ANZCTR search results

The aim of this study is to see if adult patients who have suffered a fracture to the distal radius, which has been treated non-sugically, benefit from receiving Mulligan mobilisation with movement (MWM) plus self-MWMs. In this study the hypothesis to be tested is that adult patients who have suffered a fracture to the distal radius who receive four treatments of MWMs plus self-MWMS as well as simple ROM exercises, will demonstrate a significant difference in ROM, pain and function to patients who are treated with simple ROM exercises alone.

The purpose of this research project is to investigate whether treatment involving the earlier delivery of nutrition into the vein (intravenous nutrition) can improve the survival of patients who are scheduled to receive haematopoietic progenitor/stem cell transplantation (HPT), when compared with standard nutrition treatment. Standard nutrition treatment after HPT in Australia does involve providing patients with intravenous nutrition, but intravenous nutrition is usually only started after all other options fail. After HPT, patients are normally fed orally (by mouth) or by enteral (gut tube) feeding. If either of these two options fails to provide enough nutrition for two or three days in a row, intravenous nutrition is often provided directly into the vein. You may be eligible to join this research project if you are aged 18 years or above and have a haematological malignancy (blood cancer) for which you are about to commence conditioning chemoradiotherapy for allogeneic HPT. Participants in this research project will be randomly (by chance) allocated to one of two groups. Participants in one group will continue to receive standard nutrition treatment. Participants in the other group will commence early intravenous nutrition prior to chemoradiotherapy. If allocated to the intravenous nutrition arm of the research project, the amount of intravenous nutrition you will receive will be based on your medical condition and your body weight. The intravenous nutrition will also be adjusted based on the amount of food you are able to eat by mouth and/or are being fed by gut tube (enteral feeding). The research project will enrol participants over a 3-year period. All participants will be monitored for a minimum of 1 year, up to a maximum of 4 years, in order to evaluate disease response, survival time, quality of life and costs of treatment. It is hoped that the use of intravenous nutrition used early in allogeneic HPT will improve participant clinical outcomes, increase participant survival time and reduce costs to the acute care health system.

The aim of this pilot trial is to determine the efficacy and safety of chewing gum compared with ondansetron for the treatment of postoperative nausea or vomiting (PONV). PONV is a significant complication of general anaesthesia. In addition to patient dissatisfaction resulting from PONV, the cost burdens of anti-emetic therapy and delayed discharge from the PACU are considerable. Chewing gum in the postoperative period has been well established in the treatment of ileus resulting from gastrointestinal surgery, but its efficacy as a treatment for PONV has to date not been assessed. A prospective cohort study conducted by this research team on the use of chewing gum in the PACU confirmed its acceptability to patients and staff. We now propose to determine the non-inferiority of chewing gum to ondansetron for PONV. The results of this pilot study will guide a future large randomised controlled trial assessing the efficacy of this comparative simple therapy, of negligible cost. This study thus has the potential to significantly improve patient and health service outcomes. The aims of the pilot study 1. Refine and test the trial protocol for a large multicentre study 2. Assess acceptability of the trial protocol to our patients and anaesthetic/nursing staff, as a high recruitment and participation rate will be required for a viable definitive study. 3. Confirm the high rates of PONV despite prophylaxis seen in our prior trial, to inform sample size estimates for a definitive trial. 4. Assess the proportion of patients meeting criteria for chewing gum in the PACU, to guide the external validity of this trial. 5. Assess the event rates using the protocol developed Hypothesis to be tested Chewing gum in the immediate postoperative period is efficacious and safe compared to ondansetron in the treatment of PONV.

Older people returning home after a hospitalisation episode for a fall face a period of substantially increased risk of falls. Importantly, having had one fall is a risk factor for future falls and developing a fear of falling. This project aims to improve quality of life, reduce rate of falls and risk of falling by targeting a high 'at risk' group that have previously been little studied: older people after hospitalisation for a fall. This project will pilot and evaluate the effectiveness of a home-based intervention that comprises an individualised balance exercise program, a medication review and client education for older people living in the community, following an episode of acute care in hospital. The intervention specifically aims to : improve health-related quality of life, balance and mobility; increase knowledge and confidence in preventing a fall; reduce fear of falling; reduce exposure to falls-risk increasing medicines; and develop hospital discharge strategies

Pleural procedures are performed both for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Similar to other endoscopy procedures, it is known that patients undergoing pleural procedures can experience considerable pain and anxiety. The use of sedative and analgesic medications can somewhat alleviate these symptoms. However these medications can be expensive and can result in side effects such as respiratory depression. On the contrary, music is an inexpensive and non-pharmacological intervention that has been shown to reduce pain and anxiety in patients undergoing endoscopy and surgical procedures. However, to date, there have not been any studies that have evaluated the effects of music therapy in patients undergoing pleural procedures. Our study aims to fill an important gap in knowledge. If our proposed study demonstrates that music indeed reduces anxiety and pain levels in patients undergoing pleural procedures, it will reduce the patient morbidity and lead to a more comfortable hospital experience. This may also result in reduce need for sedative and analgesic medications for our patients, resulting in cost savings and risk reduction for our health service.

The primary aim of this study is to test the safety as well as define the normal and abnormal scan appearances following injection of a radioactive substance called Gallium-68 tris-hydroxypyridinone – prostate specific membrane antigen (Ga-68 THP-PSMA) and imaging with positron emission tomography (PET). Who is it for? You may be eligible to join this study if you have prostate adenocarcinoma and are scheduled to undergo a prostatectomy. Study details: In this study, we will use a radioactive molecule (called Gallium-68) that, after injection into a vein, specifically attaches to prostate cancer cells by binding to a receptor called PSMA. You will need to visit the hospital for an additional occasion for approximately 4 hours. An intravenous line will be inserted into a vein in each arm, one to give the investigational product, and another for sampling your blood during the scan. Ga-68 THP-PSMA will be injected and several scans performed over a 3 hour period. You will be closely observed throughout this period with regular recording of your vital signs. The radioactive molecule used in this study is not approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). This study will help inform the utility of this agent for imaging prostate cancer, and design of future larger studies assessing accuracy.

Researchers at Western Sydney University are conducting a trial on group Schema Therapy for Eating Disorders. Participating in the study would involve attending a group therapy program conducted by two Clinical Psychologists, which will be held at the University of Western Sydney, Bankstown Campus. The program consists of one 90-minute group session per week, for 25 weeks. Participants must be 18 years or older and must have some form of disordered eating (e.g. anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, eating disorder not otherwise specified). Participants must not have current suicidal thinking. Participants will be asked to attend a screening session to assess their suitability for the group. If suitable, they will be invited to attend a second appointment to be interviewed and to complete some questionnaires. They will be asked to take part in another interview and questionnaire session at the end of treatment, and again 6 and 12 months later. It is expected that those participating in the treatment group will lead to a significant reduction in eating disorder symptoms, reductions in general psychological symptoms and improvement of quality of life. This study is to identify whether or not schema therapy is effective in reducing symptoms. The study will explore patient perspectives about what was helpful and not helpful about group schema therapy.

This study aims to compared two methods of delivery for the stimulus control technique of worry postponement; the traditional paper and pencil diary method or a novel smartphone application 'WorryTime' method. The study will examine whether using the technique on a mobile phone platform increases the frequency and duration of use of the technique and improves the effectiveness of the technique, as compared with the traditional paper and pencil methods. Additionally the study aims to explore user satisfaction, acceptability and usability of the smartphone application compared with the paper and pencil diaries. Two hundred young adults (aged 16-25 years) will be recruited to the study via Facebook and asked to use the worry postponement technique for 7 days.

Induction of anaesthesia and management of the airway is designed to prevent a child from suffering a lack of oxygen during the phase from consciousness to deep anaesthesia for a surgical procedure. Current practice provides a very high standard of induction of anaesthesia with a very low number of complications. However if anaesthesia needs to be achieved in emergency settings of in the presence of a complicated airway, the rate of complication rapidly increases. Particularly in emergency settings experienced operators are often not present. In these circumstances newer methods to reduce the risk of complications is desirable. This study investigates under very controlled circumstances in a tertiary children’s hospital a new concept to prolong the time to secure and improve airway management. The results and findings will then be tested in emergency settings in a follow up study.

This research project will investigate the feasibility and acceptability of combined Errorless Learning (EL) and Spaced Retrieval (SR) techniques in a 3 week transfer training program to prevent falls in adults aged 65 and over with mild to moderate cognitive impairment and higher level gait disorders. Participants are recruited from those admitted to St Vincent's Hospital (SVH) under the Geriatric team or community dwelling adults aged 65 years and over who are managed by the SVH Geriatric team . The assessments and intervention are conducted by a senior occupational therapist and/or a senior physiotherapist under the supervision of the geriatricians. The intervention is either conducted on the ward or in the participants home. Follow up assessments at 3 months post intervention are conducted by the occupational therapist at the participants home. This project will form the pilot study for a larger multi-centre clinical trial, which will assess the long-term effect of this novel falls prevention program targeting older adults with cognitive impairment and higher level gait disorders.