Cantho Journal of Medicine and Pharmacy

PERCEPTIONS OF HOMOSEXUALITY AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS IN VIETNAM: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY USING THE 2020 WORLD VALUES SURVEY

Yichang Li, Trong Nghia Le — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background: Attitudes toward homosexuality are influenced by cultural, social, and religious norms, and play a critical role in shaping public acceptance and social equity. Understanding these perceptions is essential for informing inclusive policies and promoting equal rights. The World Values Survey 2020 was a global research project that explores people's values and beliefs across countries, including the justifiability of homosexuality in Vietnam. Objectives: 1. To describe the perceptions of Vietnamese people regarding homosexuality; 2. To identify factors associated with these perceptions; 3. To identify the factors related to the justifiability of homosexuality. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from 1,200 Vietnamese respondents in the World Values Survey Wave 7 (2017-2020). Bivariate analyses and multivariable logistic regression models were applied to examine factors associated with justifying homosexuality. Results: Overall, 56.7% of respondents considered justifiability of homosexuality. In bivariate analyses, justification of homosexuality was significantly associated with belief that homosexual couples can be good parents (p < 0.001), importance of God in life (p = 0.001), religious affiliation (p = 0.025), and acceptance of homosexual neighbors (p = 0.002). In multivariable analysis, factors independently associated with justifying homosexuality included age 41-50 years (OR = 0.674; 95% CI: 0.461-0.987), perceived importance of God (OR = 1.498; 95% CI: 1.162-1.930), acceptance of homosexual neighbors (OR = 0.699; 95% CI: 0.526-0.928), and belief that homosexual couples can be good parents (OR = 0.563; 95% CI: 0.438-0.723). Marital status other than married, Buddhist affiliation, and other religions were also significantly associated with justification of homosexuality. Conclusions: More than half of Vietnamese respondents considered justifiability of homosexuality. Agreement that homosexual couples can be good parents, the perceived importance of God, religious denomination, and acceptance of homosexual neighbors were associated with greater acceptance. These findings suggest that public education programs, community-based interventions, and culturally sensitive dialogue within religious and social institutions may help promote more inclusive attitudes toward sexual minorities in Vietnam.

STORAGE LOWER URINARY TRACT SYMPTOMS AMONG FEMALE MEDICAL STUDENTS: PREVALENCE, SUBJECTIVE BOTHER, AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background: Storage lower urinary tract symptoms (storage LUTS) may result in considerable subjective bother and negatively affect quality of life. Female medical students may be particularly vulnerable to these symptoms due to academic demands, physical exhaustion, and lifestyle-related factors. However, the prevalence and correlates of storage LUTS in this population remain insufficiently explored. Objectives: 1. To describe the prevalence and characteristics of storage LUTS and their associated subjective bother among female medical students at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy in 2026; 2. To identify factors associated with storage LUTS symptom scores in this population. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 173 fulltime female medical students at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy from January 3 to February 13, 2026. Lower urinary tract symptoms were assessed using the ICIQ-FLUTS Long Form. Results: The prevalence of storage LUTS was 17.9%, defined as the presence of at least one storage symptom with a frequency score of ≥2. Using the same threshold, nocturia and urgency were the most prevalent storage symptoms, each reported by 5.8% of participants. Storage symptom scores showed a moderate positive correlation with total bother scores (rs = 0.676, p < 0.001). In multiple linear regression analysis (R² = 0.287; Adjusted R² = 0.261), higher storage LUTS symptom scores were independently associated with high salt intake, exhaustion, caffeine consumption, physical activity and masturbation frequency, whereas LUTS awareness was inversely associated with symptom scores (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Storage LUTS are relatively common among female medical students and are associated with considerable subjective bother. Improving awareness and promoting appropriate lifestyle practices may help reduce the symptom burden in this population.

NETWORK PHARMACOLOGY ANALYSIS OF THE ANTI- INFLAMMATORY MECHANISMS OF WENQING BITONG DECOCTION IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Thi Huong Nguyen, Yue Wang, Thuy Chi Le — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease involving complex inflammatory networks and multiple pathogenic pathways. Although Wenqing Bitong Decoction has been used clinically for rheumatoid arthritis, its underlying anti-inflammatory mechanisms have not been systematically elucidated. Objectives: To systematically explore the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of Wenqing Bitong Decoction in rheumatoid arthritis using a network pharmacology approach. Materials and methods: Active compounds of the 14 Wenqing Bitong Decoction herbs were retrieved from Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) and HERB. TCMSP compounds were screened using OB ≥ 30% and DL ≥ 0.18; HERB compounds used a probability cutoff > 0.1 (SwissTargetPrediction, species Homo sapiens). Duplicates were removed. Rheumatoid arthritis targets from GeneCards (three-time median filtering, cutoff ≥ 5.71) and OMIM were intersected with drug targets. PPI was analyzed via STRING (Homo sapiens, confidence ≥ 0.7). GO/KEGG enrichment used adjusted p < 0.05. Results: A total of 183 bioactive compounds, 656 putative targets, and 867 rheumatoid arthritis-related targets were identified, yielding 93 overlapping targets. Network analysis indicated that key active compounds included quercetin, luteolin, kaempferol, wogonin, baicalein, and naringenin. Core targets such as IL6, IL1B, TNF, STAT3, and AKT1 were identified as central nodes in the PPI network. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that these targets were mainly involved in TNF, IL-17, NF-κB, MAPK, PI3K-Akt, and JAK-STAT signaling pathways, which are closely associated with inflammatory response regulation and immune modulation. Conclusion: Wenqing Bitong Decoction may exert anti‑inflammatory effects in rheumatoid arthritis through multi‑component, multi‑target, and multi‑pathway mechanisms, potentially involving cytokine signaling modulation and key inflammatory pathways (NF‑κB, MAPK, PI3K‑Akt, JAK‑STAT). These findings are hypothesis‑generating and require experimental and clinical validation, as no validation was performed here.

DEVELOPMENT OF A RISK-FACTOR-BASED MACHINE LEARNING MODEL FOR PREDICTING POSITIVE M-CHAT-R/F SCREENING IN CHILDREN AGED 18-36 MONTHS

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background: Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition that requires early detection and timely intervention. The M-CHAT-R/F is a widely used screening tool for identifying children at risk of autism spectrum disorder. Artificial intelligence may support early risk stratification by integrating multiple prenatal, perinatal, nutritional, environmental, and childrelated factors. Objectives: 1. To determine the proportion of children aged 18-36 months at risk of autism spectrum disorder according to the M-CHAT-R/F scale; 2. To develop a risk-factor-based artificial intelligence model for predicting positive autism spectrum disorder-risk screening according to M-CHAT-R/F classification. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study combined with artificial intelligence model development was conducted at Can Tho Children’s Hospital from December 2024 to December 2025. A total of 834 children aged 18-36 months were included. Data were collected through face-to-face caregiver interviews using the two-step MCHAT-R/F protocol and medical records. The outcome was autism spectrum disorder -risk screening status according to M-CHAT-R/F classification. Eight machine learning algorithms were developed and compared. The dataset was divided into training and testing sets at an 80:20 ratio. SMOTE was applied only to the training dataset. Model performance was evaluated using AUC, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, and F1-score. Results: Among 834 children, 762 children (91.4%) were classified as not at risk, while 72 children (8.6%) were classified as being at risk according to M-CHAT-R/F. In the feature importance analysis, birth asphyxia had the highest importance score (0.36), followed by prolonged labor >24 hours (0.17) and medically assisted delivery (0.15). In the training dataset after SMOTE, XGBoost achieved the highest performance, with an AUC of 0.884, accuracy of 82.6%, sensitivity of 87.2%, specificity of 78.1%, and F1-score of 0.835. In the test dataset, XGBoost remained the best-performing model, with an AUC of 0.842, accuracy of 79.2%, sensitivity of 87.0%, specificity of 72.1%, and F1-score of 0.754. Conclusions: The proportion of positive autism spectrum disorder-risk screening was 8.6%. Perinatal factors, especially birth asphyxia, prolonged labor, and medically assisted delivery, were the strongest predictors. XGBoost showed the best performance and may support early autism spectrum disorderrisk screening, but it should not replace clinical assessment.

KNOWLEDGE OF POSTPARTUM HEMORRHAGE PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG MIDWIFERY AND NURSING STUDENTS AT CAN THO UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND PHARMACY

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background: Postpartum hemorrhage is one of the five major obstetric emergencies and can result from multiple causes. Therefore, equipping healthcare students with comprehensive knowledge of postpartum hemorrhage prevention and management is essential. Objectives: To assess midwifery and nursing students’ knowledge regarding the prevention and management of postpartum hemorrhage and to identify associated factors. Materials and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 140 midwifery and nursing students at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy in 2025. Students’ knowledge was collected and evaluated using a structured questionnaire which was created by Rose Faustine et al. in 2025. Results: The findings indicated that 90% of students demonstrated good knowledge of postpartum hemorrhage, while 10% had a moderate level of knowledge. Factors associated with knowledge of postpartum hemorrhage included prior formal instruction or training in postpartum hemorrhage prevention and management, as well as previous participation in the care of or exposure to postpartum hemorrhage cases during clinical practice. Conclusions: These students demonstrated a high level of knowledge regarding the prevention and management of postpartum hemorrhage. However, educational institutions should strengthen training programs on postpartum hemorrhage and provide increased opportunities for students to engage in clinical cases, from simulation-based learning to real-world practice, in order to sustain and further enhance students’ knowledge in the prevention and management of postpartum hemorrhage.

APPLICATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN MONITORING AND PROGNOSIS OF HAND, FOOT, AND MOUTH DISEASE IN CHILDREN AT CAN THO CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background: Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease is a common pediatric infectious disease that can lead to serious neurological, cardiovascular, and respiratory complications if not detected early; however, early identification of severe progression remains challenging, and predictive models such as logistic regression and artificial intelligence may help support more objective risk assessment and monitoring. Objectives: 1. To develop an artificial intelligence model for monitoring the status of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease in children; 2. To apply the artificial intelligence model for early prediction of the likelihood of severe disease progression, assisting physicians with timely treatment. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 302 pediatric patients diagnosed with Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease treated as inpatients at Can Tho Children's Hospital from October 2024 to October 2025, who met the criteria set by the Ministry of Health in 2024. Data were processed using R 4.3.1 and Python 3.11 software; a logistic regression model was used to construct a Nomogram, and the Random Forest model was used to predict severe progression. Results: Statistically significant independent prognostic factors included CRP, glucose, white blood cell count, convulsions, and pulmonary crackles (p < 0.05). The Nomogram model achieved an AUC of 0.833, a sensitivity of 82.1%, and a specificity of 78.3%. The artificial intelligence - Random Forest model achieved an Accuracy of 70.9%, Precision of 0.69, Recall of 0.71, and an F1-score of 0.69. The most important features in the model included number of treatment days (0.345), severity upon admission (0.157), and duration of fever (0.130). Conclusion: The combination of logistic regression and an artificial intelligence model shows high efficacy in predicting and monitoring the progression of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease, contributing to supporting physicians in early identification of high-risk pediatric patients, thereby improving the quality of treatment and clinical prognosis.

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH FRAILTY AMONG HOSPITALIZED OLDER ADULTS AT CAN THO CENTRAL GENERAL HOSPITAL: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background: Population ageing has become a major global trend, accompanied by an increasing prevalence of geriatric syndromes such as frailty. Frailty is characterized by reduced physiological reserve and increased vulnerability to stressors, leading to adverse outcomes including disability, prolonged hospitalization, and mortality. Data on frailty among hospitalized older adults in Vietnam remain limited. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of frailty and to identify the associated factors with frailty among hospitalized older adults at Can Tho Central General Hospital. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Geriatrics, Can Tho Central General Hospital from August to September 2025. Hospitalized patients aged ≥60 years were recruited using convenience sampling. Frailty was assessed using the Clinical Frailty Scale, with Clinical Frailty Scale ≥5 defined as frailty. Data on demographic characteristics, nutritional status, dietary diversity, comorbidities, and functional status (ADL and IADL) were collected through interviews and medical record review. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with frailty. Results: A total of 123 patients were included, with a mean age of 75.1 ± 9.3 years; 67.5% were female. Overall, 74.0% of patients were classified as frail, including 58.5% with mild-moderate frailty and 15.5% with severe frailty. Multivariable analysis showed that increasing age (OR = 1.34; 95% CI: 1.17-1.55; p < 0.001) and a higher number of comorbidities (OR = 3.25; 95% CI: 1.75-6.02; p < 0.001) were independently associated with frailty whereas adequate dietary intake was inversely associated with frailty (OR = 0.07; 95% CI: 0.01-0.48; p = 0.007). Conclusion: Frailty is highly prevalent among hospitalized older adults. Routine frailty screening using the Clinical Frailty Scale may help identify high-risk patients and support early geriatric interventions to improve clinical outcomes.

A VALIDATED KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, AND PRACTICES QUESTIONNAIRE FOR CAREGIVERS OF CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA IN SOUTHERN VIETNAM

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease with increasing prevalence, yet pediatric control rates remain low. Caregivers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices are crucial for effective asthma management. However, validated knowledge, attitudes, and practices scales using advanced statistical methods are limited in the Mekong Delta. Objectives: To develop and validate a knowledge, attitudes, and practices scale for caregivers of asthmatic children. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study enrolled 260 primary caregivers of children aged 4-16 years with asthma at Can Tho City Children's Hospital from December 2024 to December 2025. Caregivers completed a standardized questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics and a 29-item KAP questionnaire. For scale development and validation, the sample was split into two equal subsamples using the Solomon method. Each domain of the knowledge, attitudes, and practices scale was first examined separately by exploratory factor analysis in subset 1, and the retained factor structure was then tested by confirmatory factor analysis in subset 2. Results: The mean age of caregivers of children with asthma was 38.32 ± 8.194 years. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis eliminated 10 items, retaining 19 items with satisfactory psychometric properties. The Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices domains achieved high composite reliability (CR = 0.875-0.940) and good convergent validity (AVE = 0.503-0.759). HTMT indices were <0.85, demonstrating good discriminant validity. All confirmatory factor analysis models showed good data fit. Conclusion: The 19-item knowledge, attitudes, and practices questionnaire demonstrated satisfactory validity and reliability, serving as a simple, concise, and highly feasible tool for rapid outpatient assessment. This instrument represents a practical and reliable tool for assessing caregiver knowledge, attitudes, and practices in both clinical and research settings.

CLINICAL PHARMACY INTERVENTIONS ON THE PREVALENCE OF POTENTIAL CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT DRUG-DRUG INTERACTIONS IN OUTPATIENT CARDIOVASCULAR PATIENTS: A BEFORE-AND-AFTER STUDY

Phat Dat Vo, Hoang Tuan Hung Nguyen, Thanh Duy Nguyen, Yen Hao Tran — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background: Potential clinically significant drug-drug interactions are highly prevalent among cardiovascular outpatients due to multimorbidity and polypharmacy, posing a significant threat to patient safety. Objective: To evaluate the impact of a multifaceted clinical pharmacy intervention on the prevalence and severity of potential clinically significant drug-drug interactions in a regional hospital setting. Materials and methods: A quasi-experimental before-and-after study was conducted at the outpatient department of Tam Nong Regional Medical Center, Vietnam. We analyzed 2,400 prescriptions (1,200 pre-intervention: June-August 2025; 1,200 post-intervention: January-March 2026). Drug-drug interactions were identified using the Vietnamese National Drug Interaction Database, UpToDate/Lexicomp, and Drugs.com. The multimodal intervention included the development of a cardiovascular-specific drug-drug interactions reference list, prescriber education, and the integration of electronic clinical decision support alerts. Binary logistic regression was used to identify factors independently associated with drug-drug interactions occurrence. Results: The prevalence of prescriptions containing potential clinically significant drug-drug interactions decreased significantly from 32.4% to 12.5% (p < 0.001), representing a 61.4% relative reduction. High-severity drug-drug interactions dropped from 6.1% to 0.8% (p < 0.001), while moderate-severity interactions decreased from 26.3% to 10.2% (p < 0.001). Risk factors for drug-drug interactions included advanced patient age (≥70 years; OR 4.92, 95% CI: 3.33-7.28), high comorbidity burden (≥3 comorbidities; OR 7.13, 95% CI: 4.61-10.92), and polypharmacy (OR 3.89, 95% CI: 3.01-5.03). Additionally, prescriptions issued by prescribers with a bachelor’s degree were associated with significantly higher odds of drug-drug interactions compared with those issued by prescribers with postgraduate qualifications (OR 1.85, 95% CI: 1.43-2.39). Conclusions: The multifaceted clinical pharmacy intervention effectively reduced the prevalence and severity of potential drug-drug interactions among cardiovascular outpatients. Integrating electronic alerts with targeted education is a robust strategy for enhancing medication safety, particularly for high-risk patients.

OUTCOMES OF LAPAROSCOPIC COMMON BILE DUCT EXPLORATION COMBINED WITH INTRAOPERATIVE CHOLEDOCHOSCOPY FOR CHOLEDOCHOLITHIASIS: A PROSPECTIVE DESCRIPTIVE STUDY

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background: Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration combined with intraoperative choledochoscopy is an effective single-stage treatment for choledocholithiasis. However, data on its early outcomes and the optimal biliary drainage strategy in specific regional settings remain limited. Objectives: To describe the clinical characteristics of patients with choledocholithiasis undergoing laparoscopic common bile duct exploration with intraoperative choledochoscopy, and to evaluate the efficacy and early safety of this approach. Materials and methods: A prospective descriptive study was conducted on patients undergoing laparoscopic common bile duct exploration with choledochoscopy at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital. Results: Thirty-five patients (mean age 55.3 years; 60.0% female) were included. The complete stone clearance rate was 94.3%. Mean operative and choledochoscopy times were 128.5 and 52.4 minutes, respectively. Early postoperative complications were rare, including minor biliary leakage (2.9%) and acute pancreatitis (2.9%). The overall mean postoperative hospital stay was 7.8 days. Notably, patients who underwent primary common bile duct closure had a significantly shorter hospital stay compared to those managed with T-tube drainage (4.8 ± 1.2 vs. 9.2 ± 2.4 days, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration combined with intraoperative choledochoscopy is a feasible, safe, and effective single-stage approach for choledocholithiasis. In selected patients, primary common bile duct closure significantly shortens postoperative hospitalization compared to T-tube drainage, optimizing early recovery.

APPLICATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN SCREENING FOR AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER IN CHILDREN AT CAN THO CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social-communication deficits and restricted, repetitive behaviors, with rising global prevalence, including in Vietnam, where early detection remains limited. Artificial intelligence (AI) provides a data-driven approach to improve diagnostic accuracy. Objectives: To develop an AI-based screening model for Autism Spectrum Disorder in children aged 18-36 months at Can Tho Children’s Hospital and to identify perinatal factors associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Materials and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 980 children aged 18-36 months (November 2024-November 2025). Screening used M-CHAT-R/F, followed by DSM-5 confirmation. Logistic regression identified independent risk factors, and multiple AI models were evaluated using standard performance metrics. Results: Of 980 children, 43 (4.4%) were diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Independent predictors included interventional delivery (aOR = 2.10), abnormal labor duration (aOR = 4.21), preterm birth (aOR = 2.31), and birth asphyxia (aOR = 7.24). M-CHAT-R/F Questions 1, 6, and 20 were most predictive. Decision Tree and Random Forest showed the best performance, with AUC values of approximately 0.80. Conclusions: Autism Spectrum Disorder prevalence was 4.4%, with interventional delivery, prolonged labor, preterm birth, and birth asphyxia as major perinatal risk factors. AI-based screening models demonstrated good discriminatory performance and may serve as useful tools to support early ASD screening in resource-limited healthcare settings.

PATIENT SATISFACTION AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS WITH AESTHETIC SURGERY SERVICES QUALITY AT CAN THO UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND PHARMACY HOSPITAL

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background: Improving service quality to enhance patient satisfaction is a key objective of healthcare institutions. Objective: This study aimed to assess patient satisfaction and identify factors associated with the quality of cosmetic surgery services at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 296 patients from January 2025 to April 2026. Patient satisfaction was measured using the SERVPERF service quality scale, consisting of 22 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests were employed to examine factors associated with patient satisfaction regarding service quality. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: The overall mean satisfaction score was 3.83 out of 5, with an overall satisfaction rate of 84.8%. The highest-rated dimensions were tangibles (84.8%), responsiveness (83.8%), and assurance (80.7%). Educational level (χ² = 12.544, p = 0.014) and monthly income (χ² = 17.791, p<0.001) were significantly associated with patient satisfaction. Conclusions: Patients reported a high level of satisfaction with the quality of cosmetic surgery services provided by the hospital. However, ethically serving vulnerable groups (lower income and education) demands equitable care, transparent financial communication, and patient-centered expectation management.

BREAST ANTHROPOMETRIC INDICES AND SATISFACTION AMONG PATIENTS UNDERGOING COSMETIC BREAST IMPLANT SURGERY AT TAN HUNG GENERAL HOSPITAL

Xuan Long Trinh, Van Lam Nguyen, Tan Dat Nguyen — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background: Cosmetic breast implant surgery is increasingly common. Accurate preoperative breast anthropometry supports individualized implant selection, while patient satisfaction is an important indicator of healthcare service quality. However, studies combining these two aspects in private healthcare settings in Vietnam remain limited. Objectives: To assess preoperative breast anthropometric characteristics patient satisfaction with healthcare services; and their associated factors among patients undergoing cosmetic breast implant surgery at Tan Hung General Hospital. Materials and methods: An analytical cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 246 female patients aged 18-60 years who were indicated for cosmetic breast implant surgery from June 2024 to March 2025. Data included general characteristics, preoperative breast anthropometric measurements, and satisfaction assessed using the inpatient satisfaction questionnaire issued by the Vietnamese Ministry of Health. Results: The mean age was 34.0 ± 6.7 years. A statistically significant physiological asymmetry was observed between the two breasts; the mean left breast volume (238.32 ± 189.05 mL) was higher than the mean right breast volume (213.05 ± 171.77 mL), with p < 0.001. The overall satisfaction rate with healthcare services was 82.1%. The highest satisfaction was recorded for the attitude, communication, and professional competence of healthcare workers (98.0%), while the lowest was for facilities and patient-serving amenities (89.4%). No statistically significant association was found between age, education, occupation, income, and overall satisfaction (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Preoperative breast anthropometric indices showed physiological asymmetry between the two sides, which should be considered in preoperative counselling and surgical planning. Overall patient satisfaction was high; however, facilities and cost-related information should be further improved to enhance service experience.

DRUG-DRUG INTERACTIONS IN OUTPATIENT HYPERTENSION PRESCRIPTIONS AT PRIMARY HEALTHCARE CENTERS IN A VIETNAMESE PROVINCE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background: Hypertension is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases worldwide and in Vietnam, representing a major public health burden due to its association with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Patients with hypertension frequently receive multiple medications because of combination therapy and the presence of coexisting comorbidities. Polypharmacy may increase the risk of clinically significant drug-drug interactions (DDIs), which can affect treatment safety, reduce therapeutic effectiveness, and increase healthcare costs. Therefore, identifying and monitoring potential DDIs in hypertensive patients is essential, particularly in primary healthcare settings where long-term treatment is commonly provided. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate prescribing patterns and the prevalence of potential drug-drug interactions in outpatient hypertension management at primary healthcare facilities in Chau Thanh district, Dong Thap province, Vietnam, in 2025. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using 600 outpatient prescriptions systematically sampled from 12 commune health stations. Potential DDIs were identified using two electronic databases, DRUGS.COM and MICROMEDEX. Only interactions with concordant classification and moderate or higher severity in both databases were included in the analysis. Results: Antihypertensive monotherapy was the most commonly prescribed regimen, accounting for 93% of prescriptions. Calcium channel blockers (CCB) were the most frequently used drug class (61.5%), with amlodipine being the most commonly prescribed (56.3%), followed by angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) (24.3%), angiotensinconverting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) (13.8%), and beta-blockers (BB) (0.5%). Moderate interactions were the most common severity level identified in both databases. Clinically relevant DDIs consistently identified across both databases were observed in 31.7% of prescriptions. The most frequent interacting drug pair was enalapril combined with metformin (41%). Conclusion: Potential drug-drug interactions are common in outpatient hypertension treatment. Continuous and individualized monitoring of DDIs is essential to optimize medication safety and therapeutic effectiveness at the primary care level.

ANGIOSTRONGYLUS CANTONENSIS EOSINOPHILIC MENINGITIS MIMICKING TUBERCULOUS MENINGITIS CONFIRMED BY CEREBROSPINAL FLUID PCR: A DIAGNOSTIC CHALLENGE IN A TROPICAL COUNTRY

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Background: Eosinophilic meningitis is a rare clinical syndrome most commonly caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis, particularly in tropical regions. Because clinical manifestations and cerebrospinal fluid findings may overlap with tuberculous meningitis, misdiagnosis may occur, especially in tuberculosis-endemic countries. Clinical Case: We report a 45-year-old woman presenting with prolonged fever and headache. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed marked pleocytosis, elevated protein levels, and reduced glucose concentration, with a small proportion of eosinophils. Initial microbiological investigations were negative, and the patient was empirically treated for tuberculous meningitis with adjunctive corticosteroids, resulting in transient clinical improvement. However, subsequent molecular testing of cerebrospinal fluid detected Angiostrongylus cantonensis DNA by polymerase chain reaction, establishing the diagnosis of eosinophilic meningitis. Anti-tuberculosis therapy was discontinued, and the patient recovered completely with supportive management. Conclusion: This case highlights the diagnostic challenge of eosinophilic meningitis mimicking tuberculous meningitis in tuberculosis-endemic settings. Molecular detection of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in cerebrospinal fluid plays a crucial role in establishing the correct diagnosis and preventing unnecessary anti-tuberculosis treatment.