ANZCTR search results

Diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscle (DRAM or DRA) is a common condition postpartum where the abdominal muscles seperate along the linea alba. Current physiotherapy management is overwhelmingly reported to include transversus abdominis (TrA) training (Keeler et al., 2012), however, ultrasound imaging evidence is growing to support rectus abdominis (RA) training in the early postpartum period instead (Mota, 2014; Mota et al., 2015; Sancho et al., 2015). While ultrasound imaging has previously shown contraction of the TrA muscle increases the inter-recti distance and RA reduces it, no current evidence exists comparing the two when precribed as a treatment. References Keeler, J., Albrecht, M., Eberhardt, L., Horn, L., Donnelly, C., & Lowe, D. (2012). Diastasis recti abdominis: a survey of women's health specialists for current physical therapy clinical practice for postpartum women. Journal of women’s health physical therapy, 36(3), 131-142. Mota, P., Pascoal, A. G., Carita, A. I., & Bø, K. (2015). The immediate effects on inter-rectus distance of abdominal crunch and drawing-in exercises during pregnancy and the postpartum period. journal of orthopaedic & sports physical therapy, 45(10), 781-788. Mota, P., Pascoal, A. G., Carita, A. I., & Bø, K. (2018). Normal width of the inter-recti distance in pregnant and postpartum primiparous women. Musculoskeletal Science and Practice, 35, 34-37. Sancho, M. F., Pascoal, A. G., Mota, P., & Bø, K. (2015). Abdominal exercises affect inter-rectus distance in postpartum women: a two-dimensional ultrasound study. Physiotherapy, 101(3), 286-291.

This study will investigate immune responses to vaccination in patients with blood cancer who have received treatments targeting specific immune cells, B cells, those who have undergone bone marrow transplantation and a group of healthy volunteers who have not been treated for blood cancer or received any immune cell treatments. Who is it for? You may be eligible for this study if you are aged 18 or older, have been diagnosed with a blood cancer (including non Hodgkin's lymphoma, myeloma, Hodgkin's and leukemia) and have received either treatment with a B-cell targeted therapy or received a bone marrow transplant, and you are planning to have a COVID-19 vaccine of any variety. A second group of adults aged 18 and older who do not have a diagnosis of blood cancer or any other active cancer, who have not received treatment with B cell depleting antibodies, and who are also planning to have a COVID-19 vaccine of any variety will also be recruited. Study details Participants who choose to enrol in this study will be asked to provide up to five blood samples, starting up to 1 week beforethe first COVID-19 vaccine dose and continuing until 6 months after the second COVID-19 vaccine dose has been administered. We will also ask to review your medical records over the 12 months after you have received the second dose and may contact you to confirm any positive COVID-19 test results. It is hoped this research will enable researchers to understand how these cancer treatments affect the immune response to COVID-19 vaccination and whether vaccination will provide effective protection in patients with blood cancers.

Tonsillectomy is a painful procedure, especially in adults. Recent technological advances have allowed new methods of tonsillectomy to be performed. Radiofrequency Coblation and ultrasonic Bizact methods both claim to improve the patient’s pain post-operatively. This trial will randomise patients to one of these two methods and study post-operative pain outcomes by visual analogue pain scores and days to normal activity. Bleeding during and after surgery, and the duration of surgery, will also be measured. We hypothesize that coblation tonsillectomy will result in reduced post-operative pain, reduced primary and secondary bleeding during and after surgery, a shorter duration of surgery and faster return to normal activity when compared to the Bizact method.

The Coronavirus in Victorian Healthcare and Aged Care Workers (COVIC-HA) study will aim to enrol more than 1,500 Victorian frontline HCWs across hospital, ambulance, aged care and primary care settings, and monitor them over time for mental health changes, impacts on physical health, and evidence of COVID-19 infection. Workplace preparedness and responses will also be investigated, to identify strategies that delivered good outcomes for HCWs. Findings will be delivered to the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services, WorkSafe and other key stakeholders to inform evidence-based responses that are matched to the needs of HCWs and safeguard their health and wellbeing in the context of COVID-19 and future health threats.

This study aims to measure the efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (Oxford-AstraZeneca) and BNT162b2 mRNA (Pfizer-BioNTech) COVID-19 vaccines in transplant recipients and patients on dialysis, and in their close household contacts. Early reports indicate that kidney transplant recipients receiving immunosuppressive medications have a reduced protective immune response to COVID-19 vaccines. This is of concern as these are the individuals most at risk. These patient groups are adept at avoiding exposure to pathogens out in the world, and are therefore most likely to be exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus via a close household contact e.g. a spouse. In this study, transplant recipients and dialysis patients will receive their vaccination at the same time as a close household contact. By comparing the immune response of patient and cohabitant, we will develop an understanding of whether priority vaccination of household contacts is a worthwhile strategy for protecting transplant and dialysis patients from COVID-19 in the future.

After abdominal surgery, the bowel can commonly be paralysed and slow to return to normal function. The resultant intolerance to food and liquids can result in severe bloating, inability to pass a bowel movement or gas, nausea, and vomiting. This complication of surgery is called post-operative ileus and is a source of discomfort for patients after surgery. In colorectal rectal surgery, this common complication results in the second most morbidity and mortality following an anastomotic leak and doubles the cost of an admission. This study is a double blinded randomised controlled trial to determine if pyridostigmine can be included as part of an enhanced recovery protocol (ERP) to reduce the duration of post-operative ileus following colorectal surgery.

Babies that are born too soon (preterm) are at risk of slow growth and delayed development. This can affect lifelong health. Exclusive breastfeeding and use of breast milk is a key way to improve outcomes for babies born preterm but these babies often have problems breastfeeding and their mothers can find it hard to produce enough milk, especially in the first few weeks after birth. As a result, many are given infant formula, which can be difficult to digest and is sometimes harmful to preterm babies as they are born before their gut is fully developed. Feeding babies with pasteurised donor human milk has been shown to improve health outcomes for babies born very early but we do not know if it benefits babies born just a few weeks early (moderate to late preterm). The primary aim of this randomised controlled trial is to determine whether using donor human milk, instead of infant formula, in the critical early weeks after birth improves nutrition and growth of moderate to late preterm infants, and supports their mothers to continue breastfeeding in the first 6 months after birth. The trial will be conducted in partnership with Australian Red Cross Lifeblood.

This is an open-label Phase II pilot study to investigate the safety and tolerability of two doses of ketamine in young people with stimulant use disorder, methamphetamine-type seeking treatment to reduce their methamphetamine use. The study treatments will be provided in addition to treatment-as-usual received by participants during their regular clinical care. All participants will be engaged with a GP or psychiatrist, either through headspace, Orygen, or in the community, and they will be offered referral into outpatient alcohol and other drug treatment at headspace or in the community. They will receive psychiatric and medical review by the study doctor during screening and at weeks 1 and 2. Participants will complete comprehensive screening and baseline testing. They will then undergo two ketamine administration sessions (subcutaneous; initial dose 0.75 mg/kg) separated by at least 7 days. Assessments will occur at baseline and weeks 2, 3, 4, and 6.

A new approach to therapy for people with aphasia (language impairment after stroke) has been developed by our team which, when compared to usual car in a pilot trial, has provided highly promising evidence of greater gains in everyday speaking, participation in daily activities, and quality of life. The protocol, NARNIA (a Novel Approach to Real-life communication: Narrative Intervention in Aphasia), is a highly structured language therapy delivered using a natural interactive approach. As different service delivery models are in place within clinical settings, i.e. individual 1-to-1 therapy and group therapy, 10 people will receive individual therapy and 10 will receive group therapy. We aim to examine treatment effectiveness in a clinical setting, individual variability, and feasibility of group delivery of this approach.

This trial aims to determine the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of dietary counselling to increase soluble fibre for reducing pelvic radiotherapy-related gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with gynaecological cancer. Who is it for? You may be eligible for this study if you are 18 or above, have been diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer, and are attending the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) for pelvic radiotherapy with curative intent. Study details All participants will be provided with weekly, 45-minute telehealth appointments with a dietitian to discuss strategies for increasing dietary fibre and general nutritional advice, for the duration of radiation treatment. During this period, participants will be asked to maintain a weekly three-day food and symptom diary. Participants will also be provided with a number of questionnaires to complete upon commencement of radiation treatment and at the end of treatment. It is hoped that this study may demonstrate that dietary counselling to increase soluble fibre is feasible, safe, and efficacious in managing radiotherapy-related gastrointestinal symptoms in women with gynaecological cancers.