Report for the Eighth Asian National Control Laboratory Network meeting in 2023: Self-sufficiency strategy of plasma-derived medicinal products and regulatory harmonisation.

The Eighth Asian National Control Laboratory (NCL) Network meeting, entitled "Biological Products Quality Control and Self-Sufficiency Strategy focusing on plasma-derived medicinal products (PDMPs)" was held in Seoul on 31 August 2023. The participants were NCL experts from Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and the Republic of Korea. Special lectures included the PDMPs self-sufficiency strategies of the World Health Organization (WHO) and Indonesian Food and Drug Authority, and a case study on Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) assessment for vaccines by the Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

Latent and active tuberculosis development in patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs: A single-center prospective study.

Biologics have revolutionized the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in recent years. However, data from clinical trials and actual clinical practice have shown that biologics currently in use may constitute a risk factor for reactivation of tuberculosis (TB) in patients with latent TB infection. Therefore, screening for latent and active TB infection is mandatory before initiating biologic therapy in patients with RA.

A logistic regression model based on inpatient health records to predict drug-induced liver injury caused by ramipril-An angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor.

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a rare side effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs). Ramipril is a widely used ACE compound because of its effectiveness in the treatment of hypertension and heart failure, as well as its low risk of adverse effects. However, the clinical features of ramipril, and the risk of DILI, have not been adequately studied.

Modified Bentall procedure: A 15-year single-center clinical experience.

Objective: Bentall procedure is a standard technique for complete aortic root replacement but a huge challenge is postoperative bleeding. Many modifications have been proposed and the "button technique" is commonly used. With a 15-year experience, this study was to evaluate outcomes of this modified Bentall procedure.

Prepped for PrEP? Acceptability, continuation and adherence among men who have sex with men and transgender women enrolled as part of Vietnam's first pre-exposure prophylaxis program.

Unlabelled: Background HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) in Vietnam is high, whereas coverage of effective HIV prevention services has been inadequate. Studies have measured MSM and TGW demand for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) services, which led to the design of the first ever PrEP program in Vietnam, Prepped for PrEP (P4P).

Methods: In March 2017, PrEP services were offered in Ho Chi Minh City as part of the P4P demonstration project, enabling same-day enrolment in three key population (KP)-led clinics and four public clinics.

Chemical constituents and biological activities of the fruits of de Wilde.

The -hexane extract of fruits (Myristicaceae family), exhibiting strong anti-acetylcholinesterase activity, was investigated by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and then purified by column chromatography. Guided by GC/MS profiling and bioassay, chromatographic separations led to the isolation of five new compounds: two anacardic acid derivatives -, two cardanol derivatives - and a cardol derivative , along with mixtures of known phenolic lipids -. The chemical structures were determined by various spectroscopic methods.

Nineteen Years of Single Institute Experiences with Sorin Bicarbon Prosthesis.

Purpose: We want to share our experience of Sorin Bicarbon prosthesis (SBP) after 19 years follow-up.

Methods: Retrospective study of 1377 patients who had replaced with SBP from May 1998 to December 2008 at Ho Chi Minh Heart Institute, Viet Nam.

Results: Male patients was 42%, mean age was 40.

Efficacy of Oral Itraconazole in the Treatment of Seborrheic Dermatitis in Vietnamese Adults Patients.

Aim: This longitudinal study aims to evaluate the efficacy of oral itraconazole in the treatment of seborrheic dermatitis in Vietnamese patients.

Methods: Thirty patients were enrolled at National Hospital of Dermatology and Venereology, Hanoi, Vietnam and were treated with oral itraconazole (200 mg daily in 14 days followed by 200 mg weekly in 4 weeks). The clinical severity was assessed by a four-parameter scoring system.

Early Treatment with Imiquimod 5% Cream of Periungual Warts in Vietnam: The Poorer, the Better.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of imiquimod 5% in periungual wart treatment.

Material And Methods: A group of 40 patients were recruited to apply imiquimod 5 % cream once daily for 5 consecutive days per week in 8 weeks. They were classified into 3 levels: Mild (the total lesion area ≤ 25 mm), moderate (25 mm 50 mm).

Antimicrobial-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii From Patients With Hospital-acquired or Ventilator-associated Pneumonia in Vietnam.

Purpose: Multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens are becoming a significant problem worldwide. Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are problematic multidrug-resistant pathogens. This multicenter study in Vietnam determined the level of resistance to antimicrobial agents used to treat A baumannii and P aeruginosa infections in this country.

Risk factors for delayed entrance into care after diagnosis among patients with late-stage HIV disease in southern Vietnam.

Background: We surveyed HIV patients with late-stage disease in southern Vietnam to determine if barriers to access and service quality resulted in late HIV testing and delays from initial diagnosis to entry into HIV care.

Methodology: 196 adult patients at public HIV clinics with CD4 counts less than 250 cells/mm3 completed a standardized questionnaire. We used multivariate analysis to determine risk factors for delayed entry into care, defined as >3 months time from diagnosis to registration.

A household survey on screening practices of household contacts of smear positive tuberculosis patients in Vietnam.

Background: Close contacts of tuberculosis (TB) patients are at increased risk of developing tuberculosis. Although passive contact screening guidelines are incorporated in the national TB control program, currently it is unknown how frequent close contacts are screened for TB in Vietnam. This study assesses current contact screening practices in Vietnam and determines the proportion of household contacts screened of newly registered TB patients.

Continuing medical education in Vietnam: new legislation and new roles for medical schools.

Driven by health care reform and the advent of the private sector in the late 1980s, and by commitments made to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Vietnam is faced with a need to increase the regulation and training of its health care professionals. Previously, a diploma from an accredited health professional school was sufficient to practice for a lifetime. Legislation has recently been passed that will institute a licensing system, will require continuing medical education (CME) to maintain the license, and will probably place a large burden on the health professional schools and training institutes to provide CME.

Estimation of non-fatal road traffic injuries in Thai Nguyen, Vietnam using capture-recapture method.

Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are increasing in developing countries where accurate routine data are usually not available. Although a capture-recapture technique has increasingly been employed in studies of human populations to provide reliable estimates of the magnitude of problems, it has rarely been used in road traffic injury research. We applied two sample capture-recapture methods using hospital and traffic police records to estimate non-fatal road traffic injuries in Thai Nguyen City during the years 2000-2004.