A Resident Of VinUniversity’s Internal Medicine Program Participated In The APAAACI Congress In Manila, Philippines

In the last month of 2022, Nguyen Hoang Kim Han, a resident of VinUniversity’s Internal Medicine program, participated in the Asia Pacific Association of Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology (APAAACI) Congress in Manila, Philippines. The theme of the Congress is “Evidence-Based Integrated Care in Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology: The New Frontiers”.

The scientific program was a well-woven combination of the most recent advances in the science, novel therapies, and practical clinical aspects in allergy asthma and clinical immunology, environmental factors such as pollution, climate change, and more targeting both clinicians and researchers across specialties working in this space.

At this conference, Kim Han had an oral presentation about “Autosomal recessive hyper-IgE syndrome (AR-HIES) due to DOCK8 deficiency: Effectiveness of omalizumab”. This is a rare primary immunodeficiency syndrome characterized by recurrent viral infections, atopic dermatitis, severe allergies, and early-onset malignancies. AR-HIES are mostly caused by homozygous or compound heterozygous loss-of-function mutations in the DOCK8 gene. Anti-IgE therapy with Omalizumab is a targeted treatment for this syndrome.

Besides, she also had a poster presentation with the title “Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Adults (MIS-A): A case series and literature review”. This was a retrospective case series describing 7 patients diagnosed with MIS-A post-Covid-19 between February and August 2022 at Vinmec Timescity International Hospital, Ha Noi, Vietnam. The research showed that MIS-A should be considered, in patients with fever, hyperinflammation, and multiple organ system involvements emerging weeks after COVID-19. MIS-A needs early diagnosis and effective treatment. IVIG and pulse steroid treatments are effective options for clinical improvement.

Kim Han’s poster presentation with the title ” Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Adults (MIS-A): A case series and literature review”

Honorably, Kim Han was announced by Prof. Ruby Pawankar – president of APAAACI and past president of WAO – as the youngest APAAACI speaker. She was also selected to be a member of The Steering Committee of the APAAACI Junior Allergy Leadership Forum. Participating in the APAAACI Congress 2022 in Philippines was a memorable experience for Kim Han, where she could have a closer insight into her favorite field and met many specialists all over the world.

The steering committee of The Junior APAAACI Allergy Leadership Forum with Prof. Ruby Pawankar (3rd person from the right side)