ANZCTR search results

This study aims to integrate early palliative care known as Care Plus in routine practice for patients with advanced cancers. Who is it for? Adults with a targeted advanced cancer who present to one of the study's hospital sites (St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Lyell McEwin Hospital), and who have reached a certain point in their illness will receive Care Plus as part of the hospital's new practice change. Study Details Six months prior to introducing Care Plus at each hospital site, patients with targeted advanced cancers who reach a key point in their illness will receive usual oncological care (Control group). This involves the treating clinician making referral to palliative care at their discretion. During the practice change period, in which Care Plus is introduced, all patients with targeted advanced cancers reaching a key point in their illness will, by default, receive usual oncological care by their treating clinician AND Care Plus as part of the hospital's new practice change. This involves a scheduled palliative care consultation and ongoing follow-up visits with specialists and nurse specialists. During these consultations, patients and their caregivers will have the opportunity to discuss pain and nausea management, and any other physiological, psychological, practical, social and spiritual needs. It is hoped this research will contribute to reduced hospitalisations for cancer patients, improved quality of life and improved efficiency for the healthcare system.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a life-changing severe injury resulting in substantial physical/psychological impairment. While significant research has investigated adjustment following SCI, very little is known about how co-morbid cognitive impairment impacts adjustment. It is believed around 50% of people with an SCI may have significant levels of cognitive impairment. Therefore, the major objective of this proposal is to (1) provide conclusive information about the extent and causes of cognitive impairment in adults with SCI; (2) to improve the clinical skills of rehabilitation teams to detect and manage cognitive impairment during the rehabilitation phase by developing multidisciplinary guidelines and strategies for use in the SCI rehabilitation phase, targeted at those with cognitive impairment.

The aim of the study is to explore the efficacy of the 4-week online Coeliac.Mindovergut.com resilience program for individuals living with coeliac disease and low to moderate psychological distress. The Coeliac.mindovergut.com resilience program is based on 5 modules (1 module per week), with the 5th module being optional. Each module (consisting of videos, text, handouts, and audio files e.g. relaxation tracks) is designed to be completed once a week, taking approximately 30 minutes, with associated homework-based activities taking a further 20-40 minutes per day. It is hypothesised that participants will report reduced psychological distress and increased quality of life.

The aim of the study is to explore the efficacy of the 4-week online Gastroparesis.Mindovergut.com resilience program for individuals living with gastroparesis and low to moderate psychological distress. The Gastroparesis.mindovergut.com resilience program is based on 5 modules (1 module per week), with the 5th module being optional. Each module (consisting of videos, text, handouts, and audio files e.g relaxation tracks) is designed to be completed once a week, taking approximately 30 minutes, with associated homework-based activities taking a further 20-40 minutes per day. It is hypothesised that participants will report reduced psychological distress and increased quality of life.

The aim of the study is to explore the efficacy of the 4-week online IBD.Mindovergut.com resilience program for individuals living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease and low to moderate psychological distress. The IBD.mindovergut.com resilience program is based on 5 modules (1 module per week), with the 5th module being optional. Each module (consisting of videos, text, handouts, and audio files e.g. relaxation tracks) is designed to be completed once a week, taking approximately 30 minutes, with associated homework-based activities taking a further 20-40 minutes per day. It is hypothesised that participants will report reduced psychological distress and increased quality of life.

Dysregulated fear memory processing as well as disrupted sleep (particularly rapid eye movement sleep) are important factors in the development of posttraumatic stress disorder. Sleep is one of the few modifiable variables in the aftermath of a traumatic event, which might be utilized to prevent PTSD onset. Therefore, the aim of this project is to examine the effect of two insomnia drugs that alter REM sleep (suvorexant and temazepam) on processing of fear extinction learning and emotional memory consolidation compared to placebo in healthy individuals. Impairments in fear conditioning and extinction is the prevailing model of mechanisms involved in the development of PTSD. We hypothesize that suvorexant increases REM sleep and adaptive emotional memory processing compared to temazepam and placebo.

The purpose of the study is to evaluate whether a brief self-compassion based writing exercise, known as 'My Changed Body' (MyCB), can alleviate body image distress (BID) in women recently diagnosed with breast cancer, over and above and expressive writing alone. Who is it for? You may be eligible to join this study if you are aged 18 years or older and have been previously diagnosed with Stage I-III breast cancer and/or ductal carcinoma in-situ and undergone breast cancer-related surgery within the last 2 years Study details All participants will be randomly assigned (by chance) to one of three groups. One intervention group will focus on an online writing tool only, i.e 'MyCb', where participants will focus on self-compassion strategies over two writing sessions. The second intervention will also involve the MyCB writing tool plus a daily meditation component. The third group (control) will participate in an expressive writing activity. All participants will be asked to complete questionnaires about their body image. It is anticipated that MyCB plus meditation intervention can reduce body image distress and assist in maintaining a positive self image for longer. In addition, we hope to provide greater insight into psychological strategies that may help women with breast cancer.

Transfer of frail Residential Aged Care Facility (RACF) residents to Emergency Departments (ED) is common, risky and expensive. A nurse led ACE model together with telehealth video capability (PACE-IT) has the potential to optimise the benefits of both ACE and telehealth addressing avoidable RACF transfers. The project assesses whether the enhancement of ACE / ASET services through the addition of protocol guided interactive visual telehealth assessment and clinical decision-making, plus telephone follow-up, reduces RACF transfers to ED. No previous studies have reported the effectiveness of such an approach. The proposed intervention was piloted at JHH ED and 4 RACFs resulting in 40% of potential transfers being avoided.

Knee OA is a major contributor to the global burden of disease, associated with significant pain, physical dysfunction and reduced quality of life. Muscle weakness and decreased lower limb muscle mass are common in knee OA, and are associated with poor long term outcomes. Therapy that builds muscle mass and improves physical function offers a new avenue to improve patient outcomes. Testosterone is the classical anabolic steroid hormone, which increases muscle mass and strength in men. However, it has never been tested as an intervention in men with knee OA. This pilot RCT in men with knee OA, will test the hypothesis that testosterone therapy will increase physical function, reduce pain and increase leg strength. The study will be completed in a randomised, double-blind fashion. The investigators have expertise in rheumatology, endocrinology, neurology and physical sciences

This study aims to evaluate the safety and tolerability of an experimental new drug, ALMB-0166 being developed to help prevent patients who experience an acute spinal cord injury from developing secondary injuries.