Barriers and enablers to blood culture sampling in Indonesia, Thailand and Viet Nam: a Theoretical Domains Framework-based survey.

OBJECTIVE: Blood culture (BC) sampling is recommended for all suspected sepsis patients prior to antibiotic administration. We examine barriers and enablers to BC sampling in three Southeast Asian countries. DESIGN: A Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF)-based survey, comprising a case scenario of a patient presenting with community-acquired sepsis and all 14 TDF domains of barriers/enablers to BC sampling. SETTING: Hospitals in Indonesia, Thailand and Viet Nam, December 2021 to 30 April 2022. PARTICIPANTS: 1070 medical doctors and 238 final-year medical students were participated in this study. Half of the respondents were women (n=680, 52%) and most worked in governmental hospitals (n=980, 75.4%). OUTCOME MEASURES: Barriers and enablers to BC sampling. RESULTS: The proportion of respondents who answered that they would definitely take BC in the case scenario was highest at 89.8% (273/304) in Thailand, followed by 50.5% (252/499) in Viet Nam and 31.3% (157/501) in Indonesia (p<0.001). Barriers/enablers in nine TDF domains were considered key in influencing BC sampling, including 'priority of BC (TDF-goals)', 'perception about their role to order or initiate an order for BC (TDF-social professional role and identity)', 'perception that BC is helpful (TDF-beliefs about consequences)', 'intention to follow guidelines (TDF-intention)', 'awareness of guidelines (TDF-knowledge)', 'norms of BC sampling (TDF-social influence)', 'consequences that discourage BC sampling (TDF-reinforcement)', 'perceived cost-effectiveness of BC (TDF-environmental context and resources)' and 'regulation on cost reimbursement (TDF-behavioural regulation)'. There was substantial heterogeneity between the countries. In most domains, the lower (higher) proportion of Thai respondents experienced the barriers (enablers) compared with that of Indonesian and Vietnamese respondents. A range of suggested intervention types and policy options was identified. CONCLUSIONS: Barriers and enablers to BC sampling are varied and heterogenous. Cost-related barriers are more common in more resource-limited countries, while many barriers are not directly related to cost. Context-specific multifaceted interventions at both hospital and policy levels are required to improve diagnostic stewardship practices.

Cancer anorexia - cachexia syndrome.

Cancer anorexia-cachexia syndrome (CACS) is a devastating and debilitating aspect at any stage of malignancy. It presents primarily as anorexia, weight loss and muscle wasting secondary to inadequate oral intake and metabolic changes. This syndrome is highly prevalent among cancer patients, has a large impact on morbidity and mortality, and impinges on patient quality of life. The pathogenic mechanisms of CACS are multifactorial. It is suggested to be the result of tumor-host interactions and cytokines have a siginificant role. Diagnosis of cancer cachexia is complex and multifaceted and requires meticulous clinical examination of the patient. The challenge for clinicians is to know how best to manage the symptoms of weight loss and anorexia for optimal patient outcome. This article outlines the diagnosis of cancer cachexia, reviews its impact on patient quality of life and survival, and updates the reader on potential therapies that may suppress it.

Allogenic hematopoietic stem cell as curative treatment in myelofibrosis.

Myelofibrosis (MF) is one of the Philadelphia chromosome-negative clonal myeloproliferative disorders or chronic myeloid disorders, and it is caused by much deposit of collagen substances in bone marrow, definitely is classified as hematopoietic stem cells clonal abnormality, and related to chronic myeloproliferative disorders characterized by striking figure of extra-medullary hematopoiesis. Symptoms and signs of MF are included the variable degree of cachexia and marked extra-medullary hematopoiesis. The results of laboratory studies at presentation include anemia, leukocytosis or leucopenia, a left-ward shift in the granulocyte count, increased or decreased platelet count. Many conventional treatment modalities have been used in the MF treatment as supportive treatments. There is only one curative treatment in MF patients using allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSTC). The umbilical cord blood (UCB) as the source of stem cell has increased recently and gives promising results on MF.