The supervision on the quality of malaria diagnosis and treatment was carried out at 7 provincial and central hospitals, 18 distric hospital in the Central and Highland area, from 2000 to 2002. The answer of the results of examination of malaria parasite available before 2 hours was 73.7%; no blood examination for malaria parasite was 6.0%, the rate of mistakes in parasitic examination was 6.1%. Diagnosis of malaria cases taken before 2 hours was 82.9% and correct diagnosis of malaria cases was 80.1%. The treatment with specific antimalarial drugs occupied 69.7%. Most of clinical malaria cases were treated by combination of some specific antimalarial drugs and antibiotic. The provincial and central hospitals have proper facilities and anti-malaria drugs to for treatment of all forms of malaria. The district hospitals have not yet got sufficient facilities for emergency aid and treatment of severe and complicated malaria such as severe complications, severe anaemia malaria
Malaria ; Therapeutics ; Disease ; diagnosis ; hospitals

Background: Untill now, many minimal invasive methods have been applied in treating ureteral stones such as the endoscopic ureterolithotripsy technique of Perez-Castro and Martinez-Pinero (1980), the tetroperitoneal laparoscopic ureterolithotomy technique of Wickham (1979) and so on. Retrograde endoscopic ureterolithotripsy with holmium laser has been applied in management of ureteral stones at the Post hospital I Hanoi since 2003. Objective: To show results of retrograde endoscopic ureterolithotripsy with holmium laser in management of ureteral stones at the Post hospital I Hanoi. Subjects and method: A retrospective study was conducted in 183 patients who underwent retrograde endoscopic ureterolithotripsy with holmium laser at the Post hospital I Hanoi, from July/2003 to July/2005. Results:In 183 patients, female was more than male (54.7% versus 45.4%); the mean age was 45.4 (range 14-77). There were total 212 lithotrity stones, of which the rate of left, right, upper-third, middle-third and lower-third ureteral stone was respectively 51.9%, 48.1%, 43.2%, 22.4% and 34.4%. The mean size of ureteral stone was 15.1mm x 11.17mm and the average time of ureterolithotripsy was 48.1 minutes (range 15 -120). Conclusion: The rate of success for etrograde endoscopic ureterolithotripsy with holmium laser was high (92.9%), especially the success rate for lower-third ureteral calculi (100%) and the success rate for upper-third ureteral stones (84.8%). However, 5/165 patients (3%) who had follow-up examination for 2-4 years after surgery had ureteral stenosis. This complication was resulted from burned mucous membrane during endoscopic ureterolithotripsy with laser.
Ureterolithiasis/ surgery ; therapy ; Endoscopy/ methods ; Lasers

OBJECTIVEThe study aimed to evaluate and compare the efficacy and safety of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine phosphate (Artekin) and artemisinin-piperaquine (Artequick) in the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria.

METHODSA total of 103 uncomplicated falciparum malaria patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to two groups: 52 cases in the Artequick group, and 51 cases in the Artekin group. The patients in the Artequick group were administered with Artequick, twice in 24 h, whereas the patients in the Artekin group were given Artekin 4 times in 2 days. The mean parasite clearance time, mean fever clearance time, 28-day cure rate and parasite recrudescence rates of the two groups were then compared.

RESULTSThe mean parasite clearance time and the mean fever clearance time were 43.2+/-13.9 h and 24.7+/-9.9 h, in the Artequick group, and 36.5+/-17.1 h and 22.7+/-11.2 h, in the Artekin group. In both groups the 28-day cure rate was 100%, and the parasite recrudescence rate was 0.

CONCLUSIONBoth medicines had high cure rates, low recrudescence rates, and no serious adverse reactions. The administration of Artequick, however, was more convenient and lower incidence of gastrointestinal side effects than that of Artekin, so as to increase the efficacy in the malaria population.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Anti-Infective Agents ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Antimalarials ; administration & dosage ; Artemisinins ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Drug Combinations ; Female ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; Malaria, Falciparum ; drug therapy ; Male ; Quinolines ; administration & dosage ; adverse effects ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

Sphaeranthus africanus is commonly used as a traditional remedy for sore throats and pain treatment in Vietnam. The aerial parts have been studied for its anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative properties. However, the antioxidant and antidiabetic potential of the plant has not been explored. In this work, hydrophilic extracts of the plant's aerial parts were prepared in order to investigate its antioxidant and anti-diabetic properties. Also, the cytotoxicity of the root was evaluated and compared to that of the aerial parts. All of the extracts inhibited lipid peroxidation with IC 50 values ranging from 2.05 to 3.56 µg/mL, indicating substantial antioxidant activity. At an IC 50 value of 4.80 μg/mL, the 50% ethanol extract exhibited the most potent inhibition of α-glucosidase. The cytotoxic activity of root extracts is 2 to 5-fold less than that of the aerial parts. Nevertheless, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate extracts of the root demonstrated a selective effect on leukemia cells, with no harm towards the normal HEK-293 cell line. This work provides a scientific support for the antioxidant and antidiabetic activity of the plant. Hence, it may find a promising material for the development of novel antioxidant and antidiabetic agents. More research can be conducted on the phytochemistry and anticancer activities of the plant’s root.