ANZCTR search results

This study aims to test whether a higher intake of vegetables is more beneficial for weight loss than a lower intake of vegetables. We hypothesise that those in the intervention group will have a better anti-loxidant staus, will lose more weight, show greater improvements in risk factors associated with over weight, will demonstrate greater perceptions of satiety and will report a greater acceptability for vegetable consumption.

This research is a prospective study of the CDSMP, with or without a supervised exercise component, in the Royal Hobart Hospital outpatient area for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary diesase. The research will use a mixed methodology of quantitative and qualitative outcome measures: physical activity, shortness of breath, health-related quality of life, stage of change for physical activity, self-efficacy for physical activity in the presence of deterrents and narratives of the lived experience of the participants themselves.

Intubation is one of the most important skills that anaesthetists have. There are currently many different intubating devices available. Anaesthetists have to develop and maintain skills with more than one type of device, so that when faced with difficult tracheal intubation, a safe alternative technique can be used without causing complications. Both the McGrath and the C-MAC videolaryngoscopes are relatively new intubating devices, which have a high-resolution camera and light source embedded at the distal end of the blade. They allow a view of the anterior glottis without the need for a direct line of sight. Both devices claim to provide a comparable or superior glottic view when compared with direct laryngoscopy using the standard curved Macintosh blade. However, the design of the shape of the blades between the two videolarygoscopes are very different. Currently, there are no studies comparing the use of these two devices in patients with potential difficult airways, which are usually the most useful situations. The aim of this prospective randomized controlled trial is to compare the effectiveness of using these two devices in performing endotracheal intubation in adult patients with predicted difficult airways. The research is designed to be conducted in 130 adult patients with Mallampatti 3 or 4 (one of the predictors of difficult airways) and ASA 1-3 having oro-tracheal intubation for elective surgery . After informed consent, the patients will be randomized to having either the McGrath or C-MAC videolarygngoscopes for the intubation. The primary outcome is the timing of intubation. Secondary outcomes include the glottic view, ease of intubation, number of attempts required, haemodynamic changes and also any associated complications.

Currently, patients undergoing hip and knee replacement surgery do not participate in formal exercise classes prior to their operation. It is possible that the introduction of these classes may affect patients’ length of inpatient hospital stay, discharge destination, the speed of post-operative improvement (particularly movement of the affected joint) and the use of healthcare resources. Participation in exercise classes may also improve health-related quality of life following surgery. This pilot project will examine the effect of an exercise group for patients undergoing elective hip and knee replacement surgery provided prior to their surgery (referred to herein as ‘prehabilitation’). Patients attending pre-admission clinic prior to their operation will be invited to participate in the study and included participants will be randomized to either usual care or usual care with the addition of prehabilitation. All participants will undergo baseline testing of health-related quality of life, joint range of movement and functional activity testing in pre-admission clinic and participants will then be re-tested eight weeks following their operation. The differences between groups (usual care and usual care + prehabilitation) will be analysed using appropriate statistical tests.

This study is investigating the utility of a novel technique called 'proteomics' using serial blood samples to see if there are differences in plasma proteins whicn are able to predict toxicity and patient response to chemotherapy for patients with colorectal cancer. The hypothesis is that proteomic techniques are able to (1) identify patients more likely to respond to chemotherapy and predict overall outcome (2) identify patients more likely to expereince side effects and (3) predict the development of cancer cachexia in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer The intervention is the collection of blood samples at 4 time points during chemotherapy or observation. In addition there will be standard care (radiological and nutritional assessment) plus follow up as set out by the trial protocol.

The project will examine whether providing clinicians with feedback regarding depression symptoms, generated automatically following computerised depression screening, will result in higher rates of identification of depression, and treatment initation, and decrease rates of depression at 3 months post-screening.

The primary purpose of this study is to determine whether ocular comfort can improved in symptomatic contact lens wearers by using a lens/solution combination which offers consistent performance

Many people with severe to profound, high-frequency sensorineural (permanent) hearing losses obtain minimal benefit from hearing aids, but do not meet the criteria for standard cochlear implantation. An Electric Acoustic Stimulation (EAS) device, also known as a Hybrid device, combines acoustic amplification in the low frequencies where hearing can be effectively aided, with electric stimulation in the high frequencies where hearing loss is profound, all within one implantable system. Fitting an Electric Acoustic Stimulation (EAS) device may be an effective treatment option for people with severe to profound high frequency hearing losses. As this technology becomes commercially available and the number of recipients increases, an understanding of how to best fit and combine the acoustic and electric stimulation to maximise outcomes for recipients is crucial. Although a significant amount of EAS research has been conducted over the last 10 years, the main focus of reported work has been on the post-operative hearing preservation outcomes and perceptual benefits of this intervention. To date the approach to fitting these devices has been highly variable and no systematic attempts have been made to optimise the fitting for maximising outcomes for recipients. The main aims of the proposed study are: 1. To optimise EAS devices as implemented in the Cochlear Hybrid System, which consists of a Nucleus Hybrid L24 cochlear implant and a Hybrid sound processor. 2.To evaluate the effect of systematic variations of acoustic to electrical stimulation on speech perception, music perception, localisation and functional performance in real life. The findings will be used as the basis to develop a prescription for devices that combine electric and acoustic stimulation.

The study is intended to assess the feasibility and safety of the BIOTRONIK drug-eluting balloon Pantera Lux for the treatment of narrowing cardiac arteries where those arteries branch out into side arms. The study will assess both immediate success of this treatment as well as whether those arteries remain open after 9 months.

This study will investigate the safety profile and efficacy of a standardised extract of Panax ginseng with a focus on quality of life improvements in adults with moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The study is a multi-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The study will consist of three phases: a run in period of 4 weeks, 24 weeks of treatment and 24 weeks of follow-up.