An Effective Health System Approach to End TB: Implementing the Double X Strategy in Vietnam.

Countries that are high burden for TB must reverse the COVID-19 pandemic's devastating effects to accelerate progress toward ending TB. Vietnam's Double X (2X) strategy uses chest radiography (CXR) and GeneXpert (Xpert) rapid diagnostic testing to improve early detection of TB disease. Household contacts and vulnerable populations (e.g., individuals aged 60 years and older, smokers, diabetics, those with alcohol use disorders, and those previously treated for TB) with and without TB symptoms were screened in community campaigns using CXRs, followed by Xpert for those with a positive screen. In public non-TB district facilities, diabetics, respiratory outpatients, inpatients with lung disease, and other vulnerable populations underwent 2X evaluation. During COVID-19 restrictions in Vietnam, the 2X strategy improved access to TB services by decentralization to commune health stations, the lowest level of the health system, and enabling self-screening using a quick response mobile application. The number needed to screen (NNS) with CXRs to diagnose 1 person with TB disease was calculated for all 2X models and showed the highest yield among self-screeners (11 NNS with CXR), high yield for vulnerable populations in communities (60 NNS) and facilities (19 NNS), and moderately high yield for household contacts in community campaigns (154 NNS). Computer-aided diagnosis for CXRs was incorporated into community and facility implementation and improved physicians' CXR interpretations and Xpert referral decisions. Integration of TB infection and TB disease evaluation increased eligibility for TB preventive treatment among household contacts, a major challenge during implementation. The 2X strategy increased the rational use of Xpert, employing a health system-wide approach that reached vulnerable populations with and without TB symptoms in communities and facilities for early detection of TB disease. This strategy was effectively adapted to different levels of the health system during COVID-19 restrictions and contributed to post-pandemic TB recovery in Vietnam.

Computer-Aided Detection for Chest Radiography to Improve the Quality of Tuberculosis Diagnosis in Vietnam's District Health Facilities: An Implementation Study.

In Vietnam, chest radiography (CXR) is used to refer people for GeneXpert (Xpert) testing to diagnose tuberculosis (TB), demonstrating high yield for TB but a wide range of CXR abnormality rates. In a multi-center implementation study, computer-aided detection (CAD) was integrated into facility-based TB case finding to standardize CXR interpretation. CAD integration was guided by a programmatic framework developed for routine implementation. From April through December 2022, 24,945 CXRs from TB-vulnerable populations presenting to district health facilities were evaluated. Physicians interpreted all CXRs in parallel with CAD (qXR 3.0) software, for which the selected TB threshold score was ≥0.60. At three months, there was 47.3% concordance between physician and CAD TB-presumptive CXR results, 7.8% of individuals who received CXRs were referred for Xpert testing, and 858 people diagnosed with Xpert-confirmed TB per 100,000 CXRs. This increased at nine months to 76.1% concordant physician and CAD TB-presumptive CXRs, 9.6% referred for Xpert testing, and 2112 people with Xpert-confirmed TB per 100,000 CXRs. Our programmatic CAD-CXR framework effectively supported physicians in district facilities to improve the quality of referral for diagnostic testing and increase TB detection yield. Concordance between physician and CAD CXR results improved with training and was important to optimize Xpert testing.

Neutrophil CD64-a prognostic marker of sepsis in intensive care unit: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Little is known about the prognostic ability of nCD64 in critically ill patients. This study aimed to assess the prognostic values of nCD64 in adult ICU patients with sepsis. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted at the ICU of Cho Ray Hospital in Vietnam between January 2019 to September 2020. All newly admitted 86 septic patients diagnosed based on sepsis-3 criteria were included. An evaluation of nCD64 was performed at admission (T0) and 48 h thereafter (T48). Delta nCD64 (nCD64 T48 - nCD64 T0), %delta nCD64 [(nCD64 T48 - nCD64 T0)/nCD64 T0 x 100%], APACHE II and SOFA scores were calculated and examined. Serum procalcitonin levels and white blood cell counts were documented. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used to test the correlation between nCD64 and severity scores. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve was performed to evaluate the predictive efficacy of the sepsis parameters. Results: Patients with septic shock had significantly higher nCD64 levels than septic patients [3,568 (2,589; 5,999) vs. 1,514 (1,416;2,542) molecules/cell, p < 0.001]. nCD64 T0 and SOFA scores had a moderately positive linear correlation (R = 0.31, p = 0.004). In the survivor group, nCD64 levels significantly decreased within the first 48 h of admission (p < 0.001), while this trend was not statistically significant in the non-survivor group (p = 0.866). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) value of %delta nCD64 combined with APACHE II score (0.81) was higher than that of any other parameter alone or in combination with each other. Conclusion: The nCD64 index may serve as a valuable biomarker for predicting the course of sepsis. Monitoring changes in nCD64 during the initial 48 h of admission can aid in predicting the prognosis of septic patients. The use of a combination of the trends of nCD64 index in the first 48 h with APACHE II score would further enhance the predictive accuracy. More studies with longer follow-ups are needed to fully understand the implications of serial trend and kinetics of nCD64 in septic patients.

What matters most? A qualitative study exploring priorities for supportive interventions for people with tuberculosis in urban Viet Nam.

INTRODUCTION: The health and economic burden of tuberculosis (TB) in urban Viet Nam is high. Social protection and support interventions can improve treatment outcomes and reduce costs. However, evidence regarding optimal strategies in this context is lacking. This study aimed to increase understanding of what people with TB and healthcare providers (HCPs) perceive as important to improve TB treatment outcomes and reduce costs. METHODS: We conducted qualitative focus group discussions (seven groups, n=30) and key informant interviews (n=4) with people with drug-susceptible and multidrug-resistant TB and HCPs in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City. Topic guides covered perspectives on and prioritisation of different forms of social protection and support. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and interpreted using a Framework for Transformative Social Protection. RESULTS: We identified three themes and seven subthemes. The first theme, 'Existing financial safety nets are essential, but could go further to support people affected by TB', highlights that support to meet the medical costs of TB treatment and flexible cash transfers are a priority for people with TB and HCPs. The second, 'It is important to promote "physical and spiritual health" during TB treatment', demonstrates that extended psychosocial and nutritional support would encourage people with TB during their treatment. The third, 'Accessibility and acceptability are critical in designing social support interventions for people with TB', shows the importance of ensuring that support is accessible and proportional to the needs of people with TB and their families. CONCLUSIONS: Accessible interventions that incorporate financial risk protection, nutritional and psychosocial support matter most to people with TB and HCPs in urban Viet Nam to improve their treatment outcomes and reduce catastrophic costs. This study can inform the design of stronger person-centred interventions to advance progress towards the goals of the WHO's End TB Strategy.

Risk factors for cannula-associated arterial thrombosis following extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Hemostatic dysfunction during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) due to blood-circuit interaction and the consequences of shear stress imposed by flow rates lead to rapid coagulation cascade and thrombus formation in the ECMO system and blood vessels. We aimed to identify the incidence and risk factors for cannula-associated arterial thrombosis (CaAT) post-decannulation. METHODS: A retrospective study of patients undergoing arterial cannula removal following ECMO was performed. We evaluated the incidence of CaAT and compared the characteristics, ECMO machine parameters, cannula sizes, number of blood products transfused during ECMO, and daily hemostasis parameters in patients with and without CaAT. Multivariate analysis identified the risk factors for CaAT. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients requiring venoarterial ECMO (VA-ECMO) or hybrid methods were recruited for thrombosis screening. The median Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score was 11 (interquartile range, 8-13). CaAT occurred in 29 patients (61.7%), with thrombosis in the superficial femoral artery accounting for 51.7% of cases. The rate of limb ischemia complications in the CaAT group was 17.2%. Multivariate analysis determined that the ECMO flow rate-body surface area (BSA) ratio (100 ml/min/m2) was an independent factor for CaAT, with an odds ratio of 0.79 (95% confidence interval, 0.66-0.95; P=0.014). CONCLUSIONS: We found that the incidence of CaAT was 61.7% following successful decannulation from VA-ECMO or hybrid modes, and the ECMO flow rate-BSA ratio was an independent risk factor for CaAT. We suggest screening for arterial thrombosis following VA-ECMO, and further research is needed to determine the risks and benefits of such screening.

Diagnostic Value of Neutrophil CD64 in Sepsis Patients in the Intensive Care Unit: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Little is known about the role of neutrophil CD64 (nCD64) in detecting sepsis early in Asian populations. We examined the cut-off and predictive values of nCD64 for diagnosing sepsis in Vietnamese intensive care units (ICU) patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the ICU of Cho Ray Hospital between January 2019 and April 2020. All 104 newly admitted patients were included. Sensitivity (Sens), specificity (Spec), positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV), and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were calculated to compare the diagnostic values of nCD64 with those of procalcitonin (PCT) and white blood cell (WBC) for sepsis. The median nCD64 value in sepsis patients was statistically higher than that of non-sepsis patients (3106 [1970-5200] vs. 745 [458-906] molecules/cell, p < 0.001). ROC analysis found that the AUC value of nCD64 was 0.92, which was higher than that of PCT (0.872), WBC (0.637), and nCD64 combined, with WBC (0.906) and nCD64 combined with WBC and PCT (0.919), but lower than that of nCD64 combined with PCT (0.924). With an AUC value of 0.92, the nCD64 index of 1311 molecules/cell-detected sepsis with 89.9% Sens, 85.7% Spec, 92.5% PPV, and 81.1% NPV. nCD64 can be a useful marker for early sepsis diagnosis in ICU patients. nCD64 combined with PCT may improve the diagnostic accuracy.

Major Bleeding in Adults Undergoing Peripheral Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO): Prognosis and Predictors.

BACKGROUND: Major bleeding has been a common and serious complication with poor outcomes in ECMO patients. With a novel, less-invasive cannulation approach and closer coagulation monitoring regime, the incidence of major bleeding is currently not determined yet. Our study aims to examine the incidence of major bleeding, its determinants, and association with mortality in peripheral-ECMO patients. METHOD: We conducted a single-center retrospective study on adult patients undergoing peripheral-ECMO between January 2019 and January 2020 at a tertiary referral hospital. Determinants of major bleeding were defined by logistic regression analysis. Risk factors of in-hospital mortality were determined by Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. RESULTS: Major bleeding was reported in 33/105 patients (31.4%) and was associated with higher in-hospital mortality [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 3.56, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.63-7.80, p < 0.001). There were no significant difference in age, sex, ECMO indications, ECMO modality, pre-ECMO APACHE-II and SOFA scores between two groups with and without major bleeding. Only APTT >72 seconds [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 7.10, 95% CI 2.60-19.50, p < 0.001], fibrinogen <2 g/L [aOR = 7.10, 95% CI 2.60-19.50, p < 0.001], and ACT >220 seconds [aOR = 3.9, 95% CI 1.20-11.80, p=0.017] on days with major bleeding were independent predictors. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, major bleeding still had a fairly high incidence and poor outcome in peripheral-ECMO patients. APTT > 72 seconds, fibrinogen < 2 g/L were the strongest predicting factors for major bleeding events.