The Ratio of Contrast Volume/Glomerular Filtration Rate and Urine NGAL Predicts the Progression of Acute Kidney Injury to Chronic Kidney Disease in Patients After Planned Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Objective: To evaluate the value of contrast volume/glomerular filtration ratio (Vc/eGFR ratio) and urine Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (uNGAL) in predicting the progression contract associated-acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) to chronic kidney disease (CKD) in planned percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) patients. Patients and Methods: We examined 387 adult patients who had undergone planned percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We determined acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) using the criteria set by the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO). We calculated the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using the CKD-EPI formula based on serum creatinine levels. To determine the Vc/eGFR ratio, we considered the contrast medium volume and eGFR for each patient. Additionally, we measured urine NGAL levels using the ELISA method. Results: The percentage of CA-AKI patients who developed CKD after planned PCI was 36.36%. Within the CA-AKI to CKD group, the Vc/eGFR ratio was 2.82, and uNGAL levels were significantly higher at 72.74 ng/mL compared to 1.93 ng/mL for Vc/eGFR ratio and 46.57 ng/mL for uNGAL in the recovery CA-AKI group. This difference was statistically significant (p<0.001). Diabetic mellitus, urine NGAL concentration, and Vc/eGFR ratio were found to be independent factors in the progression of CA-AKI to CKD. The Vc/eGFR ratio and uNGAL showed predictive capabilities for progressing CA-AKI to CKD with an AUC of 0.884 and 0.878, respectively. The sensitivity was 81.3% for both, while the specificity was 89.3% for Vc/eGFR ratio and 85.7% for uNGAL. Conclusion: The Vc/eGFR ratio and uNGAL were good predictors for CA-AKI to CKD in planned PCI patients.

Relationship Between Metacognitive Awareness of Undergraduate Students and Students' Academic Performance at Vietnam Military Medical University.

Introduction: Metacognition plays an essential role in competency-based medical education. Metacognitive skills consist of knowledge and regulation metacognition. This study was conducted to investigate the metacognition of undergraduate students and its correlation with students' academic performance. Methods: The metacognitive skills inventory comprised 52 binary-scale items administered to 202 Vietnam Military Medical University medical students. The entire semester and clinical results were used to measure their academic performance. Results: Medical students' total metacognitive awareness score was high (median 0.8). The median metacognitive knowledge score was significantly lower than the metacognitive regulation score (0.7 vs 0.8, respectively). The participants with a total metacognition score ≥0.8 had significantly higher academic results (full semester exam results of 7.4 and clinical exam of 7.5). The group of participants in the military, having sports habits and usually searching academic documents in English, had a higher proportion of total metacognitive awareness score ≥0.8 than the group without these above characteristics (with the percentages of 53.3%, 59%, and 64.3%, respectively; p < 0.05). The number of books read by participants with a total metacognitive awareness score ≥ 0.8 was significantly higher than those with a total metacognitive awareness score <0.8 (3.5 compared to 2.4 books). Conclusion: Metacognitive awareness of Vietnam Military Medical University medical students was likely to be high. A high score of metacognitive awareness could predict high academic performance. Being a military student, playing sports, reading books, and searching English documents were predictors of better metacognitive awareness.

Urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin predicted to contrast-associated acute kidney injury after planned percutaneous coronary intervention in elderly patients.

AIM: To determine the proportion of contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and the predictive value of urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL) for CA-AKI in elderly patients with chronic coronary artery disease. METHODS: A total of 509 patients who had planned percutaneous coronary intervention (mean age was 63.58 ± 11.63 years and 63.3% of males) were divided into two groups: group 1 (n = 153; elderly patients) with ≥70 years old and group 2 (n = 356) with <70 years old. Urine NGAL was measured by the ELISA method. Clinical and laboratory data were collected on the day before intervention. CA-AKI was defined based on Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes criteria. RESULTS: The ratio of CA-AKI in group 1 was 23.5% which was higher than that of group 2 (8.7%) with a p-value < 0.001. Urine NGAL level in group 1 was significantly higher than that of group 2 [31.3 (19.16-55.13) ng/ml vs. 19.86 (13.21-29.04) ng/ml, p < 0.001]. At a cut-off value of 44.43 ng/ml, uNGAL had a predictive value for CA-AKI in all patients (AUC = 0.977, p < 0.001). Especially at a cut-off value of 44.14 ng/ml, uNGAL had a predictive value for CA-AKI in elderly patients (AUC = 0.979, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of CA-AKI after PCI in elderly patients was 23.5%. Urine NGAL before PCI had a good predictive value for CA-AKI in elderly patients with chronic coronary artery disease.

Association of serum adiponectin and leptin levels with renal function in kidney transplant recipients with or without new-onset diabetes after transplantation.

PURPOSE: To evaluate serum adiponectin and leptin concentration in new-onset diabetes after transplantation (NODAT) and non-NODAT patients and association with renal function in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A study of 314 consecutive adults KTRs divided into four groups: 236 individuals without NODAT who had renal insufficiency (RI; n = 56) or normal renal function (n = 180) and 78 patients with NODAT who had RI (n = 17) or normal renal function (n = 61). NODAT was diagnosed based on venous fasting blood glucose or HbA1c with the criteria of the American Diabetes Association. Renal insufficiency was defined according to KDOQI 2002 guidelines. RESULTS: In the NODAT group, the median level of serum adiponectin was lower than that of non-NODAT one (30 µg/ml vs 37.15 µg/ml, p < 0.001); in contrast, the median leptin concentration was higher (4.27 ng/ml vs 4.05 ng/ml, p = 0.024). In the RI group, both median serum adiponectin and leptin levels were higher than those of non-RI one (Adiponectin: 40.01 µg/ml vs 33.7 µg/ml; Leptin: 4.51 ng/ml vs 3.91 ng/ml, p < 0.001 both). We found that BMI was related to both adiponectin and leptin levels in both NODAT, non-NODAT, and all subject groups, based on univariate and multivariate linear regression analysis. CONCLUSION: New-onset diabetes after transplantation, BMI, and renal insufficiency were affected to the serum level of adiponectin and leptin in KTRs.

Serum osteoprotegerin level in hemodialysis patients using low-flux reused dialyzer in relation to atherosclerosis.

AIMS: To assess the relation of high serum OPG level and carotid atherosclerosis in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients using low-flux reused dialyzer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined 209 MHD patients with and without carotid atherosclerosis (83 patients and 126 patients) to establish the relation between OPG and atherosclerosis. RESULTS: The proportion of carotid atherosclerosis was 39.7%. The median serum OPG level was 45.3 pmol/L. Serum OPG had a good predicting value for atherosclerosis in MHD patients using low-flux reused dialyzer (AUC = 0.934, p < 0.001, cutoff value = 43.35 pmol/L, Se = 81.3%, Sp = 90.9%). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, serum OPG had a good predicting value for atherosclerosis in MHD patients using low-flux reused dialyzer.

Overhydration and low serum prealbumin predict peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we focused on the role of overhydration (OH) and low serum prealbumin concentration in predicting peritonitis in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients over a 3-year period. METHODS: We measured serum prealbumin concentration and OH by body composition monitor in 278 CAPD patients (159 males and 119 females) with a mean age of 46 years and a median peritoneal dialysis (PD) duration of 21 months. Cases of PD-related peritonitis were collected over 3 years. RESULTS: After the 3-year follow-up, 44 patients were diagnosed with PD-related peritonitis (15.8%). Low education, serum glucose, prealbumin, and OH were independent risk factors for predicting peritonitis over 36 months in CAPD patients. Based on the ROC curve model and Kaplan-Meier analysis, we realized that low prealbumin and high OH were independent predictors of 3-year peritonitis in CAPD patients (Prealbumin: AUC = 0.838, cut-off value = 32.5 mg/dL, Se = 90.9%, Sp = 32.9%; OH: AUC = 0.851, cut-off value = 1.33 L, Se = 79.5%, Sp = 85.5%; and log-rank test p <  0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Overhydration and low serum prealbumin were the independent predictors of PD-related peritonitis in CAPD patients.

Drug compliance and side effects in MDA with a combination of diethylcarbamazine and albendazone in five villages of Khanh Hoa province's Khanh Vinh district

A survey on the drug compliance and side effects of DEC with dose of 6mg/kg and albendazone with dose of 400mg/kg was conducted in 5 communes of Khan Vinh district, Khan Hoa province. 831 people were interviewed for KAP, the average rate of taking medicines was 86%. The rate of side effects was 14%, including giddiness 6%, fever 0.6%, headache 1.68%, colic and nausea 1.32%, body pain 2.52%, tiredness 1.32% and others 4.69%