Injecting drug use increases the risk of death in HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy in Vietnam.

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) epidemic remains a major public health issue worldwide. In Vietnam, the HIV epidemic is essentially driven by people who inject drugs (PWID). This study aims to compare mortality and loss to follow-up (LTFU) between PWID and other patients. From June 2017 to April 2018, HIV-infected adults were enrolled in a prospective cohort from time of ART initiation in six provinces of North Vietnam. The end date was July 2020. Mortality and LTFU were described using competing-risk survival models. Factors associated with mortality and with LTFU were identified using Cox models with a competing-risk approach. Of the 578 participants, 261 (45.2%) were PWID and almost exclusively male. 49 patients died, corresponding to a mortality rate (95% confidence interval (CI)) of 3.7 (2.8-4.9) per 100 person-months, and 79 were lost to follow-up, corresponding to a rate (95% CI) of 6.0 (4.8-7.4) per 100 person-months. PWID were at higher risk of death but not of LTFU. Overall, LTFU was high in both groups. Latecomers to clinical visits were more at risk of both death and LTFU. Therefore, this should be a warning to clinical teams and preventive actions taken in these patients.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03249493..

Experience of Autologous Immunotherapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Using Zoledronate-Actived Gammadelta T Cells.

BACKGROUND: Several nations around the world have utilized autologous immune enhancement therapy in the treatment of cancer, with initial positive outcomes. This study describes our experience with autologous gamma delta T cell immunotherapy for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer patients in Vietnam, a developing nation. METHODS: Five patients with non-small cell lung cancer at stages III - IV were enrolled in the study. Each patient received six infusions of autologous γδT cells, separated by two weeks. Before, during, at the end of treatment, and three and six months after treatment, a comprehensive evaluation of clinical, laboratory, quality of life, and adverse events related to the method was conducted. RESULTS: At the time of culture seeding, the total number of cells ranged from 2.9 to 18.2 x 106, with γδT cells ranging in number from 10.7 to 19.6 x 104. On day 14 of the culture, the number of γδT cells ranged from 3.1 to 8.3 x 108. Regarding the safety of therapy in a total of 30 infusions, two (fever), one (myalgia), and one (joint pain) were graded as 1 by CTCAE criteria. After the course, no toxicity was observed in the hematopoietic system, kidney function, or liver function. Evaluation of the patient's response in accordance with the RECIST 1.1 criteria: 20% of patients (one patient) had partial response disease, and 80% of patients (four patients) had stable disease at the end of treatment. During the follow-up period of the study, three patients were still alive, and the disease remained stable. The patient's quality of life improved after treatment in most functional measures (activity, cognitive, and social), but physical and emotional scores decreased slightly. Two patients' fatigue symptoms increased, but after six months of treatment, the average value dropped from 25.3 to 8.3. Dyspnea symptoms decreased gradually from 33.3 at the start of treatment to 8.3 six months later. CONCLUSIONS: The initial results we obtained regarding the efficacy and safety of autologous γδT cell immunotherapy for patients with non-small cell lung cancer are extremely encouraging and comparable to those of previous studies.

Spatial and temporal-trend assessment of desertification-sensitive land using the desertification sensitivity index in the provincial Ninh Thuan, Vietnam.

Desertification is a specific land-degrading process, reducing soil productivity and potentially threatening global food security. Therefore, spatially and temporally identifying and mapping desertification-sensitive areas is essential for better management. The current study aimed to (1) assess spatial areas sensitive to desertification and (2) examine the changing tendency of the desertification-sensitive areas over the past 25 years in the provincial Ninh Thuan. The desertification sensitivity index (DSI) was computed based on the Medalus model using 10 quantitative parameters, grouped into the soil, climate, and vegetation quality indexes, computed for the years 1996, 2005, 2010, and 2016. GIS was used to map desertification-sensitive areas associated with five DSI classes. Results showed that classes II and III had the highest area percentage, followed by classes IV and V, and class I. The classes most sensitive to desertification (classes IV and V) covered around 13 to 17%, and classes II and III were 25 to 32% of the total study area, respectively. The coastal areas located in the southeastern parts were more sensitive to desertification than the other parts. Over the four examined periods, the areas of classes IV and V increased while those of classes II and I decreased. These indicated that the study province tended to increase in its desertification sensitivity with a severe increase in the coastal areas over the past 25 years. The key factors involved in these changes could be related the human activities and climate variation, which could be more serious in southeastern areas than in the other areas.

Care needs assessment of older adults with dementia in a semi-rural district in Vietnam: A community-based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The increasing needs of people living with dementia (PLWD) in Vietnam present an enormous public health challenge. Vietnam is an understudied country, and little is known regarding the overall unmet needs of caregivers or the demographic risk factors associated with unmet caregiving needs. This study aimed to determine the burden of unmet care needs of community-dwelling PLWD and identify sociodemographic risks associated with unmet care needs. METHODS: A cross-sectional study in a rural area facing urbanisation in Hanoi, Vietnam recruited PWLD-caregiver dyads with multistage sampling. We utilised the Camberwell Assessment of Need for the Elderly (CANE) instrument to evaluate care needs across four domains. Caregivers rated PLWD needs, with higher scores indicating greater unmet needs. The Mann-Whitney test was employed for comparing two groups, while the Kruskal-Wallis test was used for comparisons involving more than two groups in the analysis, and a P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Among 90 PLWD participating in the study, the overall mean care needs score was 11.6 ± 4.3, with only 16.2% of PLWD having their care needs met. Environmental and physical needs were more frequently met than psychological or social needs. Only 48.0% and 43.9% of environmental and physical needs were met respectively, and a meagre 20.9% and 23.6% for psychological and social needs. Unmet care needs were more frequent for PWLD who were female, single or divorced, had lower monthly household income, or who were in more advanced stages of dementia, as indicated by Clinical Dementia Rating scores ≥1. CONCLUSIONS: Unmet needs for PWLD are common. Increased caregiver education, resources, and services in Vietnam are urgently required to improve the quality of life for this population.

The heterogeneity of public preferences for the first healthcare visit: A discrete choice experiment in the context of Vietnam.

Primary healthcare is critical in addressing the main health problems of communities. In Vietnam, the increasing healthcare demands cause major challenges, especially overcrowding. This study identified public preferences regarding the selection of healthcare facilities for first visit. A discrete choice online survey was generated from five attributes including visit duration, travel time, personal connection with medical staff, doctors' experience, and health insurance. A Dz -efficient design constructed 36 choice sets, divided into three blocks of 12 choice sets. Each block formed one version of the questionnaire, which was randomly distributed to the participants. Heterogeneity in participant preferences was analysed by a latent class model with socio demographic characteristics and experiences of the last visit. 822 participants valued doctors' experience for both minor and severe symptoms. Preference heterogeneity for minor symptoms was quick service provision, highly experienced doctors, and payment through health insurance for the first (44.18%), second (32.17%), and third classes (23.66%), respectively. Regarding severe symptoms, they favoured all five attributes, quick health service, and reduced travel time for the first, second, and third classes, respectively (heterogeneities of 58.16%, 27.79%, and 14.05%, respectively). Predictions of choice from the worst to optimal healthcare facility scenario were 8.91%-61.91% and 10.16%-69.83% for minor and severe symptoms, respectively. Knowledge regarding public preference heterogeneity supports policymakers increase public acceptance in choosing primary healthcare facilities. Visit duration and doctors' experience should be considered a priority in decision making.

Spatial and temporal analysis and quantification of pollution sources of the surface water quality in a coastal province in Vietnam.

The surface water quality in coastal areas may be highly vulnerable to degradation due to various pollution sources such as seawater intrusion and anthropogenic activities. The current study sought to spatially and temporally analyze and quantify pollution sources of the surface water system in the coastal province of Tra Vinh, Vietnam. A total of 600 surface water samples were taken from 30 monitoring sites distributed over 4 spatial zones. Water samples were collected in four campaigns each year during the dry and rainy seasons from 2016 to 2020 and analyzed for 10 physiochemical and biological parameters. The analyzed data were calculated for the water quality index (WQI). Two-way analysis of variance, principal component analysis/factor analysis (PCA/FA), and multivariable regression analysis (MRA) were conducted over the whole dataset. The results showed that the WQI decreased from the inland zone to the coastal area, was greater in the river zone than in the canal zone, and was higher in the dry season than in the rainy season. The PCA/FA revealed that surface water quality was affected by at least 4 main pollution sources, including agricultural production, seawater intrusion, residential activities, and mixed sources. MRA revealed that these pollution sources explained 68.3%, 12.8%, 7.0%, and 2.7% of the total variance of the WQI, respectively. In summary, the surface water quality in the study area significantly changed spatially and temporally, depending on four pollution sources, which need to be managed properly for a better environment and sustainable development.

Quality of life among chronic myeloid leukemia patients in the second-line treatment with nilotinib and influential factors.

PURPOSE: This study aims to evaluate the quality of life (QoL) of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients prescribed with nilotinib as a second-line therapy and explores the influential factors. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective survey was conducted via face-to-face interviews based on the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. A total of 121 adult CML patients resistant to imatinib and used nilotinib for at least 3 months were enrolled. The influential features were assessed by multiple linear regression models. RESULTS: Patients had the mean age of 47.49 (SD = 13.67) years, dominated by middle-aged and male groups. The mean scores of functions ranged from 75 to 83, and those of symptoms were from 5 to 28, with the highest of fatigue (28.28), insomnia (22.87), and pain (21.07). The mean global health status/QoL score was 67.70 (SD = 16.80) with considerable financial difficulties (52.34 (SD = 32.15)). Male patients reported higher functional scores and fewer symptoms compared with female patients. All aspects of QoL became worse with increasing age. Besides age and gender, level of education, duration of nilotinib usage, and comorbidities were also significantly influential factors in many QoL domains. A predicted model for expected mean scores of QoL domains was built based on these factors. CONCLUSIONS: The CML patients treated with nilotinib had the above-moderate QoL scores, a light decrease of functional scores, great financial difficulties, and still experienced symptoms. Strategies and more therapeutic considerations to enhance QoL for CML patients targeted toward women, the old, low educational level, and long duration of nilotinib usage, and many comorbidities are needed in the setting.

Anticoccidial Activity of Berberine against Eimeria-Infected Chickens.

Avian coccidiosis has a major economic impact on the poultry industry, it is caused by 7 species of Eimeria, and has been primarily controlled using chemotherapeutic agents. Due to the emergence of drug-resistant strains, alternative control strategies are needed. We assessed anticoccidial effects of berberine-based diets in broiler chickens following oral infection with 5 Eimeria species (E. acervulina, E. maxima, E. tenella, E. mitis, and E. praecox). When 0.2% berberine, a concentration that does not affect weight gain, was added to the diet, the 4 groups infected with E. acervulina, E. tenella, E. mitis, or E. praecox showed significant reductions in fecal oocyst shedding (P<0.05) compared to their respective infected and untreated controls. In chickens treated 0.5% berberine instead of 0.2% and infected with E. maxima, fecal oocyst production was significantly reduced, but body weight deceased, indicating that berberine treatment was not useful for E. maxima infection. Taken together, these results illustrate the applicability of berberine for prophylactic use to control most Eimeria infections except E. maxima. Further studies on the mechanisms underlying the differences in anticoccidial susceptibility to berberine, particularly E. maxima, are remained.

Expression of Chicken NK-Lysin and Its Role in Chicken Coccidiosis Induced by Eimeria necatrix.

Coccidiosis in chickens is an intestinal parasitic disease caused by protozoan parasites named Eimeria spp. In some Eimeria infections, intestinal lymphocytes are known to highly express chicken NK-lysin (cNK-lysin), an antimicrobial peptide with anticoccidial activity. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the expression of cNK-lysin in E. necatrix-infected chickens and its role in E. necatrix infection. The expression of cNK-lysin transcript was significantly increased in E. necatrix sporozoites-treated lymphocytes. In E. necatrix infection, cNK-lysin transcript was induced in intestinal lymphocytes but not in the spleen. The recombinant cNK-lysin exhibited anticoccidial activity against E. necatrix sporozoites as well as immunomodulatory activity on macrophages by inducing proinflammatory cytokines. These results indicated that E. necatrix infection induces high local expression of cNK-lysin and the secreted cNK-lysin helps protect coccidiosis.

The interactive effects of the seawater intrusion-affected zones and types of waterways on the surface water quality from the coastal Tien Giang Province, Vietnam.

Although inland surface water bodies have been studied intensively, few studies have looked at the interactive effects of seawater intrusion and waterway types on the water quality. The current study aimed to (1) assess the inland water quality as affected by waterway types and seawater intrusion-affected zones, (2) examine the longitudinal dynamics of the water quality, and (3) quantify the contributive percentage of pollution sources in the coastal Tien Giang Province, Vietnam. A total of 680 surface-water samples were taken from 34 sites distributed over the Tien River and its tributary canals from 2015 to 2019. The water samples were analyzed for 16 physical, chemical, and biological parameters, which were used for water quality index (WQI) estimation and subjected to two-way ANOVA and principal component analysis/factor analysis (PCA/FA). The WQI in both waterway types tended to get better from the downstream to the upstream zone with an improving rate of WQI faster in the River (from 79 to 88) than in the canals (from 82 to 85). The PCA/FA showed that water from the two waterway types could be polluted by six main pollution sources, one of which was derived from the seawater intrusion, one from aquaculture, and the others from agricultural, residential, and industrial activities. In brief, the inland surface water quality of a coastal area was interactively influenced by spatial distance and waterway types, transferring various pollutants in and out of the inland area.

Dried blood spots perform well to identify patients with active HCV infection in Vietnam.

Recently, treatment advances in direct-acting antivirals have radically changed the management of HCV patients. However, in resource-limited countries, identification of patients with active HCV infection is still challenging in remote settings due to the limited access to laboratories able to measure HCV viral load. This study evaluated whether dried blood spots (DBS) transferred to a central laboratory could overcome this challenge. A total of 315 HCV-infected patients, naïve to anti-HCV treatment, provided each three type of samples: plasma, DBS with calibrated quantities of venous blood and DBS with uncalibrated quantities of capillary blood. Qualitative comparison was conducted in terms of detection of HCV viral load on DBS as opposed to plasma to estimate sensitivity and specificity. Quantitative comparisons were conducted by means of correlation estimation. Of the 250 patients with detected plasma HCV viral load, 245 also had detectable DBS HCV viral load (capillary or venous) leading to a sensitivity of 98.0% (95% confidence interval (CI): 95.4%-99.3%); importantly, all measurements with a plasma HCV viral load >118 IU/mL were also detected in DBS. When HCV was not detected in plasma, it was also not detected in DBS resulting in 100% specificity (95% CI: 94.5%-100%). Quantitative HCV viral load results were very similar when utilizing plasma or DBS sample types as illustrated by correlations >0.99. In conclusion, DBS sample types, with either uncalibrated capillary blood or calibrated venous blood, performed well to distinguish patients with active HCV infection, and who therefore need treatment, from other patients.

Assessment of groundwater quality based on principal component analysis and pollution source-based examination: a case study in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

The current study aimed to assess the quality of apportion pollution sources and examine the impacts of anthropogenic activities on groundwater. The study was implemented in two sequential steps of (1) bulk examination of groundwater quality followed by principal component analysis/factor analysis (PCA/FA) to apportion pollution sources and (2) pollution source-based examination to assess the effects of anthropogenic activities. Well-water samples were taken in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in 2015 (233 samples) and 2019 (20 samples) and analyzed for 8 and 15 water quality parameters, respectively. The results showed that 99% of studied wells had pH value lower than the permissible limit, and 29, 20, 15, and 14% of studied wells had concentrations of Fe, NH4+, COD (chemical oxygen demand), and coliform, respectively, higher than the maximum permissible limit. PCA/FA revealed that three pollution sources, ranked in the order of importance: agricultural, urban, and industrial activities, could mainly contribute to enriching the pollutant concentrations of groundwater. While agricultural activities may contaminate groundwater with organic substances, the urban area may enrich bacterial-pathogen density such as E. coli and coliform, and the industrial area may contribute to contaminating groundwater with some inorganic parameters. Groundwater quality index and ANOVA showed that groundwater of the studied area was poor to very poor in quality and that in the agricultural area was the worst of the three land-use types. In brief, the groundwater quality in the studied area was degraded and agricultural activities were the most important factor causing the degradation followed by urban and industrial activities.

Theoretical Investigation of the Reaction of Pyrene Formation from Fluoranthene.

This paper has investigated the reaction process concerning pyrene formation from fluoranthene in their electronic ground states. Both aromatic compounds are considered as direct soot precursors. The geometrical parameters, the vibrational frequencies, and the zero-point energies have been calculated using the BMK (Boese-Martin for kinetics) method and the 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. More accurate single-point energies have been obtained using BMK/6-311++G(3df,2p) to retrieve thermodynamic properties (ΔrH°(T) and ΔrG°(T)) over a wide temperature range (298-2500 K). The isomerization reaction of fluoranthene to pyrene is exothermic and spontaneous in standard conditions. The transition states and the possible intermediate species have been located on the singlet potential energy surface in order to determine the reaction mechanism. Two different reaction channels have been investigated and characterized by entrance reaction barriers of about 419 and 771 kJ mol-1 for the first and the second reaction pathways, respectively. The present work demonstrates that the first reaction channel is the most energetically favored pathway at high temperatures. Therefore, the kinetic parameters of the forward and reverse first step reactions have been determined in sooting flame conditions.

Seasonal, Spatial Variation, and Potential Sources of Organochlorine Pesticides in Water and Sediment in the Lower Reaches of the Dong Nai River System in Vietnam.

The goals of the current study were (1) to examine seasonal and spatial variation of selected OCPs concentrations and (2) to identify potential sources of the pollutants in the lower reaches of the Dong Nai River system. Forty-eight water and sediment samples were taken from 12 stations in the dry and rainy seasons to determine the concentrations of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and its metabolites (total DDTs), hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (total HCHs), heptachlor, aldrin, dieldrin, and endrin. The concentrations of total DDTs (0.30), total HCHs (0.29), Aldrin (0.068), heptachlor (0.04, µg L-1) in water, and total DDTs (8.04), total HCHs (4.51), and Aldrin (1.52, µg kg-1) in sediment were significantly higher in the rainy season than in the dry season (0.14, 0.12, 0.008, 0.009 in water and 3.49, 2.29, and 0.4 in sediment, respectively). Cluster analysis grouped 12 sampling stations into 2 groups, of which group 1 (3 stations) had higher concentrations of total DDTs, total HCHs, Aldrin, heptachlor, and dieldrin in both water and sediment than in group 2. Compositional analysis of total DDTs revealed that DDT residue could be decomposed significantly for the past years and that anaerobic decomposition could be predominant. Principal component analysis/factor analysis (PCA/FA) indicated that the potential sources of OCPs in the study stations could come from residential and agricultural areas located in the upper catchment or areas surrounding the studied stations. In short, OCPs concentration in the studies area could depend on seasonal, spatial variation, and transport of OCPs from upper parts or surrounding areas.

Application of Capillary Electrophoresis with Laser-Induced Fluorescence to Immunoassays and Enzyme Assays.

Capillary electrophoresis using laser-induced fluorescence detection (CE-LIF) is one of the most sensitive separation tools among electrical separation methods. The use of CE-LIF in immunoassays and enzyme assays has gained a reputation in recent years for its high detection sensitivity, short analysis time, and accurate quantification. Immunoassays are bioassay platforms that rely on binding reactions between an antigen (analyte) and a specific antibody. Enzyme assays measure enzymatic activity through quantitative analysis of substrates and products by the reaction of enzymes in purified enzyme or cell systems. These two category analyses play an important role in the context of biopharmaceutical analysis, clinical therapy, drug discovery, and diagnosis analysis. This review discusses the expanding portfolio of immune and enzyme assays using CE-LIF and focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of these methods over the ten years of existing technology since 2008.

Capillary electrophoresis-laser-induced fluorescence (CE-LIF)-based immunoassay for quantifying antibodies against cyclic citrullinated peptides.

We developed an assay for diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by capillary electrophoresis with the laser-induced fluorescence detection (CE-LIF) of antibodies against cyclic citrullinated peptides (CCPs) using fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled F-CCP11A and F-CCP. The CCPs were incubated overnight with a purified antibody against CCP and then injected into the CE-LIF system to estimate complex concentration. The immunocomplexes and free peptides were separated within 5 min; the LOD and LOQ values of the immunoassay are 0.1 µg mL-1 and 0.3 µg mL-1, respectively. The calibration curves for the immunocomplex had a coefficient of determination of 0.98. The reproducibility of the CE-LIF based immunoassay when using F-CCP11A and F-CCP was less than 5% and the accuracy ranged between 89 and 103%. The applicability of the assay was evaluated using serum samples from RA patients and healthy control subjects. We found that the sensitivity and specificity for RA diagnosis were 100% and 83.3%, respectively, for F-CCP11A and 100% and 90%, respectively, for F-CCP. These results demonstrate that the CE-LIF method can be useful for quantitative immunoassay development.

Efficient PKC inhibitor screening achieved using a quantitative CE-LIF assay.

An assay for protein kinase C delta (PKCδ) activity based on the quantification of a synthetic substrate using capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection was developed. The peptides labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate F-ERK (where ERK is extracellular signal-regulated kinase) and the phosphorylated form, P-F-ERK, were utilized for the method development and validation. The migration time of F-ERK and P-F-ERK were 6.3 ± 0.1 and 8.7 ± 0.2 min, respectively. LOD and LOQ values of F-ERK were 2 and 6 ng/mL and those of P-F-ERK were 4 and 12 ng/mL. The correlation coefficients obtained from two standard curves were approximately 0.99. The reproducibility and accuracy of the method for F-ERK ranged 1.5-4.7 and 86-109%, respectively, and those for P-F-ERK were 1.6-6.1 and 93-109%, respectively. The activity of PKCδ was studied in vitro using the human gastric cancer cell line MKN-1. The use of PKCδ inhibitor candidates, including GÓ§6983, bisindolylmaleimide II, staurosporine, and rottlerin in the assay resulted in IC50 values of 50 nM, 15 nM, 795 nM, and 4 µM, respectively. Comparison of our assay with a commercial PKC kit revealed that our assay is more adaptable to differing enzyme isoforms. This method has potential for high throughput screening for kinase inhibitors as part of a drug discovery program.

Heavy metal pollution in surface water bodies in provincial Khanh Hoa, Vietnam: Pollution and human health risk assessment, source quantification, and implications for sustainable management and development.

The global issue of heavy metal pollution in surface water poses a significant concern, with the potential to harm public health through various pathways. Given that pollution levels are dependent on water bodies and seasons and their potential impacts on human health vary with children and adults, it is crucial to identify and quantify pollution sources for the development of sustainable management strategies. The current study aimed to evaluate pollution levels and associated health risks of heavy metals and to quantify their pollution sources in various surface water bodies in Khanh Hoa, Vietnam. Water samples were taken from three water bodies (reservoirs, rivers, and narrow waterways) during two seasons (dry and rainy) from 2016 to 2020 and analyzed for seven heavy metals. The results showed that iron had the highest concentration of 392.4 (µg L-1), followed by zinc (25.7 µg L-1), arsenic (3.93 µg L-1), copper (3.77 µg L-1), lead (2.77 µg L-1), chromium (2.71 µg L-1), and cadmium (0.57 µg L-1). Narrow waterways were more polluted with heavy metals (heavy metal pollution index, HPI = 29.5) than other water bodies, such as rivers (23.3) and reservoirs (21.7), and the dry season had a higher HPI (26.5) than the rainy season (24.0). The hazard index for children varied from 1.2 to 1.48, while that for adults was less than 1, suggesting that surface water may have adverse impacts on children's health. The factor analysis identified three primary sources of contamination, namely combustion emissions/street dust, agricultural run-off, and other sources. Cadmium is the most critical metal in determining HPI, while arsenic and chromium are the two key elements potentially influencing children's health. Managing pollution sources, reducing the metal concentration, and controlling the pathways through which metals enter the human body should be implemented for a healthier environment and long-term development.

Community-based prevalence and associated factors of sarcopenia in the Vietnamese elderly.

Sarcopenia, a condition characterized by muscle mass decline, is one of the leading health problems in the elderly. This study determined the rate of sarcopenia according to criteria by Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) and related factors in elderly people. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 632 people aged 60 years or over in Ho Chi Minh City. Data were collected through a predefined questionnaire and direct measurement. Sarcopenia was identified based on the Inbody 770 machine and AWGS criteria. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 32.0%. Participants with advanced age, low education, unemployment, low level of family economics and frailty were more likely to have sarcopenia. Among these, frailty had the highest impact on sarcopenia, with significantly higher odds of having sarcopenia found in participants with pre-frailty (OR = 4.80, 95% CI 2.75-8.38, p < 0.001) and frailty (OR = 21.16, 95% CI 8.96-49.97, p < 0.001). In contrast, BMI was inversely associated with sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is prevalent in the Vietnamese elderly. Apart from social demographic characteristics including age, education, employment and family economic status, frailty appeared to be an important risk factor. Early screening, referral, and treatment of sarcopenia among the elderly having a high risk of sarcopenia are recommended.

Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for Spetzler-Martin Grade III Brain Arteriovenous Malformations.

BACKGROUND: Spetzler-Martin (SM) grade III arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) show angioarchitecture heterogeneity and lack a clearly defined treatment strategy. This study aims to evaluate outcomes after treatment of SM grade III AVMs with Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS). METHODS: A single-institution retrospective analysis was conducted of 307 patients with SM grade III AVMs undergoing GKRS between October 2006 and December 2020 with follow-up times of at least 24 months. SM grade III AVMs were classified into 4 subtypes: IIIA (S1E1V1), IIIB (S2E0V1), subtype IIIC (S2E1V0), and IIID (S3E0V0). RESULTS: Over a median follow-up time of 50.3 months, complete AVM obliteration was achieved in 211 patients (68.7%). Complete obliteration rates in subtypes IIIA, IIIB, IIIC, and IIID were 80.8%, 55.4%, 53.4%, and 25.0%, respectively. Annual post-GKRS hemorrhage risk was 0.8%. Significant radiosurgery-induced imaging changes occurred in 7 patients (2.3%). Three variables were identified as predictors of obliteration in final forward stepwise regression models, including volume of AVM (B = -0.011; P < 0.001), age (B = -0.004; P = 0.024), and previous AVM hemorrhage (B = 0.187; P = 0.077). CONCLUSIONS: GKRS is a safe and effective treatment for SM grade III AVMs, particularly subtype IIIA (S1E1V1). AVM volume is the key predictor of post-GKRS obliteration.