Several studies have reported an increased frequency of colonization and/or infection with antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-PE) are a group of bacteria with intrinsic resistance to multiple antibiotics, including penicillins, cephalosporins, and monobactams. These pathogens are easy to spread and can cause difficult-to-treat infections. Here, we summarize the available evidence on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on infections caused by ESBL-PE. Using specific criteria and keywords, we searched PubMed, MEDLINE, and EMBASE for articles published up to 30 March 2023 on potential changes in the epidemiology of ESBL-E since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. We identified eight studies that documented the impact of COVID-19 on ESBL-E. Five studies were focused on assessing the frequency of ESBL-PE in patient-derived specimens, and three studies investigated the epidemiological aspects of ESBL-PE infections in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the studies that were focused on patient specimens reported a decrease in ESBL-PE positivity during the pandemic, whereas the three studies that involved patient data (1829 patients in total) reported a higher incidence of ESBL-PE infections in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 compared with those with other conditions. There are limited data on the real impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the epidemiology of ESBL-PE infections; however, patient-derived data suggest that the pandemic has exacerbated the spread of these pathogens.

(1) Background: COVID-19 has significantly affected the quality of life and the medication adherence of patients with chronic diseases. Attitudes towards the disease and preventive measures are the things that need to be considered for patient adherence to medication during the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to evaluate the rate and compare the medication adherence and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medication adherence in Vietnamese patients with cardiovascular and endocrine–metabolic diseases. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on outpatients having chronic diseases such as cardiovascular or/and endocrine–metabolic diseases in some southern provinces in Vietnam. In each group of patients, medication adherence was measured and assessed with the General Medication Adherence Scale (GMAS), adjusted and validated in Vietnam. In addition, the study also investigated attitudes and practices to prevent COVID-19. (3) Results: Out of 1444 patients in our study, the level of adherence was recorded in 867 cases, accounting for 61.1%. The group of patients with only cardiovascular disease and patients with only endocrine–metabolic disease had relatively similar compliance rates of 62 and 61.1%, respectively. The leading cause of non-adherence to treatment in all three groups of patients in the study, as assessed by the GMAS, was non-adherence due to financial constraints. Our study showed that 71.6% of patients felt anxious when going to the hospital for a medical examination. However, only 53.7% identified the COVID-19 pandemic as obstructing treatment follow-up visits. The research results showed that the COVID-19 epidemic influences the patient’s psychology with regard to re-examination and treatment adherence, with p coefficients of 0.003 and <0.001, respectively. (4) Conclusion: Medication adherence rates in two disease groups are close, and financial constraint is the fundamental reason for medication non-adherence. Regulatory agencies must take care of people’s welfare to improve adherence in the epidemic context.

Background: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an inherited metabolic disorder characterized by high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) from birth. About 85% of all FH cases are caused by pathogenic variants in the LDLR gene. Individuals with FH have increased cardiovascular risk, including a high risk of premature myocardial infarction (PMI). Methods: We conducted an opportunistic exome screening to identify variants in the LDLR gene among Vietnamese patients with PMI treated at a general hospital in southern Vietnam. A cascade testing for LDLR variants was conducted in their relatives within three generations, and the effects of the LDLR variant on the response to rosuvastatin treatment were also studied using a comparative before-and-after study design on those who were eligible. Results: A total of 99 participants from the three generations of four PMI patients were recruited, mean age 37.3 ± 18.5 years, 56.6% males. Sanger sequencing revealed two variants in the LDLR gene: variant rs577934998 (c.664T>C), detected in 17 individuals within one family, and variant rs12710260 (c.1060+10G>C), found in 32 individuals (49.5%) in the other three families tested. Individuals harboring the variant c.664T>C had significantly higher baseline LDL-c and total cholesterol levels compared to those with variant c.1060+10G>C (classified as benign) or those without LDLR variants, and among the 47 patients subjected to a 3-month course of rosuvastatin therapy, those with variant c.664T>C had a significantly higher risk of not achieving the LDL-c target after the course of treatment compared to the c.1060+10G>C carriers. Conclusions: These findings provide evidence supporting the existence of pathogenic LDLR variants in Vietnamese patients with PMI and their relatives and may indicate the need for personalizing lipid-lowering therapies. Further studies are needed to delineate the extent and severity of the problem.

Background: Bone tissue, a vital component for self-healing. This inherent regenerative capacity enables bones to repair themselves following injury or damage. Understanding the mechanisms behind bone tissue self-healing is of great significance in the field of medical research and has implications for the development of novel therapeutic approaches. In this article, we explore the fundamental characteristics and mechanisms underlying the self-healing properties of bone tissue. In certain instances of trauma or pathological conditions resulting in bone defects, the natural healing process may be insufficient. Consequently, the implementation of bone transplant interventions becomes imperative for successful bone regeneration. The predominant origins of bone grafts encompass autologous, homologous, and heterologous sources. The allograft, a widely utilized bone grafting technique, has gained significant popularity, and is currently in high demand within the medical field. The current state of allograft utilization in our nation has proven insufficient in meeting the demands of patients. Henceforth, a method has been devised and standardized for the procurement of demineralized osseous tissue, a crucial investigation in light of the insufficiency of allografts in meeting the requirements of patients. Objectives: Initially, standardizing an efficient procedure to obtain demineralized bone sources from human skull fragments from three different inclusion methods. Materials and Methods: Using three different types of solutions to obtain demineralized bone from human skull tissue including solutions of Formic Acid (10%), Hydrochloric Acid (5%), a mixture of solution: Formic Acid (10%) - Acid Hydrochloric (5%) (ratio 1:1,v/v). Demineralized bones were evaluated by comparing the mineral content extracted from bone samples, demineralization time, and analysis of ions concentration in bone samples (including Ca and P) before and after demineralization. Besides, demineralized bones were histologically stained before and after demineralization to assess the bone structure. Results: The Ca and P extraction rates of this method are high and standard, about 98% and 93%, respectively. The demineralization process only takes about five days. Relative bone tissue retains most of the structure of compact bone tissue. Conclusion: The procedure that our team has established is the right one for obtaining demineralized bone as bone replacement material and applies to a wide variety of human bone tissue.

Đặt vấn đề: Suy tủy xương vô căn là một bệnh lý nghiêm trọng ở trẻ em. Mục tiêu nghiên cứu: Khảo sát đặc điểm lâm sàng, sinh học của bệnh suy tủy xương vô căn ở trẻ em. Đối tượng và phương pháp nghiên cứu: Nghiên cứu mô tả loạt ca, hồi cứu trên 49 bệnh nhi mắc suy tuỷ xương vô căn được điều trị với các phác đồ như thuốc ức chế miễn dịch bao gồm kháng thể kháng tế bào tuyến ức (Antithymocyte globuline) và Cyclosporine-A, Cyclosporine-A và Prednisolne, Cyclosporine-A kết hợp thuốc chủ vận thụ thể thrombopoietin, chỉ truyền chế phẩm máu hoặc ghép tế bào gốc tạo máu tại Bệnh viện Truyền máu Huyết học TP. Hồ Chí Minh trong khoảng thời gian từ tháng 01/2017 đến tháng 12/2021. Kết quả: 49 bệnh nhi có độ tuổi trung bình lúc chẩn đoán là 7,98+0,57; trong đó nhóm từ 5 đến 10 tuổi chiếm ưu thế với 44,9%. Thiếu máu và xuất huyết là triệu chứng thường gặp. Bệnh nhi có phân độ suy tủy xương nặng và rất nặng chiến tỷ lệ 77,6%. Trong lựa chọn phác đồ điều trị, phương pháp phối hợp Antithymocyte globuline và Cyclosporine-A chiếm ưu thế với 60%, tiếp đến là ghép tế bào gốc 24%, phương pháp điều trị hỗ trợ chiếm 8%, điều trị Cyclosporine-A phối hợp prednisolone và Cyclosporine-A phối thuốc chủ vận thụ thể Thrombopoietin đều chiếm tỷ lệ thấp nhất với 4%. Bên cạnh đó, chúng tôi còn ghi nhận được trước khi lựa chọn phác đồ điều trị có 100% bệnh nhân được truyền chế phẩm máu; 63,3% sử dụng kháng sinh, kháng nấm và kháng virus; 6,1% bệnh nhi dùng Cyclosporine-A và 4,1% sử dụng corticoid. Kết luận: Mặc dù đã có nhiều phác đồ điều trị, nhưng việc hiểu rõ các đặc điểm của bệnh cũng giúp ích rất nhiều trong phân nhóm bệnh, định hướng điều trị phù hợp nhất theo từng cá thể và tiên lượng bệnh.