases were estimated from societal perspective using retrospective approach. We included direct and indirect costs of hospitalization of foodborne diarrhea cases. During the study period, 87 foodborne diarrhea cases were included. On average, the costs per treatment episode and per hospitalization day for foodborne diarrhea case were US$ 106.9 and US$ 33.6 respectively. Indirect cost (costs of times to patient, their relatives due to the patient's illness) made up the largest share (51.3%). Direct medical costs accounted for 33.8%; direct non-medical costs (patient and their relatives) represented 14.9%. Cost levels and compositions varied by level of health facilities. More attentions should be paid on prevention, control of foodborne diarrhea cases in Vietnam. Ensuring safety of food depends on efforts of everyone involved in food chain continuum, from production, processing, and transport to consumption.

Patterns of Health Expenditures and Financial Protections in Vietnam 1992-2012

Health financing has been considered as an important building block of a health system and has a key role in promoting universal health coverage in the Vietnam. This paper aims to describe the pattern of health expenditure, including total health expenditure and composition of health expenditure, over the last two decades in Vietnam. The paper mainly uses the data from Vietnam National Health Account and Vietnam Living Standards Survey. We also included data from other relevant published literature, reports and statistics about health care expenditure in Vietnam. The per capita health expenditure in Vietnam increased from US$ 14 in 1995 to US$ 86 in 2012. The total health expenditure as a share of GDP also rose from 5.2% in 1995 to 6.9% in 2012. Public health expenditure as percentage of government expenditure rose from 7.4% in 1995 to nearly 10% in 2012. The coverage of health insurance went up from 10% in 1995 to 68.5% in 2012. However, health financing in Vietnam was depending on private expenditures (57.4% in 2012). As a result, the proportion of households with catastrophic expenditure in 2012 was 4.2%. The rate of impoverishment in 2012 was 2.5%. To ensure equity and efficient goal of health system, policy actions for containing the health care out-of-pocket payments and their poverty impacts are urgently needed in Vietnam.

Effects of varying dilutions, pH, temperature and cations on spermatozoa motility in fish Larimichthys polyactis.

The objectives of this present study were to assess the effects of varying dilutions, pH, temperature and cations on spermatozoa motile parameters (SMPs) in fish Larimichthys polyactis. Optimal SMPs were observed when semen was diluted in artificial seawater (ASW) at a ratio of 1 to 100, with temperature of 10oC and pH 8.0. The spermatozoa of L. polyactis were immotile in distilled water and motile in solution containing different cations. Maximum SMPs were obtained in each solution containing 0.4 mol NaCl, 0.4 mol KCl, 0.2 mol CaCl2 and 0.2 mol MgCl2. This study provides baseline knowledge of L. polyactis spermatozoa sensitivity of pH, temperature and cationic effects.

Evaluation of the efficacy of cynoff 25 ULV to eradicate aedes species, dengue vectors in Vietnam, 2004

Background: Dengue fever remains a major public health problem in Vietnam. It was transmitted through two main Aedes species, namely Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in which Aedes aegypti played the predominant role in transmitting the dengue viruses (accounted for 94% of the Aedes genus).Different groups of insecticides have been widely used in the community. As a consequence, it increased the resistance level of Aedes vectors to the insecticides. Therefore, a new synthesized insecticide was required for future control and prevention of dengue epidemics. \r\n', u'Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of Cynoff 25 ULV in suppressing Aedes species in Vietnam. \r\n', u'Subjects and methods: The study was conducted in the entomology laboratory and in the fields of Ha Tay province. ULV spraying was implemented in Hiengiang commune, Thuongtin district, in comparison with a control area, Van Mo commune in Ha Dong town.\r\n', u'Results and conclusions: : Cynoff 25 ULV had a high efficacy that kills over 90% of 2 dengue vector species, namely Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopicctus after 24 hours exposure at the distance of 30 meters from the brass nozzle of a STIHL SR 400 sprayer. In the field trials, Cynoff 25 ULV also had high efficacy in killing Aedes species, e.g. 100% of Aedes species were killed after spraying and the effects lasted for 3 months for Aedes aegypti and one month for Aedes albopictus species. The insecticide had no side-effects or any other adverse effects to humans, livestock and the environment in the intervention areas. \r\n', u'

Notes on the diagnosis and treatment of bone fractures of the limbs with injury of peripheral vessels in the Department of traumatology at Viet Tiep Hospital, Hai Phong city

27 patients with the diagnosis of bone fractures of the limbs with injury of peripheral vessels were treated in Viet Tiep Hospital, Hai Phong city from January 2001 to November 2002. Their majority was male persons of productive age and the main cause was traffic casualties 74%, among them underwent early operation within 6 hours. 6 patients underwent a bone combination with intraspinal nail or Kirchner needle. Among 23 preserved cases, only in 8 cases, the function of the limbs was well rehabilitated, the rest were moderate and bad. In 4 cases, it must undergo an amputation at 2nd time because the late diagnosis and had been missing.

Some opinions of 50 patients with the scapular periarthritis treated by massage therapy and acupuncture point press in Friendship Hospital

The scapular periarthritis is a common disease in elderly. 50 patients with scapular periarthritis without the physical causes were treated by the massage therapy and the acupuncture point press. The results have shown that the treatment had good effects in 80% patients.

The situation of hearing in workers exposing to organic solvent at some productive facilities

The incidence of hearing loss in workers who have exposed to organic solvent is 16.3%. The workers in the General Painting Company have highest hearing loss incidence, followed by Phuc Yen and Yen Vien Shoe Companies and Hung Yen Plastic Company. The risk of hearing loss is increased with presence of hazardous factors that involved in working environment (organic solvents and noisy), simultaneously it depended on the pollution of these factors. The worker group that has exposed to one occupational hazardous factor as organic solvent showed sound deaf alone type in the audiogram, and the group that exposed to both factors showed the V shape audiogram

Clinical feature, genetic analysis and treatment of primary gelatinous Drop-like dystrophy

A first male patient with age of 30 in Vietnam had typical clinical symptoms and histopathological features of the primary gelatinous Drop-like dystrophy. This was the first time the research on the genetic mutation affirmed the hereditary of the disease. The combination of surgery with the open amniotic transplantation was new method of the treatment.

Study on immune response caused by a National Standard Rabies Vaccine candidate produced in Viet Nam

40 out of 50 subjects bitten by dog/cat were injected completely 4- 6 doses of rabies vaccine. Using ELISA, the authors found that 42.5% of serum samples that taken after injecting 4 doses of rabies vaccine had antibody titer 0.5IU/ml, met the WHO’s minimum requirement. The GMT was 2.71IU/ml. 62.5% of serum samples taken after injecting 6 doses of rabies vaccine had antibody titer 0.5IU/ml. The GMT was 3.14EU/ml

Establishment the National References for rabies vaccine produced in Viet Nam

This is a study on establishing the National References for inactivated rabies vaccine for human produced in ViÖt Nam. The results showed that the ViÖt Nam National References for Rabies Vaccine met the requirements of WHO

Primary evaluation for ventricular function in healthy adults using radio nuclide ventriculography (R.A)

The study was conducted on 25 healthy subjects (15 males, 10 females) with age ranged from 15 - 60 years. None have heart disease that identified by physical examination, cardiogram and echocardiography. Method of R.A with SPECT and S.A.G.E - Cardiac software was used. Main measurements were emptying parameters, filling parameters and wall motion. Findings suggested that indices of EF, PFR and TPF were similar to that of other oversea studies. Indices of TES, PER, TPE, 1/3EF, 1/3ER, MFR, 1/3FF, 1/3FR were showed but could not compare with other authors because of data limitation in literature. Indices of REF and RRS of wall motion were lower than that of other studies.

Investigation on mechanism and drug kinetic release of sodium diclofenac microgranules

The aim of this research is to investigate the mechanism and kinetics of drug release from the core and coated pellets containing sodium diclofenac. Avicel was found to be a good excipient to prepare matrix-type pellets. The drug release could be sustained up to 12 hours. the rate of drug release was fit to Higuchi's model. The microphotograph revealed that the drug release was controlled by the diffusion from the isoluble matrix. The drug release was sustained up to 24 hours. The rate of drug release was fit to Higuchi's model, too. The mechanism of drug release was determined to be the diffusion from insoluble matrix and through the insoluble membrane.

Clinical features in comparison with CT imaging in 82 bronchiectastic patients

Objective: We conducted a multicenter study aimed to determine the sensitivity and the specificity of clinical signs of bronchiectasis in comparison with high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings. Subject and method: 82 patients (60 males and 22 females) with clinical symptoms and chest X-rays findings of bronchiectasis. All participants underwent HRCT with 1-2 mm collimation. The clinical signs of bronchiectasis were correlated with findings on the HCRT imaging, the sensitivity (Se) and the specificity (Sp) of each method were calculated. Results: HRCT findings showed that the simple bronchiectasis occupied in 39% and combined with emphysema in 61% of cases. All patients had symptoms of bronchiectasis, included cough with sputum in 82% (Se 97.5%, Sp 16.6%); hemoptisis in 52.80% (Se 65.8%, Sp 85.3%); dysapnea 28.1% (Se 33%, Sp 72%); chest pain 33.70% (Se 33%, Sp 8.5%). The combination of crackle, rhonchus and wheeze in 28% patients produced Se (35.6%) and Sp (87.8%) higher than that of other authors. This related to bronchiectasis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in our group study. Conclusion: The abnormalities revealed by HRCT produced the sensitivity of 98% and the specificity of 99% in bronchiectasis diagnosis, so HRCT seems to be very useful for evaluate bronchiectasis.