Blood Pressure Control and Associations with Social Support among Hypertensive Outpatients in a Developing Country.

Relationships between social support characteristics with blood pressure control and recommended behaviors in Vietnamese hypertensive patients have not been investigated. This study is aimed at examining the role of social support characteristics in hypertension control and behaviors. Patients with hypertension (n = 220) in Hanoi, Vietnam, were recruited into a cross-sectional study. Both functional and structural characteristics of social support and network were examined. Results showed that increasing total network size was related to 52% higher odds of uncontrolled hypertension (adjusted OR = 1.52, 95%CI = 1.22 - 1.89). Higher network sizes on the provision of information support related to advice, emotional support related to decisions, and practical support related to sickness were associated with lower odds of uncontrolled hypertension. Every additional 1% of the percentage of network members having hypertension decreased 2% the odds of uncontrolled hypertension (adjusted OR = 0.98, 95%CI = 0.96 - 1.00). A 1% additional network members who were living in the same household was associated with a decrease of 0.08 point of behavioral adherence score (coef. = -0.08; 95%CI = -0.12 - 0.03). Meanwhile, a 1% increase of network members who were friends on the provision of practical support related to sickness and jobs was related to an increase of 0.10 point and 0.19 point of behavioral adherence score (coef. = 0.10; 95%CI = 0.04 - 0.17 and coef. = 0.19; 95%CI = 0.06 - 0.32, respectively). The current study suggested that further interventions to improve hypertension management should address the potential effects of social network characteristics.

Factors Associated with Glycaemic Control among Diabetic Patients Managed at an Urban Hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) epidemic is rising in Vietnam. Identifying associated factors with glycaemic control in patients with T2DM is vital to improve treatment outcomes. This study is aimed at examining the uncontrolled glycaemic level of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) at an urban hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam, and determining associated factors. An observational longitudinal cohort survey was performed among T2DM patients. Glycaemic control was evaluated by using the HbA1c level ≥ 6.5% or fasting blood glucose level ≥ 7.5 g/mmol. Information about sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioral characteristics was collected. Multivariate mixed-effects logistic regression was employed to identify associated factors with control glycaemic level conditions. Among 189 T2DM patients, 70.4% had an uncontrolled glycaemic level. A higher number of comorbidities were associated with a lower likelihood of having uncontrolled glycaemic levels (OR = 0.71, p < 0.001, 95%CI = 0.52 - 0.98). Meanwhile, a higher body mass index (OR = 1.15, p < 0.05, 95%CI = 1.02 - 1.29), higher initial HbA1C (OR = 3.75, p < 0.01, 95%CI = 2.59 - 5.44), and higher initial fasting blood glucose levels (OR = 1.57, p < 0.01, 95%CI = 1.29 - 1.90) were positively associated with a higher risk of uncontrolled glycaemic levels. This study reveals that poor glycaemic control was common among T2DM patients in the urban hospital in Vietnam. Findings underlined the need for appropriate management strategies to control glycaemic levels and weight in this population.

The effectiveness of knee osteoarthritis treatment by arthroscopic microfracture technique in combination with autologous bone marrow stem cells transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients by using microfracture technique in combination with autologous bone marrow stem cell transplantation. METHODS: A clinical study was conducted between November 2011 and January 2015 and involved 46 patients (aged from 46 to 69) with primary knee OA grade II and III (according to Kellgren-Lawrence classification) at the Orthopedic Trauma Department, Vietnam-Germany Friendship Hospital. Patients were randomly assigned to receive knee arthroscopy and then bone-marrow stem cells from their pelvic bones via injection. RESULTS: The mean Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score of present pain decreased from 5.68 before surgery to 1.7 24 months after surgery. The mean preoperative Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) was 36.34 (± 3.13), which increased to 74.62 (± 2.86) 24 months after surgery. On the MRI scans, the average Noyes score decreased from 12 (± 1.46) to 7 (± 1.50). Cartilage volume increased on average from 0.4512 (± 0.26) cm3 to 0.5463 (± 0.29) cm3 12-24 months after surgery. CONCLUSION: Treatment of osteoarthritis by a combination of arthroscopic microfracture and transplantation of autologous bone-marrow stem cells was an invasive, safe and effective method which showed an improvement in the clinical symptoms (VAS score) and knee functions (KOOS points).

HMU Fluorinze Mouthwash Enhances Enamel Remineralization: An In Vitro Study.

BACKGROUND: Fluoride therapy has long been used extensively to prevent dental caries. Fluoride appears in a variety of dental care products such as mouth rinses, dentifrices, gels, etc. HMU Fluorinze is the first mouthwash containing fluoride in Vietnam. AIM: This research was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of HMU Fluorinze mouthwash on remineralizing enamel in laboratory conditions. METHODS: 20 third molar teeth were cleaned and covered with nail polish, except for a 3 x 3 mm square on their buccal surfaces. These teeth underwent two steps: demineralization using Coca-cola and remineralization for 20 daysusing standard calcifying solution (control group) and standard calcifying solution + HMU Fluorinze mouthwash 2 times/day (experimental group). The index measured of enamel structure after demineralization and remineralization was assessed by a DIAGNOdent pen 2190. RESULTS: The indices measured of the control group and experimental group at baseline were 3.65 ± 0.76 and 3.35 ± 0.64 respectively. After demineralization the control group measured 21.78 ± 4.48 and the experimental group, 20.25 ± 2.26. Following remineralization, the control group scores were 6.30 ± 1.03 and the experimental group, 3.90 ± 1.24, demonstrating statistical significance (p < 0.01) between the two groups. After 20 days, the results for the experimental group did not differ from the original results (p = 0.272), in contrast with the control group (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Results show that HMU Fluorinze mouthwash is better at remineralizing than standard calcifying solution.