Purpose: To evaluate the characteristics of basal gastric juice in Helicobacter pylori-positive patients before and after Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy. Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study on 150 gastritis patients admitted at the Hospital of Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy. The patients were divided into 2 groups: study group (Helicobacter pylori gastritis patients) and control group (non-Helicobacter pylori gastritis patients). The pH, HCO3- concentration, and activities and concentrations of pepsin, lipase, and amylase were determined before and after treatment in study group. Results: Patients with abnormal gastric juice comprised 76 % of the study population. Mean gastric potential of hydrogen (pH) was 2.31 (range: 1.64 - 7.68), while median concentration of HCO3- was 4.06 mmol/L (range: 0 - 73.04 mmol/L). The concentrations of pepsin, lipase, and amylase were 8.93, 0.93 and 1.38 ppm, respectively. Activities of pepsin, lipase, and amylase were 2.23, 0.28 and 0.04 U/mL, respectively. After the successful eradication of Helicobacter pylori, pH and HCO3- levels decreased, and there were significant differences in activities of pepsin and lipase before and after treatment (p < 0.05). Moreover, the levels of these parameters differed between patients in whom successful eradication was achieved and those in whom eradication failed (p < 0.05). The concentrations and activities of pepsin and lipase were statistically different between pre-treatment and post-treatment stages in both successful and failed Helicobacter pylori eradication categories (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Basal gastric juice differs significantly between Helicobacter pylori-positive and Helicobacter pylori-negative patients. Intragastric ammonia produced by H. pylori may have a role in the increased pH of gastric juice.

Background: Low measured bone mineral density (BMD) in clinical settings is known as an indirect indicator of osteoporosis and fracture risk. Objective: To evaluate the mean BMD at the lumbar spine and femoral neck and the correlation between BMD and some associated factors in women aged over 40 years. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional research was performed. The study group included 168 healthy women aged over 40 years having annual health surveillance at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital. BMD at lumbar spine and femoral neck were measured by dualenergy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) method from 6/2017 to 5/2018. Results: The results recorded that the mean BMD at the lumbar spine and femoral neck were 0.92±0.2g/cm2 and 0.84±0.15g/cm2 , respectively. BMD at the lumbar spine and femoral neck had significant positive correlation with height (r=0.353, p<0.001; r=0.394, p<0.001), weight (r=0.435, p<0.001; r=0.414, p<0.001), BMI (r=0.33, p<0.001; r=0.284, p<0.001) while having significant negative correlation with age (r=-0.609, p<0.00; r=-0.561; p<0.001), time elapsed since menopauseTESM (r=-0.495, p<0.001; r=-0.523; p<0.001), and number of giving birth (r=-0.381, p<0.001; r=- 0.268, p<0.001). Conclusion: The mean BMD at the lumbar spine and femoral neck which had a significant correlation with age, TESM, number of giving birth, height, weight and BMI were rather high. Targeted future research is suggested to point out a strategy that directly impacts osteoporosis and fracture risks outcomes in healthy Vietnamese women over 40 years of age.