ANZCTR search results

Microbial keratitis is a significant cause of ocular morbidity and visual loss, as well as a significant health cost to the community. Ultraviolet light is known to be microbicidal. We think it is likely that the proposed treatment will lead to quicker recovery from this serious eye infection and better visual outcomes.

ACE inhibitors are a widely prescribed class of medications in Australia with established benefits in reducing mortality in a range of cardiovascular, endocrine and renal conditions. They are generally well tolerated in many patients, although they are assoicated with a range of adverse effects. One of these adverse effects is angioedema, which usually presents as non-pitting oedema of the subcutaneous tissues, usually around the head and neck. Occassionally airway obstruction may occur. While there are some recognised risk factors for ACE inhibitor associated angioedema, it is not possible to prospectively identify patients at particular risk. Improved methods to identify patients at risk may be useful to improve drug safety. One small study has identified a genetic marker, the single-nucleotide polymorphism, C-2399A of the XPNPEP2 gene which encodes plasma aminopeptidase P, for increased risk of ACE inhibitor associated angioedema. This study attempts to confirm the previous study and investigate the frequency of this genetic variant in the Australian population. We aim to enroll 40 patients who have had an episode of ACE inhibitor associated angioedema, and compare the frequency of the genetic variant in these patients with 120 control patients who have been exposed to ACE inhibitor, but have not had angioedema. We will also compare the frequency in a population sample, from healthy people.

People with cancer are required to monitor and to initiate self care activities to manage side effects at home. In haematological cancer patients these side effects are often severe and life threatening. Safe home care requires close communication with the health team. We will test if a mobile phone based system can support patietns to monitor their side effects, promote the delviery of evidence based self care advice in a timely manner, and mediate the role of nurses to effectively provide real-time patient support.

The aim of this pilot study is to assess whether or not objective health criteria (inclusion criteria), coupled with a portable home monitor (ApneaLink) could be a more reliable and valid method of screening for obstructive sleep apnoea in Rail Safety Workers, when compared with the current self reported Epworth Sleepiness Scale.

Primary spontaneous pneumothorax occurs when a lung collapses due to air escaping from a small hole in the surface lining. It occurs predominantly in young people who have no other lung disease. The symptoms are variable but may include chest pain and breathlessness. Currently the treatment recommended by international guidelines is to try to remove the air from the chest and re-expand the lung by inserting a plastic tube through the chest wall. This is done using local anaesthetic but can be uncomfortable and may be associated with complications. It may take up to a week for the lung to re-inflate, during which time the patient must remain in hospital. In some cases air continues to leak out of the lung and surgery is required. However, there are historical reports suggesting that simply observing a pneumothorax and allowing it to re-expand slowly may be as effective as inserting a tube in hospital, although it may take 4-6 weeks to fully resolve. This study will compare the current standard treatment using a tube, to simple observation, in a group of 342 patients with pneumothorax. The proportion in each group who have resolved on an X-ray at 8 weeks will be compared.

The objective of the proposed research is to evaluate a brief motivational interviewing discussion (Ecstasy Check-Up) for regular ecstasy users (1 session) compared with an extended series of discussions (Ecstasy Check-Up Plus), which involves 1 session of motivational interviewing based discussions plus two session of cognitive behavioural based discussions. Our long-term goal is to decrease ecstasy use in Australia by motivating ecstasy users to reduce their use through providing research based information and discussion. The primary hypothesis of the proposed study is that the Ecstasy Check-Up Plus will be associated with lower levels of ecstasy use and problems than will the Ecstasy Check-Up. E Check Up sessions in which the specialist more strongly adheres to motivational interviewing principles are expected to have better outcomes. Additionally, our secondary hypothesis is that participants in the study will like and gain some positive aspects from both conditions, regardless if they have been assigned one or three sessions of discussions on their Ecstasy use. The research is of benefit to participants as it offers an opportunity for them to manage their ecstasy use. This lifestyle change has many benefits including improvements in physical and mental health. This benefit, however, cannot be guaranteed; it is dependent on participants’ engagement with the discussion. At the baseline session, all participants will be assured that any information they provide will remain strictly confidential (within the limits of legal confidentiality and duty of care). After written informed consent is provided and all questions and concerns have been answered, the baseline assessment will occur. At one-, four-, and six-month follow-ups the research assistant will conduct follow-ups with all participants using the measures collected at the baseline assessment. The outcome measures will be modified to assess the relevant durations at each visit. For example, the measures will assess the last 90 days during the baseline assessment, and the past 30-days at the one-month follow-up.

This study is been carried out to investigate if transplanting the nerve from the opposite side to replace the damaged one will help restore sensation to your numb cornea. If procedure is successful, it will restore sensation to your cornea and help prevent the cornea from developing ulcers. This procedure has previously been shown to be successful in restoring sensation to numb corneas.

This study compares the effects of a specialised nutritional supplement to boost the immune system compared with the standard formula, both before and after surgery, in people undergoing major surgery for oesophageal cancer. You can participate in this study if you are scheduled to have oesophagectomy or oesophago-gastrectomy for oesophageal cancer. Participants will be randomly divided into one of four groups. One group will receive a nutritional supplement with added immunonutrition (IN) pre-surgery and the standard isocaloric nutritional supplement post surgery. A second group will receive IN both before and after surgery. The third group will receive the standard supplement prior to surgery and IN following surgery, whilst the fourth group will receive the standard formula both before and after surgery. Patients will be monitored at 7 and 1 day before surgery and 14 and 42 days after surgery. The study aims to see whether the IN product before and/or after surgery will decrease the rate of infective and non-infective complications that often occur in people undergoing this surgery.

This study aims to to determine if the addition of contingency management (CM) to a brief motivational intervention (Quik-Fix) improves treatment retention and outcomes in young people who use cannabis. A randomised controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted to compare the mental health, substance use, and functional and treatment outcomes of 40 young people who receive Quik-Fix only to 40 young people who receive the Quik-Fix + CM intervention. Participants will be followed up at 3, 6 and 12 months. Methodology Participants will consist of 80 young people who have used cannabis at least weekly for the previous one month period. Participants will be provided with a two session Quik Fix brief motivational intervention. It is individually administered and incorporates motivational interviewing, and cognitive-behavioural skills delivered within a harm minimisation framework. A three-track incentive CM system will be used to increase participant attendance and abstinence from drug and alcohol use. 40 participants will be allocated to the Quik-Fix only group and 40 will be allocated to the Quik-Fix + CM group. It is hypothesized that young people receiving the Quik-Fix + CM will have reduced substance use, depressive symptom and improved functioning outcomes, as well as improved treatment attendance, completion and attendance, compared to those receiving Quik-Fix only, at 1, 3, 6 and 12 month follow-up.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are the second leading cause of disability among Australian boys. Despite this, for many years we have lacked an understanding of the brain impairments that underlie autism, and accordingly we have no biomedical treatments that target the core symptoms. A promising new biological explanation that has emerged within the past decade is the “mirror system hypothesis” of autism, which states that brain regions and neurons devoted to understanding other people, which are known as mirror systems, are deficient in ASD. This study will investigate whether mirror system activity in individuals with ASD can be improved using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). tDCS is a safe and non-invasive method of brain stimulation that can be used to modulate brain activity via electrodes that are placed on the scalp. The study will include 20 individuals with an ASD (either high-functioning autism or Asperger’s disorder) and 20 healthy controls. Participants will attend 3 sessions at the Alfred hospital. During each session participants will undergo assessment of mirror system activity using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) after undergoing 20 minutes of tDCS. Each session will involve a different type of tDCS (anodal, cathodal, and sham/placebo). To determine the effect of tDCS, mirror system activity will be compared within ASD and control groups across the 3 sessions. This research is a significant and novel investigation into an economical and well tolerated method for enhancing brain activity. This may provide an exciting avenue for developing treatments for ASD, a significant direction given the current lack of biomedical treatments for this group of debilitating disorders.