Background: \u03b2-thalassemia is a hereditary disease caused by disorder in \u03b2-globin chain synthesis process. In this research, multiplex-PCR was used in combination with blood chemistry assays and clinical symptoms to detect \u03b2-globin mutations. Objectives: (1) to identify the \u03b2-thalassemia mutation spectrum in the North of Vietnam; (2) to determine the relation between biochemistry values and types of mutations. Subject and methods: Blood samples collected from 60 pediatric patients were used in screening assays (hemoglobin counting, red blood cell counting, hematocrit\ufffd? and multiplex-PCR to detect 6 point mutations with high prevalence in the region. Results: \r\n', u'(1) Of 60 blood samples collected from pediatric patients, 30 (50%) had mutation in codon 17 (A\u2192T), 6 (10%) had a frameshift mutation in codons 41/42 and 4 (6%) had both types of these mutations; (2) The average onset time in patients with FS 41/42 mutation was earlier than that of patients with codon 17 (A\u2192T) mutation, whereas transfusion interval did not differ significantly among these patients; (3) Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) was lower in patients with homozygous mutations (\u03b2o) (average 64.8) than in those with heterozygous mutations (\u03b2+) (average 72.7). Conclusions: (1) multiplex-PCR is an effective technique in identifying the mutation spectrum of \u03b2-globin gene in the North of Vietnam; (2) Biochemistry assays should be associated with molecular techniques in diagnose of \u03b2-thalassemia\r\n', u'\r\n', u'\r\n', u'
beta-Thalassemia ; Thalassemia ; Genetic Diseases ; Inborn ; Mutation

Background: Patients who received multiple transfusions of blood and blood products may produce antibodies against antigens of erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets etc, resulting in many clinical implications. Objectives: To detect frequencies of antineutrophil antibodies in multitransfused patients at National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT). Subjects and methods: The study was conducted on 30 multitransfused patients. Among them there were 12 with thrombocytopenia and 18 with aplastic anemia. Results: 6 cases had anti - neutrophil antibodies, of which 5 had more than 5 times of transfusion, 4 with aplastic anemia and 2 with thrombocytopenia. The sera were further tested with neutrophil panel, revealing 4 samples with anti - NA 1 (13.3%) and 1 sample with anti - NA2 (3.3%). The frequency of anti - neutrophil antibodies in multitransfused patients at IHBT in the study is 20%. Conclusion: Frequency of anti-NA1 was higher than anti-NA2 in multitransfused patients at NIHBT and directly proportional by frequency of NA1 and NA2 antigens in this group. The technical process to identify and classify antineutrophil antibodies in this study can be applied for patients who received multiple transfusions of blood and blood products in Viet Nam
Anemia ; Aplastic/ blood ; complications ; pathology ; Neutrophils

Background: Bcr/abl fusion gene plays an important role in diagnosing and treating chronic myelogenous leukemia. Objective: to detect fusion genes: b3a2, b2a2, b3a3, b2a3 and e1a2 in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia by using Nested RT - PCR technique. Subjects and methods: Peripheral blood samples were analyzed by Nested RT - PCR assay from 30 adult patients. Results: 28/30 patients showed bcr/abl fusions gene; among them 20/30 patients showed b3a2 fusions gene, 5/30 patients showed b2a2 fusions gene, 2/30 patients showed co-expression of the b3a2 and b2a2. 1/30 showed e1a2; 2/30 patients showed negative fusion gene. Count of leukocytes and platelets of patients with b3a2 fusion genes were 311.3 G/l and 597.5 G/l, respectively and of patients with b2a2 fusion genes were 136.7 G/l and 333 G/l, respectively. Conclusion: Most of patients showed b3a2 fusion gene, while remaining showed b2a2 transcripts or the co-expression of the b3a2, only one case showed e1a2 fusion gene, two patients showed negative fusion gene. There was no case which showed b3a3 or b2a3 fusion gene. Nested RT assay should be used to determine bcr/abl fusion genes for patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia\r\n', u'\r\n', u'
Leukemia ; Myelogenous ; Chronic ; BCR-ABL Positive/ blood ; pathology

Background: Nucleic acid testing (NAT) has been widely used for transfusion - transmitted infection screening at blood banks all over the world to reduce window period, yet the assay has not been implemented in Vietnam. Objective: Using and evaluating cost - effectiveness of NAT in screening HIV, HCV, HBV in blood \r\n', u'donors. Subjects and methods: The study was carried out on 9392 blood donors at National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion from Jan to May 2007 who were HIV, HCV, HBV negative with ELISA. Plasma from donors was pooled (pool size of 8) and tested with UItrio Procleix HIV - 1, HCV, HBV (Chiton). Results: These 9392 plasma samples were pooled into 1174 pool samples to perform NAT. Among 1174 pooled samples, there was only 1 case with negative ELISA - Reactive NAT. The sample was determined as response with probe HCV. From there, one of eight pool samples was identified responding to probe HCV and it was more likely to have been missed in the window period when screened by ELISA.Conclusion: The sample should be further tested with HCV qualitative and quantitative testing to confirm the status of infection. \r\n', u'\r\n', u'
HIV ; Hepatitis B virus/drug effects ; Hepacivirus ; Blood Donors

Background: In recent years, Vietnam has applied four methods (morphology, cell chemistry, immune marker classification, cyto genetic) in diagnosis and used multi-chemotherapy in treatment for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML)\r\n', u'Objectives: To initially determine some fusion gene transcripts in the acute myelogenous leukemia patients by applying PCR technique. Subject and method: The study included 19 patients with acute myelogenous leukemia treated in National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion and Bachmai Hospital from April 2007 to August 2007. RNA were extracted from leukemic cells and PCR for AML1/ETO, CBFP/MYH11, PMR/RARa fusion transcript was done. Results: Number of male patients was 6 (32%), female patients was 13 (68%). The average age of these patients was 32.67 \xb113.62. There were three M4, M4eo patients with AML1/ETO gene (accounting for 16%), two M2, M4 patients with CBF/MYH1 gene and type F of genetic modification accounting for 11%), two M3 patients with PMR/RAR\u03b1 and Bcr3 of genetic modification (accounting for 11%). Conclusion: Results of the study did not differ significantly from other researches in the world. This study showed the need of applying the PCR technique in determining fusion gene transcript together with traditional cyto-genetic method.\r\n', u'\r\n', u'
Leukemia ; Myeloid ; Acute/ blood ; pathology ; complications ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

Background: Detection of BCR/ABL fusion gene has important significance in diagnosing and monitoring response to therapy in chronic myeloid leukemia. Objective: Application of FISH (Fluorescence In Situ Hybrydization) technique for detection of abl/bcr fusion gene in chronic myelogenous leukemia. Subjects and methods: The study included 10 patients of chronic myelogenous leukemia diagnosed by methods of morphology and cell chemistry. Peripheral blood and bone marrow samples of them were analyzed Philadelphia (Ph1) chromosome by cytogenetic technique. Among them, 5 patients were tested by FISH technique on the slide of interphase and remainders were tested by FISH technique on the slide of metaphase cell. Results: Results of analyzing chromosome of 10 patients showed that 8 patients had Ph1 chromosome. 2 patients without Ph1 chromosome were patients who had not high of leukocyte count: 28x109leukocyte/l and 36x109leukocyte/l, respectively. In the FISH on the slide of interphase, all 5 patients had Ph1 chromosome and abl/bcr fusion gene. In the FISH on the slide of metaphase cell, 3 patients had Ph1 chromosome and abl/bcr fusion gene. Conclusion: FISH technique has been applied successfully to detect ABL/BCR gene in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia.\r\n', u'\r\n', u'
Leukemia ; Myelogenous ; Chronic ; BCR-ABL Positive/ pathology

Background: Monitoring antimalarial drug quality should be conducted regularly in locals to enhance the effect of treatment for malaria \r\n', u'Objective: to study and analyze antimalarial drug quality\r\n', u'Subjects and methods: The study was carried out in 2007 for 5 provinces supported by the Global Fund: Ha Giang, Dien Bien, Thanh Hoa, Quang Tri and Gia Lai. Material were malaria drugs: artesunat, chloroquin, quinine, mefloquin, fansidar\u2026etc\r\n', u'Results and conclusion: The strict supervision on the anti-malarial drug quality by the National Malaria Control Program was very good and no substandard antimalarial drugs were detected. Evaluation of antimalarial drug quality and control was made for finding out the counterfeit drugs through sentinel sites in both private and public sectors. A total of 268 samples were collected, of which 13 samples were found substandard drugs (8 samples collected in private and 5 samples in public sectors). No counterfeit drugs were found. \r\n', u'
Antimalarial drug ; quality ; monitoring

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary hepatic tumor and one of the most common cancers worldwide. HCC is a primary malignancy of hepatocellular origin. Objectives:The aim of study is to combinate therapy of transarterial chemoembolization and percutaneousethanol injection afterward emerging metatasis caused by fine needle aspiration cytology. Subjects and method: A 50 years old male patient with hepatocellular carcinoma having a diameter of tumor more than 5 cm was treated by combination of transarterial chemoembolization and percutaneous ethanol injection from December 2000. Results & Conclusion: Results of study showed that: Transarterial chemoembolization and percutaneous ethanol injection are the two of non-surgical methods for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma which are most commonly available in applied clinical activities at present. Up to now, the patient's life expectancy after therapy is more than 6 years that means the result of treatment is very good. However, the emerging metatasis into the anterior-right-Iower chest wall that was caused by fine needle aspiration cytology should be reviewed for further evaluating clinical experience, especially in cases with quite clear imaging features of untrasonography and significantly elevated AFP level higher than 200 ng/rnl.
Carcinoma ; Hepatocellular/ pathology ; therapy

Background: The genus Alpinia is one of the diverse genera in Thua Thien Hue province, in which many species have been used as medicine. But until now, studies on A. vietnamica have rarely been reported. Objectives: The present study was aimed at the determination of microscopic characteristics and chemical compositions as well as evaluating the antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities of A. vietnamica. Materials and methods: A. vietnamica was collected in Phong Dien district, Thua Thien Hue province. Anatomic structures and powder properties were determined by the microscopic method. Phytochemical screening was conducted by specific chemical reactions. The Folin-Ciocalteau method and the aluminum chloride-flavonoid assay, respectively, were used to quantify the total polyphenol (TPC) and total flavonoid contents (TFC). Antioxidant activity was assessed using the DPPH assay, while acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity was evaluated using the Ellman method. Results: The microscopic characteristics of this species have been described. Phytochemical analysis results revealed the presence of flavonoids, coumarins, and tannins in A. vietnamica. The ethanol extract from the aerial part of A. vietnamica had higher polyphenol and flavonoid contents than the underground part extract. Moreover, this extract also displayed a stronger DPPH radical scavenging and exhibited AChE inhibitory activities. Conclusion: This is the first report on the microscopic characteristics, chemical compositions, and biological activities of A. vietnamica.

Objective: The purpose of this survey was to estimate the prevalence of viral load (VL) suppression and emergence of HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) among individuals receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) for 36 months or longer in Viet Nam using a nationally representative sampling method. Methods: The survey was conducted between May and August 2014 using a two-stage cluster design. Sixteen ART clinics were selected using probability proportional to proxy size sampling, and patients receiving ART for at least 36 months were consecutively enrolled. Epidemiological information and blood specimens were collected for HIV-1 VL and HIVDR testing; HIVDR was defined by the Stanford University HIVDR algorithm. Results: Overall, 365 eligible individuals were recruited with a mean age of 38.2 years; 68.4% were men. The mean time on ART was 75.5 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 69.0–81.9 months), and 93.7% of the patients were receiving non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-based regimens. Of the 365 individuals, 345 (94.7%, 95% CI: 64.1–99.4%) had VL below 1000 copies/mL and 19 (4.6%, 95% CI: 2.8-–7.5) had HIVDR mutations. Discussion Our nationally representative survey found a high level of VL suppression and a low prevalence of HIVDR among individuals who received ART for at least 36 months in Viet Nam. Continued surveillance for HIVDR is important for evaluating and improving HIV programs.