Presence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Antibodies Among Vietnamese Healthcare Workers by Dosing Interval for ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Vaccine.

BACKGROUND: Before the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant arrived in Vietnam, case rates suggested seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 was low. Beginning in March 2021, we assessed different dosing schedules and adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) for ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine among healthcare workers (HCWs). METHODS: We performed a prospective cohort study to estimate the prevalence of IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 before and after ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccination. We conducted antibody testing among HCWs in February 2021 (baseline), before the second dose (June-July 2021), and 1 and 3 months after the second dose. We detected antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 using Tetracore® FlexImmArray™, and surrogate neutralizing antibodies using GenScript cPass™. Neither assay can distinguish natural from vaccine-induced antibodies. We assessed AEFIs through interview post-dose 1 and 1 month post-dose 2. RESULTS: Before vaccination, 1/617 participants (0.16%) had antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. Of these 617, 405 were vaccinated with ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 with 4-8- (60%), 9-12- (27%), or ≥13-week (13%) intervals between the 2 doses. Three months following series completion, 99% and 97% of vaccinated participants had ≥1 sample with detectable antibodies and surrogate neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, respectively. We observed no significant differences among those with different dosing intervals at last follow-up. All participants reported PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 during the study; 2 (0.5%) were laboratory-confirmed. AEFIs were more frequent post-dose 1 (81%) vs post-dose 2 (21%). CONCLUSIONS: In this population, regardless of dosing interval, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 induced antibodies within 3 months of the second dose. These findings may offer flexibility to policymakers when balancing programmatic considerations with vaccine effectiveness.

Procalcitonin (PCT)-guided antibiotic stewardship in Asia-Pacific countries: adaptation based on an expert consensus meeting.

Introduction Recently, an expert consensus on optimal use of procalcitonin (PCT)-guided antibiotic stewardship was published focusing mainly on Europe and the United States. However, for Asia-Pacific countries, recommendations may need adaptation due to differences in types of infections, available resources and standard of clinical care. Methods Practical experience with PCT-guided antibiotic stewardship was discussed among experts from different countries, reflecting on the applicability of the proposed Berlin consensus algorithms for Asia-Pacific. Using a Delphi process, the group reached consensus on two PCT algorithms for the critically ill and the non-critically ill patient populations. Results The group agreed that the existing evidence for PCT-guided antibiotic stewardship in patients with acute respiratory infections and sepsis is generally valid also for Asia-Pacific countries, in regard to proposed PCT cut-offs, emphasis on diagnosis, prognosis and antibiotic stewardship, overruling criteria and inevitable adaptations to clinical settings. However, the group noted an insufficient database on patients with tropical diseases currently limiting the clinical utility in these patients. Also, due to lower resource availabilities, biomarker levels may be measured less frequently and only when changes in treatment are highly likely. Conclusions Use of PCT to guide antibiotic stewardship in conjunction with continuous education and regular feedback to all stakeholders has high potential to improve the utilization of antibiotic treatment also in Asia-Pacific countries. However, there is need for adaptations of existing algorithms due to differences in types of infections and routine clinical care. Further research is needed to understand the optimal use of PCT in patients with tropical diseases.

Patient and procedural characteristics for successful and failed immediate tracheal extubation in the operating room following cardiac surgery in infancy.

BACKGROUND: Immediate extubation in the operating room after congenital heart surgery is practiced with rising frequency at many cardiac institutions to decrease costs and complications. Infants less than one year of age are also increasingly selected for this 'fast track'. However, factors for patient selection, success, or failure of this practice have not been well defined in this population, yet are critical for patient safety. OBJECTIVE: To identify selection criteria, patient and procedural characteristics for successful or failed very early endotracheal extubation in the operating room immediately following infant heart surgery. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for 326 consecutive patients undergoing neonatal and infant heart surgery from 2009 to 2012. Extubation and reintubation data were taken from the institutional Society of Thoracic Surgeons database and patients' charts. Patient characteristics were derived using multivariable logistic regression models. RESULTS: Very early extubation in the operating room was performed for 130 of 326 neonates and infants (40%). Weight >4 kg, lesser procedural complexity, and absence of trisomy 21 were identified as significant predictors for attempted very early extubation. Of these patients, 12% required reintubation within 48 h following surgery, predominantly due to respiratory failure or for mediastinal re-exploration. Greater procedural complexity was associated with failed extubations. Reintubation was associated with prolonged hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: Extubation immediately after infant heart surgery in the operating room can be safely achieved. However, our data suggest that patients undergoing more complex procedures should be selected more conservatively for immediate early extubation.

Upper body central venous catheters in pediatric cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: A central venous catheter located in the jugular or subclavian vein provides rapid, reliable vascular access for pediatric heart surgery. However, intravascular catheters are associated with vessel injury. Stenosis or thrombosis of central veins in the upper body can lead to 'superior vena cava syndrome' with markedly elevated venous pressures in the head and neck, causing facial swelling and headaches. This complication may be especially serious for patients with superior cavopulmonary (Glenn) or total cavopulmonary (Fontan) circulation. The authors hypothesized that upper body central line placement would be associated with a low risk of venous thrombosis or stenosis. METHODS: A three-year retrospective review of infant and univentricular cardiac procedures at a single institution was performed. Two hundred and thirty-five consecutive cardiac surgical patients <1 year of age or undergoing palliation for univentricular cardiac anatomy up to five years of age during January 2010 to December 2012 were included in this study. Upper body central lines are routinely placed by the anesthesiologist after induction of anesthesia for pediatric cardiac surgery at the study institution. The major exception is existing central venous access via an umbilical vein or femoral vein. Patients <2 years of age received a 4.0-French, 5-cm double-lumen central line [Cook Medical polyurethane, no antibiotic or heparin coating]. Those over two years of age received a 5.0-French, 8-cm triple lumen central line [Cook Medical polyurethane, no antibiotic or heparin coating]. A retrospective review of charts, hospital reports, echocardiographic studies, and cardiac catheterization studies was performed. RESULTS: The combined population of infants <1 year of age and patients <5 years of age with functional univentricular hearts totaled 235 patients who underwent 261 cardiac surgical operations. In this cohort of 261 cases, 171 size 4.0 or 5.0-French upper body central lines were inserted. A total of 158 right internal jugular vein catheters were placed. Two left internal jugular lines, two left subclavian lines, and nine right subclavian lines were placed in this population after failure to obtain right internal jugular access. Due to the small sample size (N = 13), the central lines not placed in the right internal jugular vein were excluded from further review. Two cases with right internal jugular venous lines were excluded due to death (without known stenosis or thrombosis) with the line in place. Twenty-three size 4.0- or 5.0-French right internal jugular central venous lines were placed in patients over one year of age (range 1.1-4.3 years) having modified Glenn- or Fontan-type surgery. The central lines were removed with a median of 1.4 days after insertion (range 0.7-8.2 days) for these older children, compared with a median of 4.2 days of age (range 0.3-19.3 days) for the 133 children <1 year of age. Retrospective chart review of nursing notes, progress notes, cardiology notes, discharge summaries, echocardiographic reports, and cardiac catheterization reports for all patients who received an upper body central venous line (internal jugular or subclavian) showed no definitive diagnosis of an upper body venous stenosis or thrombosis related to the central venous line. A further targeted review of echocardiographic and cardiac catheterization studies for univentricular cardiac patients failed to show stenosis or thrombosis of a vessel associated with upper body central line placement. CONCLUSIONS: This study describes one institution's experience with routine upper body central venous catheter placement for neonatal and infant cardiac surgery as well as univentricular cardiac palliation (Glenn and Fontan procedures) with minimal risk of clinically significant catheter-associated vessel thrombosis or stenosis. No upper body central venous stenosis or thrombosis was detected in association with perioperative catheter placement in the upper body central venous system, primarily the right internal jugular vein in 156 cases. Right internal jugular central line placement for infant cardiac surgery can be utilized with a low risk of direct venous thrombosis or stenosis.

Performance of rest myocardial perfusion imaging in the management of acute chest pain in the emergency room in developing nations (PREMIER trial).

BACKGROUND: Rest myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is effective in managing patients with acute chest pain in developed countries. We aimed to define the role and feasibility of rest MPI in low-to-middle income countries. METHODS AND RESULTS: Low-to-intermediate risk patients (n = 356) presenting with chest pain to ten centers in eight developing countries were injected with a Tc-99m-based tracer, and standard imaging was performed. The primary outcome was a composite of death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), recurrent angina, and coronary revascularization at 30 days. Sixty-nine patients had a positive MPI (19.4%), and 52 patients (14.6%) had a primary outcome event. An abnormal rest-MPI result was the only variable which independently predicted the primary outcome [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 8.19, 95% confidence interval 4.10-16.40, P = .0001]. The association of MPI result and the primary outcome was stronger (adjusted OR 17.35) when only the patients injected during pain were considered. Rest-MPI had a negative predictive value of 92.7% for the primary outcome, improving to 99.3% for the hard event composite of death or MI. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that rest-MPI is a reliable test for ruling out MI when applied to patients in developing countries.

Vietnamese traditional medicine from a pharmacist's perspective.

Traditional medicine plays an important role in the healthcare system of Vietnam. Vietnamese traditional medicine (VTM) is underpinned by the oriental philosophy and theory of healing. VTM is largely influenced by traditional Chinese medicine, but differs to a certain extent. VTM is largely not evidence-based from a clinical perspective but subclinical research data from the past decades support the traditional use of many herbal VTM drugs. For safe use, knowledge of the occurrence of adverse reactions and herb-drug interactions is necessary. The Vietnamese government supports further development of VTM in a scientific way and integration of VTM with Western medicine. This article first gives an overview of the general aspects of VTM (historical perspective, regulatory aspects, comparison with traditional Chinese medicine, philosophical background, the Vietnamese market situation, quality assurance and formulations), and subsequently focuses on its safe and effective use in Vietnamese clinical pharmacy and medical practice.

Lessons learned from 119 consecutive cardiac transplants for pediatric and congenital heart disease.

BACKGROUND: This manuscript reviews all patients who underwent orthotopic heart transplantations (OHT) at our program (116 patients underwent 119 OHT) to describe their diagnostic characteristics and to assess risk factors for mortality. METHODS: Median age at OHT was 179 days (mean, 1,446.6 ± 188.9 days [4.0 ± 0.5 years]; range, 5 days to 7,125 days [19.5 years]; 15 neonates, 68 infants). Median weight at OHT was 5.5 kg (mean, 17.2 ± 2.1 kg; range, 2.2 to 113 kg). Diagnoses were cardiomyopathy (n = 37), primary transplantation for hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) or HLHS-related malformation (n = 29), transplantation after prior cardiac surgery for HLHS or HLHS-related malformation (n = 9), non-HLHS congenital heart disease (n = 39), and retransplant (n = 5). RESULTS: Overall Kaplan-Meier 5-year survival was 72.7%. Operative mortality was 12.6% (15 patients). Late mortality was 13.4% (16 patients). Eighty-five patients survived, with a mean follow-up of 5.76 ± 0.48 years (median, 5.1 years; range, 0.12 to 14.0 years). Total follow-up was 507.0 years. No survival difference was seen among the five diagnostic subgroups (p = 0.20). Univariate association between risk factors and survival was assessed for the following variables: age (p = 0.91), weight (p = 0.86), sex (p = 0.47), race (p = 0.40), insurance classification (p = 0.42), high PRA (p = 0.20), pretransplant mechanical circulatory support (p < 0.001), posttransplant mechanical circulatory support (p < 0.001), redo sternotomy (p = 0.07), heterotaxy (p = 0.02), cardiopulmonary bypass time (p = 0.01), and donor heart cross-clamp time (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Excellent results are expected for children undergoing OHT regardless of diagnostic classification. Pretransplant mechanical circulatory support, posttransplant mechanical circulatory support, cardiopulmonary bypass time, donor heart cross-clamp time, and heterotaxy are risk factors for decreased survival.

[A study of cardiovascular risk factors associated with atherosclerosis of thoracic aorta detected by transesophageal echocardiography in Vietnam]. / Etude des facteurs de risque cardio-vasculaire associés à l'athérosclérose de l'aorte thoracique dépistée par échocardiographie trans-oesophagienne au Viêt-Nam.

This study was designed to assess the relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and the presence of atherosclerosis aortic lesions detected by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), The purpose was to determine if risk factors observed in Vietnam are similar to those detected in industrial countries. Between 2000 and 2002, TEE was performed in a total of 181 patients with a mean age of 63.1 +/- 9.4 (range, 42 to 79). In male patients over the age of 60 years, smoking, hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia were associated with significantly greater thickness of the intima and significantly higher number of complex lesions at all levels of thoracic aorta. Presence of these risk factors was associated with a 4.2 to 7.9 fold higher likelihood of atherosclerotic plaque. Findings in our population of hospital patients in Vietnam indicate that, as in Western populations, age, male gender, smoking, arterial hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia promote the appearance of plaques in the thoracic aorta. This study provides insight into the cardiovascular risk situation in a city in Southeastern Asia.