Background: The health education system has been established in Viet Nam since the early part of the 21st century from district to central level. In 2002, Health education has been considered as a first standard out of 10 national health standards for communal level. But there are few studies assessed the situation of health education activities at district level. Objectives: To discover the situation and identify possibilities to improve the health education activities at district level. Subjects and method: The cross-sectional study was conducted in 4 provinces: Yen Bai, Thai Nguyen, Ha Tay and Thai Binh. The questionnaires were used for interviewing health workers in preventive health centers at district and provincial levels of these provinces. Results. The health education activities have been carried out at district level with different methods, but 35.4% of respondents noted that these activities were not good enough. The significant number of health workers, who were responsible for health education at district level did not possess the proper knowledge and skills to meet the task requirements. The management of health education remained a limitation. 76.1% interviewed health workers said that the plans of health education activities have not been made properly, a lack of equipment and materials for these activities. Most of the respondents believed that the health education activities can be improved with better implementations.Conclusion: The health education management and activities at district level of the 4 investigated provinces has not achieved levels of expectation. The knowledge and skills of health workers had not met the task requirements. Therefore, it is important to strengthen both knowledge and skills for health workers to improve the health education activities at district level.
Health education ; District level

Background: Malignant Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas is one of the ten most common malignant diseases. Until recently, Chop regimen is considered as the standard treatment regimen for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas of intermediate and high grade.\r\n", u'Objectives: Assessing response rates, side effects, survival time and in treatment for these patients with CHOP regimen.\r\n', u'Subjects and methods: The controlled, prospective, descriptive study was carried out on 40 patients with Non-Hodgkin\u2019s Lymphomas of intermediate and high grade treated at the Military Hospital No 108.\r\n', u'Results and conclusion: The prevalence in men was higher than in women (77.5% compared to 22.5%). Complete remission accounts for 70%, part remission 15%, stable state of disease 5%, progressive disease 10%. Overall survival of 5 years is estimated at 37.23% disease-free survival of 5 years at 34.04%, event-free survival of 5 years at 32.46%, progressive-free survival of 5 years at 29.93%. There was a total of 241 chemical transmitted turns. Common side effects were nausea, vomiting, mouth ulcers, diarrhea and hair loss. This result was consistent with the results of previous studies.\r\n', u'
malignant Non-Hodgkin\u2019s Lymphomas ; CHOP regiment

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

Background: Ankle arthroscopy has been used in Viet Duc Hospital for 4 years and now has become a routine surgery with about 200 patients, who has had ankle arthroscopy to reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament or operate ragged meniscectomy. Objectives: Evaluate the result of ankle arthroscopy in Viet Duc Hospital and review the indication and surgical technique of ankle arthroscopy in the literature. Subject and methods: Retrospective study on 10 patients with ankle arthroscopy in Viet Duc Hospital from May 2006 to May 2007. Results: 5 patients with impingement, 4 patients with OCD lesion and 1 case of an old displaced fracture of lateral malleolar. Postoperative evaluation with Olerud Molander, ankle function improves at least 10 points and all the patients are satisfied with the results. Conclusions: Ankle arthroscopy gives good result and can be recommended for other cases.
ankle arthroscopy ; malleolar fracture

OBJECTIVESTwo assay methods, namely the neutral Comet assay andterminal desoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) assay, were carried out for comparison to investigate the capability of using the neutral Comet assay as an alternative for detection of apoptosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODSChinese hamster ovary-K1 (CHO-K1) cells were exposed to gamma-rays with different doses and then the frequencies of apoptotic cells were determined at given points of time using the neutral Comet assay andTdT assay.

RESULTSApoptotic frequency of CHO-K1 cells after gamma-irradiation is dependent on both time after irradiation and radiation dose using either the neutral Comet assay orTdT assay. There are differences between the data obtained using the neutral Comet assay andTdT assay (p<0.01, Student's t-test).

CONCLUSIONSThe neutral Comet assay appears to be an appropriate tool for detection of radiationinduced apoptosis at the early stage of the process. Compared to the other methods such as theTdT assay, the neutral Comet assay is a rapid, simple and economical method for detection of apoptosis.

Background: Situation of extremity injury caused by traffic accidents and occupational accidents are increasing in Vietnam. Therefore, the prevention and fight against these accidents are one of the key objectives to reduce the burden on the families of victims as well as for society. Objectives: To outline situation of extremity injury patients caused by traffic accident, treated in Viet Duc hospital from 2000-2004. Subjects and method: A retrospective study was conducted on 19.845 patients (14.562 males, 5.283 females, aged from 1-97 years old). The subjects were divided into 3 main groups: alone upper extremity injury, alone lower extremity injury and multiple fractures. Results: Extremity injury was common seen in people of working age (78.1%), men more than women (2.76/1 ratio), left foot more than right foot and it was common been in multiple fracture situation due to complex mechanisms of injury (50.3%), alone extremity injury (49.7%). The lower extremity injury was more common seen than upper extremity injury. Open fracture injury (27.3%), in which open fractures in lower extremity were more common seen. Open fractures in both 2 leg bones was the most common seen, accounted for 57.4% among total of open fractures. Amputation accounted for 8.3% among all case of open fractures and 2.3% among all case of extremity injuries. Conclusion: Extremity injury (lower extremity and upper extremity) caused by traffic accidents is common seen. The average, there are 3 emergency surgeries due to open fracture injury were performed daily in Viet Duc hospital per a total of about 11 traumatic emergency surgeries.
Fractures ; Bone ; Arm Injuries ; Leg Injuries ; Accidents ; Traffic ;

Background: Hypertensive with impaired fasting glucose is the basic expression of metabolic syndrome. Objectives: To study the IR and the correlation between Fasting Plasma Insulin (FPI) and Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) concentration in hypertensive patients with Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG). Subjects and method: The descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out on 38 hypertensive patients with IFG (IFG group) and 30 hypertensive patients without IFG (control group). The data were collected and analyzed by SPSS 11.5 software. Results:The FPI and IR index in the IFG group were 14.6+/-5.2 micro mol/ml and 3. 94+/- l.40, respectively, higher than in the control group (9.6+/-4.2 micro mol/ml and 2.17+/-0.99/ respectively) with p<0.00l. There was a positive correlation between FPI and FPG systolic blood and diastolic blood pressure/ with correlation coefficients were 0.4/ 0.48 and 0.46/ respectively (p<0.00l). Conclusion: There was an increase of FPI and IR index in the hypertensive patients with IFG compared to those without IFG. \r\n', u'\r\n', u'
Insulin resistance ; hypertensive patients ; impaired fasting glucose.

An ocular Toxocara canis infection is reported for the first time in Vietnam. A 34-year-old man residing in a village of Son La Province, North Vietnam, visited the National Eye Hospital (NEH) in August 2011. He felt a bulge-sticking pain in his left eye and loss of vision occurred over 3 months before visiting the hospital. The eye examination in the hospital showed damage of the left eye, red eye, retinal fibrosis, retinal detachment, inflammation of the eye tissues, retinal granulomas, and a parasitic cyst inside. A larva of Toxocara was collected with the cyst by a medical doctor by surgery. Comparison of 264 nucleotides of internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) of ribosomal DNA was done between our Vietnamese Toxocara canis and other Toxocara geographical isolates, including Chinese T. canis, Japanese T. canis, Sri Lankan T. canis, and Iranian T. canis. The nucleotide homology was 97-99%, when our T. canis was compared with geographical isolates. Identification of a T. canis infection in the eye by a molecular method was performed for the first time in Vietnam.
Adult ; Animals ; Base Sequence ; DNA, Helminth/chemistry/genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal/chemistry/genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer/chemistry/genetics ; Eye Infections, Parasitic/*diagnosis/parasitology ; Humans ; Larva ; Male ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Sequence Alignment ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Toxocara canis/classification/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Toxocariasis/*diagnosis/parasitology ; Vietnam

Background: Rotavirus type A is the most common cause of acute gastrointestinal inflammatory in children under 5 years old, especially in age groups 6 and 36 months. Some rotavirus strains are common; seen recently in Vietnam are G1, G2, G3, G4 and G9, P4, P6 and P8. Objective: Surveillance of epidemiological characteristics of rotavirus induced diarrhea in the National Pediatric Hospital from September, 2007 to March, 2008. Subject and methods: Collection of 322 stool specimens of pediatric patients with acute diarrhea (including 213 specimens from male, 109 specimens from female), who were treated in the National Pediatric Hospital. All of these specimens were determined for causes of rotavirus with the enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Results and Conclusion: Among these 322 stool specimens, there were 195 rotavirus positive specimens, accounted for 60.56%. The rate of monthly distribution of rotavirus diarrhea from September, 2007 to March, 2008 were 76%, 56%, 62%, 61%, 64%, 56% and 44%, respectively. Number of rotavirus positive cases in male and female was 56 (26.29%) and 79 (72.48%), respectively. The rate of rotavirus positive children compared to total number of specimens with the age 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-12 months, 12-24 months, 24-36 months and over 36 months was 7.69%, 15.9%, 41.54%, 32.82%, 1.54% and 0.51%, respectively. The results of type identification indicated that phenotypes of 37 among 40 specimens were identified (92.5%) in which there were 5 specimens of G1P8 (12.5%), 20 specimens of G3P8 (50%), 1 specimen of G9P8 (2.5%), 2 specimens of G1Pmixed (5%), 9 specimens of G3Pmixed (22.5%), 1 specimen of G unidentified-type P8 (2.5%) and 2 specimens of G3 P unidentified-type (5%).
rotavirus ; diarrhea ; epidemiology

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