ANZCTR search results

This study aims to obtain a real-time gas profile of the entire gastrointestinal tract of healthy human volunteers on a standardised diet using a novel medical device entitled “human gas capsule”. The clinical trial will also evaluate the viability of the gas capsule in the human body, accessibility of the graphical user interface for the data acquisition system and the reliability of the data analysis.

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a highly effective intervention for people with COPD. However, attendance to pulmonary rehabilitation programs remain to be poor throughout the world. It may be possible that attendance to pulmonary rehabilitation may improve if rehabilitation is implemented at a much earlier time frame such as during an acute exacerbation of COPD or immediately after. This trials aims to investigate the impact on uptake and completion rates when pulmonary rehabilitation is implemented at these various time frames (during hospital admission, 4 weeks and 8 weeks post hospital discharge). Secondary outcomes include physical function, mortality and number of hospital readmissions.

This project aims to investigate the use of a mobile application (app), and a wearable activity tracking device to support patients in preparing for and recovering from Total Knee Replacement (TKR) surgery. This study will test whether the TKR program, a mobile guide to surgical preparation and recovery, including a wearable activity tracking device, can assist TKR patients and their carers by delivering a) information and assistance to patients in their preparation and recovery from Total Knee Replacement (TKR) surgery, b) and a portal for clinician care teams (e.g. surgeons and physiotherapists) to support and monitor patient progress. The project will evaluate the TKR platform through a Randomised Control Trial (RCT), conducted at multiple trial sites in New South Wales and Queensland. The project will compare existing service delivery models with models enhanced by the proposed TKR platform technology. Qualitative and quantitative analysis will be conducted.

This study will investigate a novel treatment for Mild Cognitive Impairment in older adults. We will explore if the dietary supplement creatine (Cr) is able to enhance the effects of computer-based cognitive training. The study will randomly allocate 50 eligible participants into one of two groups: cognitive training and Cr, or cognitive training and placebo (Maltodextrin). All participants will take part in a 12-week cognitive training program involving twice- weekly sessions, while Cr/placebo will be taken at home on a daily basis. Cognitive training incorporates games and tasks that target various cognitive domains such as memory and attention, allowing for graded and progressive increases in difficulty. Creatine (Cr) has been successfully evaluated across a range of neurological, neuromuscular and medical conditions. It is a naturally occurring compound that is acquired from high protein foods such as meat, and can also be taken as a dietary supplement. Cr is thought to aid effective brain functioning through its impact on a particular neurotransmitter, glutamate. Both cognitive training and Cr have shown positive effects on cognitive functioning in prior research, however to-date they have never been combined as a therapeutic bundle. In this trial, participants and all clinicians involved will not know whether the participant is taking Cr or placebo, in order to keep the results objective and unbiased. We hypothesize that combining cognitive training and Cr will be more effective at improving cognitive functioning and other relevant outcomes than cognitive training and placebo. We will assess for improvements via standardized neuropsychological tests, self-report measures and non-invasive at-home sleep measurement which will be conducted before and after the intervention.

School canteens represent an ideal setting in which to deliver public health nutrition strategies given their wide reach, frequent use and access by children. Online lunch ordering services in school canteens represent an attractive opportunity to deliver public health interventions to improve healthy canteen purchases at scale with high fidelity. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of an online intervention in reducing the total energy, saturated fat, sodium and sugar content of online lunch purchases for primary school students. The study will employ a cluster randomised controlled trial design, with schools currently using an online canteen ordering system randomised in a 1:1 ratio to receive either the intervention or control (standard online ordering only). The intervention will include the evidence based strategies shown to influence healthy food purchasing (availability, menu labelling, placement and prompting). The intervention will be assessed through between group comparison of nutritional analysis of purchasing data automatically recorded by the online ordering system over a 2 -month period post-intervention commencement.

Physical inactivity is significantly higher among Indigenous populations and is a strong predictor for chronic disease which affects Indigenous people disproportionately. This project will evaluate a culturally-based physical activity intervention in Indigenous communities in Far North Queensland.

The primary purpose of this study is to identify biological markers in tumour and blood samples which may predict clinical outcomes and response to treatment in prostate cancer patients. Who is it for?: You may be eligible to participate in this study if you are aged 18 or over, with a diagnosis of prostate cancer of which a tumour specimen has already been taken and is available for further testing. Study details: All participants in this study will have a small sample of their tissue (primary and metastatic) that was taken at diagnosis used for research. Researchers will look at the DNA inside the tissue and see if they can find any 'markers' that may make patients respond better to certain types of treatments. A blood sample will also be taken at the start and at the end end of any treatment you may have. Researchers will also use medical records to correlate any biological markers with disease outcomes. It is hoped that the findings of this study will lead to the identification and validation of biological markers which may allow more personalised treatment for future prostate cancer patients.

Aquatic Physiotherapy has been shown to improve the ability of people to move and function following total hip and knee replacement surgery. The primary aim of this study is to examine if early commencement of aquatic physiotherapy (6 days after surgery) improves function, as compared to standard commencement of aquatic physiotherapy (typically 14 days after surgery- once the wound has healed). Patients attending undergoing total hip replacement or total knee replacement surgery at Dandenong or Moorabbin Hospital who require in-hospital rehabilitation at Dandenong Hospital or the Kingston Centre will be recruited to participate in a randomised controlled trial. One group of participants will receive aquatic physiotherapy 6 days following surgery (intervention), whilst the other group will wait 14 days to commence aquatic physiotherapy as per standard practice (control). A total of 60 people will be randomly assigned to one of these groups. The main measure used to evaluate the intervention will be the de Morton Mobility Index, a measure of walking and balance. A range of other measures will also be administered to evaluate the effect of early aquatic physiotherapy on the ability to function, length of hospital stay, pain, walking speed, quality of life, cost of wound dressings and presence of wound infections. These outcome measures will be assessed at baseline, on discharge from rehabilitation. Function, pain, quality of life, function and presence of wound infections will also be assessed at 6 weeks following surgery.

Youth have an increased likelihood of experiencing fatigue, which is associated with increased workplace mortality and morbidity. Not surprisingly, young workers (<24y) account for 20% of all work related injuries; a rate 18% higher than for workers aged >25y. The South Australian Work Health and Safety Youth Strategy 2014-2018 highlights areas for action to improve workplace health and safety outcomes for young workers. Fatigue is identified as one of the key risks that urgently needs to be addressed. There is currently no approach to fatigue management for youth in South Australia. We have developed an innovative web- and app-based fatigue intervention – YAWN (Young Adults Working Nights). The YAWN program will now be evaluated in a sample of young workers (n=300; 16-25y), recruited via Facebook and the Passport to Safety program, using a two-group randomized controlled trial design. yaOutcome variables (including sleep duration, subjective fatigue, sleep hygiene, quality and knowledge) will be measured at baseline, and one and four months post-baseline in both groups. Web and app usage statistics will be tracked and program satisfaction will be assessed after one month. Anticipated outcomes of the YAWN program will be improvements in sleep duration, quality and hygiene, and decreased fatigue levels. Better fatigue management for young workers will improve health and safety outcomes and mitigate against health problems associated with fatigue and sleep loss including cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disease, type 2 diabetes and poor mental health.

A beta blocker is a type of medication that is commonly given to cardiac patients. This medication has been shown to reduce the risk of death in patients who have suffered a heart attack, or in those who experience heart failure. Beta blockers are associated with some side effects that may affect individual patients differently and may prevent their use in certain patients. In this project, the researchers will study the genetic differences between patients who can take this medicine and those who are unable to tolerate the side effects. At the end of the study, we hope to have improved our understanding of how genetic differences may affect the use of this important medication.