Background Although QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus), a new interferon-gamma release assay, has shown good performance in adults, little data is available in children. Methods De-identified data from TB-suspected patients age <18 years with QFT-Plus results, who were admitted or screened at the National Lung Hospital (NLH) in Ha Noi, Vietnam in 2017, were assessed. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the characteristics associated with having a positive QFT-Plus result. Sensitivity, both overall and in subgroups of pulmonary TB only (PTB), extra-pulmonary TB (EPTB) only, and both PTB and EPTB were calculated. Results Of 222 children with available QFT-Plus results, 33 were classified as confirmed TB, of whom 18 had QFT-Plus (+) and 15 had QFT-Plus (-). Multiple logistic regression modeling suggested that age, history of TB, and confirmed TB were significantly associated with having a positive QFT-Plus result with an area under the ROC curve of 0.77. QFT-Plus sensitivity in PTB only, EPTB, and both PTB and EPTB patients was 84.2%, 14.3% and 14.3%, respectively. The overall sensitivity of the QFT-Plus assay (regardless PTB or EPTB) in children was 54.5%. Conclusion Although QFT-Plus had a good sensitivity in children having exclusive PTB, it had poor sensitivity in EPTB.

This study is aimed at examining the sociodemographic factors associated with the utilization of labor epidural analgesia at a large obstetric and gynecology hospital in Vietnam. This was a cross-sectional study of women who underwent vaginal delivery in September 2018 at the Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital. The utilization of epidural analgesia during labor was determined. Univariate and multivariate regression models were applied to evaluate the association between patient demographic and socioeconomic factors and request for labor epidural analgesia. A total of 417 women had vaginal deliveries during the study period. 207 women utilized epidural analgesia for pain relief during labor, and 210 did not. Parturients older than 35 years of age (OR 2.84, 95% CI 1.11-8.17), multiparous women (OR 2.8 95% CI 1.85-4.25), women living from an urban area, women with higher income (OR 6.47, 95% CI 2.59-19.23), and women with higher level of education were more likely to utilize labor epidurals. Factors related to a parturient request for epidural analgesia during labor at our tertiary obstetric hospital included age greater than 35 years, multiparity, and high income and education levels. Educational outreach to women about the benefits of epidural analgesia can target women who do not share these demographic characteristics.

Background and Aims. Virtual magnifying chromoendoscopy with flexible spectral imaging color enhancement (FICE), image-enhanced endoscopy techniques, and dye-staining magnifying chromoendoscopy (with Indigo carmine and Crystal violet) have contributed to better visualization of the pit pattern and vascular structure of colorectal polyp. Therefore, magnifying chromoendoscopy is capable of predicting the histopathological results of colorectal polyp without biopsy and remains their diagnostic values over time, especially in scare-setting resources. This study compared the images of magnifying chromoendoscopy between FICE, Indigo carmine, and Crystal violet and then assessed their diagnostic values based on colorectal polyps’ histopathology as a gold standard. Methods. A total of 332 polyps of 266 patients were endoscopically evaluated from June 2016 to September 2019. After identified by white light endoscopy, polyps continued to be evaluated by virtual magnifying chromoendoscopy (×50-150 times) with FICE. The capillary-vessel pattern was divided into 5 subtypes according to the number, morphology, and distribution of the fine blood vessels according to Teixeira classification. Next, they were stained with Indigo carmine 0.2% and then Crystal violet 0.05% and were classified according to Kudo’s pit pattern classification. Finally, polyps were resected by endoscopy or surgery and biopsy and compared with histopathological results of either neoplastic or nonplastic polyp. Results. The number of neoplastic polyps was 278/332 with 231 adenoma polyps and 47 carcinoma polyps. Magnifying chromoendoscopy has high sensitivity and accuracy when compared with the histopathological results of colorectal polyps. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of magnifying chromoendoscopy with Crystal violet are 97.2%, 72.2%, and 93.0%; with Indigo carmine are 96.0%, 72.2%, and 92.1%; and with FICE are 92.1%, 68.5%, and 88.3%.Conclusions. Among the three methods, Crystal violet has the highest sensitivity and accuracy in predicting histopathological results of colorectal polyps. FICE has shown its diagnostic value with reliable sensitivity and accuracy and should still be a reasonable endoscopic choice for physicians in scare-setting resources regardless its moderate specificity. Physicians should base on their facility and capability to determine an appropriate endoscopy technique.

Aim To determine several clinical and laboratory features as well as the bacterial profile of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) in 58 Vietnamese patients admitted to a single center due to liver cirrhosis. Methods We retrospectively analyzed bacteriological, clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with SBP admitted to the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Center from July 2019 to July 2020. Results Out of a total 58 SBP patients, 41 (70.9%) had culture-negative neutrocytic ascites. The majority of patients experienced abdominal pain (93,1%) and large ascites (65,5%). Gram-negative bacteria formed the main pathogens (14/17). Escherichia coli (9/17) was the predominant cause followed by Burkholderia cepacia (2/17). Antibiotic sensitivity rate of E. coli for third generation cephalosporin was low but high for aminoglycoside and carbapenem antibiotics. The resistance of E. coli was significant against fluoroquinolones (100%). All 3 cases of gram-positive bacteria were sensitive to vancomycin. Conclusion Our study reported the bacteriological and clinical characteristics of patients with SBP and compared these findings between two groups: positive ascitic fluid culture and negative fluid culture. Ascitic fluid culture can guide for the right antibiotic choice since resistance to commonly prescribed antibiotics is common in SBP patients.

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Introduction: Minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion has proven effectiveness in treating spondylolisthesis, but there were few reports applying the technique from scarce resourcing developing countries. In this study, the authors report the results and share our experience of minimally invasive spinal transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion in spondylolisthesis treatment in Vietnamese patients. Materials and methods: In this study, the authors enroled 92 patients diagnosed with single-level, grade I or grade II lumbar spondylolisthesis from January 2019 to October 2022. Results: The median age in our study was 47.79±12.61 (range 15–75), the male/female ratio was 1/2.3. The mean disease duration was 28.57 months. Conventional X-ray images showed that there were 74 patients (80.43%) with spondylolisthesis grade I, 18 patients (19.57%) with grade II. Spondylolisthesis occured mainly in L4–L5 with 53 patients (57.61%). The isthmic sign was recorded in 16 patients (31.4%). The mean blood loss was 149.46 ml. Patients walked on average of 3.22 days after surgery. VAS score reduced significantly in both back and leg. Spinal function improved significantly with a preoperative Owestry Disability Index of 48.18% decrease to 15.18% 12 months after surgery. The surgical results were good and excellent at 95.00% after 12 months of surgery according to Macnab scale. The fusion rate reached 97.50%. Conclusions: The results of this Macnab's classification study show that minimally invasive spinal transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion is an effective treatment for spondylolisthesis with less pain, less blood loss after surgery, and high fusion rate.

Objective Nonintubated uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is a recent controversial procedure in many countries. Hence, the authors would like to present the experience in performing this approach and evaluate its initial results in the treatment, particularly, of intrathoracic diseases in Vietnam. Methods A prospective, descriptive study was conducted on 17 patients with intrathoracic diseases treated with nonintubated uniportal VATS from February to July 2019. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative parameters were gathered and analyzed by SPSS Statistics, Version 18.0. Results Patients had an average age of 49.2 ± 20.5 (range 6 to 71) years. Regarding operative indications and methods, there were 3 ground glass opacity (17.6%) and 1 bullous lung disease receiving wedge resection (5.9%); 8 mediastinal tumors (47.1%) having resection, and 5 non-small-cell lung cancers receiving lobectomy combined with node dissection (29.4%). The average operative time and pleural drainage time were 108.6 ± 28.17 min (range 60 to 160) and 3.7 ± 1.18 days (range 2 to 8), respectively. The average hospitalization time was 4.9 ± 1.76 (range 3 to 12) days. No mortalities or major complications were recorded postoperatively. Conclusions Nonintubated uniportal VATS is a safe and considerable surgical choice for appropriate intrathoracic conditions.