Treatment of prostatic abscess concomitant with high-risk prostate cancer: A 2-steps approach.

Prostatic abscess (PA) prevalence has decreased in the era of antibiotics. This condition is associated with chronic conditions, including diabetes, immunodeficiency, liver disease, or even severe diseases such as prostate cancer. Concomitant prostatic abscess and prostate cancer are very challenging to treat because of the lack of specific guidelines, significant complications, and controversial treatment approaches. By reporting a case with prostate cancer in the setting of a prostatic abscess treated successfully by surgery, we propose a 2-steps approach including transurethral resection drainage followed by laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.

The Effect of Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation on Visuospatial Cognition in an Incomplete Bilateral Vestibular Deafferentation Mouse Model.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) for recovering from the locomotor and spatial memory deficits of a murine bilateral vestibular deafferentation (BVD) model. Methods: Male C57BL/6 mice (n = 36) were assigned to three groups: bilateral labyrinthectomy with (BVD_GVS group) and without (BVD_non-GVS group) the GVS intervention, and a control group with the sham operation. We used the open field and Y maze, and Morris water maze (MWM) tests to assess locomotor and visuospatial cognitive performance before (baseline) and 3, 7, and 14 days after surgical bilateral labyrinthectomy. For the GVS group, a sinusoidal current at the frequency at 1 Hz and amplitude 0.1 mA was delivered for 30 min daily from the postoperative day (POD) 0 to 4 via electrodes inserted subcutaneously close to both the bony labyrinths. Results: Short-term spatial memory was significantly impaired in bilaterally labyrinthectomized mice (BVD_non-GVS group), as reflected by decreased spontaneous alternation performance in the place recognition test and time spent in the novel arm and increased same arm return in the Y-maze test, compared with the control. Long-term spatial memory was also impaired, as indicated by a longer escape latency in the hidden platform trial and a lower percentage of time spent in the target quadrant in the probe trial of the MWM. GVS application significantly accelerated the recovery of locomotion and short-term and long-term spatial memory deficits in the BVD mice. Conclusions: Our data demonstrate that locomotion, short-term, and long-term (at least 2 weeks) spatial memory were impaired in BVD mice. The early administration of sinusoidal GVS accelerated the recovery of those locomotion and spatial memory deficiencies. GVS could be applied to patients with BVD to improve their locomotion and vestibular cognitive functioning.

Associated Factors and Pharmacists' Role in Medication Adherence and Glycemic Control : A Study in Outpatients With Diabetes at Hue University Hospital, Vietnam.

Objective: To evaluate medication adherence, associated factors, and the role of pharmacists in adherence and outcome treatments in outpatients with diabetes at Hue University Hospital. Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is a chronic illness that requires daily treatment. Poor adherence to antidiabetic medication can have negative consequences for patients. Data on medication adherence and programs to improve adherence for patients with diabetes in Vietnam are lacking. Methods: A pre-post study was conducted on 354 outpatients diagnosed with T2DM at Hue University Hospital. Participants were interviewed, counseled, and educated by a pharmacist once. The researchers assessed medication adherence levels and glycemic outcomes before and around three months after the intervention. Results: The prevalence of achieving adherence before the intervention was 65.0%. Factors associated with achieving medication adherence were medication regimen (P = 0.001) and controlled glycemic target (P < 0.001). The most common nonadherence behavior was forgetting to take antidiabetic medication. After the intervention, the prevalence of achieving adherence rose to 74.6%, and patients reported that they were more likely to remember to take antidiabetic medications (with statistical significance). The prevalence of achieving the glycemic target (both glycated hemoglobin and fasting plasma glucose) rose from 21.8% (before the intervention) to 31.1% (after the intervention). Conclusions: A significant proportion of patients did not achieve medication adherence. Medication adherence is associated with better glycemic outcomes. The role of pharmacists in patient education, medication counseling, and reminding is beneficial in terms of improving adherence levels and glycemic outcomes.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice concerning hypoglycaemia, insulin use, and insulin pens in Vietnamese diabetic outpatients: Prevalence and impact on safety and disease control.

RATIONALE, AIMS, AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of Vietnamese diabetics in an outpatient setting regarding hypoglycaemia, insulin use, and insulin pen and to evaluate the factors related to the KAP, adverse drug reactions (ADRs), and glycaemic control status. METHODS: We interviewed patients by 16-item questions on knowledge and eight questions on attitude, and requested the patient to demonstrate the injection technique with a sampled insulin pen. RESULTS: The response rate was 74% (148 patients included). The proportions of patient having a good knowledge, positive attitude, and good practice were 45.9%, 78.4%, and 44.6%, respectively. The two most common incorrect steps in using insulin pen were skipping to prime pen needle (90.9%) and not removing the used needle from the pen after using (87.8%). Patients using insulin at least 1 year had better knowledge (P = .025), more positive attitude (P = .017), and better practice of using insulin pen (P = .042). Patients had more positive attitude of insulin's role (P = .038) if they either used insulin in combination with oral diabetic medications or had history of using insulin vials. The number of patients having good knowledge was statistically significant higher in participants who previously received counselling from health professionals (P = .001). We also found a positive correlation between good knowledge of patients and good practice skills (P < .001). Patients with poor practice of insulin were more likely to have ADRs at the injection sites (P = .013). The patients with poorer level of knowledge had significant higher risk of hypoglycaemia (P = .001). KAP levels did not correlate with glycaemic control status. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of outpatients had positive attitude towards insulin's role; however, their knowledge and practice of hypoglycaemia and using insulin pen needs improvement. This study will be helpful in the planning of patient education strategies.

Management of patients with advanced prostate cancer in the Asia Pacific region: 'real-world' consideration of results from the Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference (APCCC) 2017.

OBJECTIVE: The Asia Pacific Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference (APAC APCCC 2018) brought together 20 experts from 15 APAC countries to discuss the real-world application of consensus statements from the second APCCC held in St Gallen in 2017 (APCCC 2017). FINDINGS: Differences in genetics, environment, lifestyle, diet and culture are all likely to influence the management of advanced prostate cancer in the APAC region when compared with the rest of the world. When considering the strong APCCC 2017 recommendation for the use of upfront docetaxel in metastatic castration-naïve prostate cancer, the panel noted possible increased toxicity in Asian men receiving docetaxel, which would affect this recommendation in the APAC region. Although androgen receptor-targeting agents appear to be well tolerated in Asian men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, access to these drugs is very limited for financial reasons across the region. The meeting highlighted that cost and access to contemporary treatments and technologies are key factors influencing therapeutic decision-making in the APAC region. Whilst lower cost/older treatments and technologies may be an option, issues of culture and patient or physician preference mean, these may not always be acceptable. Although generic products can reduce cost in some countries, costs may still be prohibitive for lower-income patients or communities. The panellists noted the opportunity for a coordinated approach across the APAC region to address issues of access and cost. Developments in technologies and treatments are presenting new opportunities for the diagnosis and treatment of advanced prostate cancer. Differences in genetics and epidemiology affect the side-effect profiles of some drugs and influence prescribing. CONCLUSIONS: As the field continues to evolve, collaboration across the APAC region will be important to facilitate relevant research and collection and appraisal of data relevant to APAC populations. In the meantime, the APAC APCCC 2018 meeting highlighted the critical importance of a multidisciplinary team-based approach to treatment planning and care, delivery of best-practice care by clinicians with appropriate expertise, and the importance of patient information and support for informed patient choice.

Epidemiology and prevention of prostate cancer in Vietnam.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide and a leading cause of mortality. Incidences continues to rise and vary substantially between populations. Although the prevalence of prostate cancer is relatively low in Vietnam, some hospital-based reports have shown an upward trend in recent years. While certain non-modifiable factors such as age, race and genetics are known to be mainly responsible, the literature has also suggested that environmental exposures can delay the onset of this disease. The present study provides a review of the epidemiology of prostate cancer in Vietnam by systematically searching several electronic databases. The results confirm an increasing trend of prostate cancer over the past decade, with age-standardised rate more than doubled from 2.2 per 100,000 men in 2000 to 4.7 per 100,000 men in 2010. However, no study has been found on modifiable risk factors, with the exception of one in vitro experiment that showed the inhibitory effect of garlic on the growth of prostate cancer cells. The lack of epidemiological information poses a difficulty to develop public health interventions to prevent this emerging malignant disease in Vietnam.

Mass screening of prostate cancer in Vietnam: current status and our opinions.

BACKGROUND: Although prostate cancer (CaP) is the most common male cancer in developed countries, the incidence of CaP in Vietnam remains unknown and the patients often seek treatment at a late stage in their illness. The mass screening of CaP, which has been performed since Jan 2008 in Binh Dan hospital (Ho Chi Minh City) aims to evaluate the effect of CaP mass screening in Vietnam. The details of CaP treatment from 1999 to now in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) were also used for evaluation and comparison. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From the first quarter of 2008, we started a free CaP screening program in HCMC. There were 408 cases during first round of results. When inspecting CaP treatment, all papers and studies of CaP at Binh Dan hospital from 1999 were analyzed, including 1,775 CaPs treated. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS: A total of 408 subjects were screened during the CaP program. Prostate biopsies were carried out on 87 men (21.3%) based on PSA values and DRE results. Ten of these biopsied men (2.5%) were diagnosed with CaP, mostly with Gleason's scores of 5 to 7 and in an early clinical stage. In reviewing CaP treatment from 1999 to 2009, complete androgen blockade/maximal androgen blockade (MAB/CAB) was widely used, while chemotherapy and radiotherapy were not routinely used. Open and laparoscopic total prostatectomy remarkably increased due to the many efforts of CaP screening. The number of CaP cases has now reached and overtaken the number of bladder cancer cases in our hospital. Similarly, early diagnosis rates have increased in parallel with radical treatment. CONCLUSION: Our initial outcomes reflected a low prevalence of CaP in general (2,5%), but a high occurrence of medium grade lesions (Gleason 7) among patients who tested positive for CaP. On one hand, this observation highlights the value of the CaP screening programs in alerting doctors/people and detecting more cases in the early stages of development. On the other hand, the benefit of a mass screening program for CaP is not proven. Meanwhile, selective CaP screening takes advantage of diagnosis and treatment in our country.