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Aim: The aim of this study was to determine why bystanders did not use formal Emergency Medical Services (EMS) or conduct cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the scene for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients in Hanoi, Vietnam. Methods: This was a prospective, observational study of OHCA patients admitted to five tertiary hospitals in the Hanoi area from June 2018 through January 2019. The data were collected through interviews (using a structured questionnaire) with bystanders. Results: Of the 101 patients, 79% were aged <65 years, 71% were men, 79% were witnessed to collapse, 36% were transported to the hospital by formal EMS, and 16% received bystander CPR at the scene. The most frequently indicated reason for not using EMS by the attendants was "using a private vehicle or taxi is faster" (85%). The reasons bystanders did not conduct CPR at the scene included "not recognizing the ailment as cardiac arrest" (60%), "not knowing how to perform CPR" (33%), and "being afraid of doing harm to patients" (7%). Only seven percent of the bystanders had been trained in CPR. Conclusion: The information revealed in this study provides useful information to indicate what to do to increase EMS use and CPR provision. Spreading awareness and training among community members regarding EMS roles, recognition of cardiac arrest, CPR skills, and dispatcher training to assist bystanders are crucial to improve the outcomes of OHCA patients in Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe the outcomes of patients with out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) transported to hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam. Methods: This was a multi‐centre observational study of patients presenting with OHCA to one of five tertiary care hospital EDs in Hanoi from 2017 to 2019. Results: We analysed data from 239 OHCA cases of which 70.7% were witnessed, and 8.4% received bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The emergency medical services (EMS) transported 20.5% of cases to hospital with the remaining being transported by private vehicle. No patients received external defibrillation before arriving to hospital. Return of spontaneous circulation in hospital was 33.1%, with 3.8% of patients survived to hospital discharge and only one patient (0.4%) discharged from hospital with a favourable neurological outcome. Conclusions: In cases of OHCA in Hanoi, both the proportion of cases receiving bystander CPR and EMS transportation were small. Urgent investments in pre‐hospital capacity, training and capabilities are required to improve outcomes for OHCA in Hanoi. Out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest outcomes remain poor in low to middle income developing countries. This study investigated outcomes for outcomes of out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrests in several hospitals in Hanoi, Vietnam. Access to emergency medical services and bystander provision of basic life support need to improve for better patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest patients require immediate interventions by bystanders and emergency medical services (EMS). However, in many low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMIC), bystanders witnessing a cardiac arrest rarely perform chest compressions and contact EMS. This paper attempts to draw lessons from a case of a patient with a cardiac arrest who could have survived with immediate interventions. A 40 year old man collapsed following electrocution at a construction site. His colleagues immediately transferred him to hospital via taxi, without performing chest compressions. At the hospital he showed ventricular fibrillation; resuscitation attempts failed and he died. Ventricular fibrillation due to electrocution is a benign type of cardiac arrest. The chance of survival increases with immediate chest compressions and prompt defibrillation. We discuss the reasons why the bystanders did not perform resuscitation or contact EMS and identify approaches for the improvement of pre‐hospital care in LMICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nutritional support for surgical care is crucial because hospital malnutrition is rather common. However, low- and middle-income countries have not adequately addressed nutritional management of surgical patients. To highlight need for nutritional management in surgical patients, the present study aimed to describe preoperative nutritional status in patients who underwent gastrointestinal cancer surgery in Vietnam and to investigate the relationship between preoperative malnutrition and adverse outcomes, such as postoperative complications and prolonged length of hospital stay., Methods: We reviewed medical records of patients who underwent a major curative surgery for gastrointestinal cancer at the national hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. We identified preoperative malnutrition based on body mass index and serum albumin level, and postoperative complications in the first 30 d postoperative. We estimated the relative influence of malnutrition on complications and length of hospital stay using multivariate regression models., Results: Of 459 eligible patients, 63% had colorectal cancer, 33% gastric cancer, and 4% esophageal cancer. The prevalence of malnutrition was 19%. No patients died during hospitalization; however, 26% developed complications after surgery. The average length of hospital stay was 14 d. After controlling for potential confounders, preoperative malnutrition was associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications (odds ratio = 1.97) and prolonged hospital stay (2.8 d)., Conclusions: Preoperative malnutrition affects surgical outcomes among patients with gastrointestinal cancer in Vietnam. We recommend implementing preoperative nutritional interventions to achieve better outcomes among surgical cancer patients., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)