ANZCTR search results

To investigate the effectiveness of the Edwards clearsight non-invasive haemodynamic monitoring in vascular patients compared to the gold standard of invasive intra-arterial monitoring. Both systems will be monitored simultaneously on the same patients, with the parameters of interest being the stroke volume variation, cardiac output, blood pressure and stroke volume. The study design will be an interventional clinical study. Participants from Princess Alexandra Hospital will be randomly selected from surgeries that include carotid endarterectomy, peripheral artery revascularisation, open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair and endoluminal abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Participants will be monitored with both the Edwards clearsight system (non-invasive finger cuff) and Edwards Flotrac system (invasive intra-arterial) simultaneously and data for stroke volume variation, blood pressure, cardiac output and stroke volume will be collected from both monitoring systems. These parameters will compared and analysed

The health benefits of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from krill oil and fish oil are associated with the incorporation of EPA and DHA into the cell membrane which then alters the membrane structure and cell functions. Consequently they reduce plasma triglyceride level and inhibit inflammatory response. The bio-availability of these fatty acids from the two oils maybe different due to the binding of fatty acids in the oils. This study will evaluate the incorporation of EPA and DHA into the plasma and chylomicron after a single dose supplementation. In addition the effects on cardio-metabolic risk factors will also be investigated.

Our previous research demonstrated similarities between dexamphetamine effects in healthy volunteers in illusions involving visual and tactile stimuli and the experience of the same illusions in people with schizophrenia experiencing passivity symptoms. Passivity symptoms are the feeling of being controlled by an external force and not being the agent of one's own actions, thoughts or feelings, one of the first rank symptoms that also includes hearing voices talking "in one's head", the belief that thoughts are being inserted into or withdrawn from one’s conscious mind, or the belief that one’s thoughts are being broadcast to other people). To further elucidate the role of dopamine in these phenomena, we will determine if the effects of dexamphetamine are based on specific actions on the visual sensory system, the tactile sensory system, or the higher level integration of both. In addition, we will determine if the effects are specific to the integration of these two sensory systems, or if they generalise to other sensory systems, especially the auditory system, which prior research indicates is more affected than the visual system by both dexamphetamine and in schizophrenia. Prior research from our lab indicates that that there is a dopamine-dependent widening of the window of the time in which stimuli become associated, either in a way to bind them as a single perceptual experience, or in a way that is perceived as a causal relationship, that may provide a common mechanism to explain many of the symptoms and signs of schizophrenia, especially the first-rank symptoms including passivity symptoms. The broad purpose of this study is the elucidation of the role of the dopamine in abnormal perceptual experiences, by manipulating dopamine levels with dexamphetamine and measuring the consequence on the experience of illusions, especially under conditions in which we assess the temporal window of associability, as compared with other similar research in people with schizophrenia.

The study will compare different treatments for people with aphasia. Participants will randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups CIAT, M-MAT or Usual Care. Participants will attend baseline assessments, a two week treatment period, assessment immediately after treatment and further follow up assessment 12 weeks after completing the treatment. Participants randomised to the Usual Care group will be offered additional treatment at the end of the 12 week follow up period as part of an optional sub-study. In this sub-study participants will be re-randomised to receive either CIAT or M-MAT. They will attend treatment visits over five weeks with follow up assessments immediately after the treatment period and again at 12 weeks after completing the treatment. Study Hypothesis: Compared to usual care, both the study treatments (CIAT and M-MAT) will result in reduced aphasia severity .

Impaired arm and hand function is a common and often devastating problem for stroke survivors. Regaining lost movement in the arm/hand is more difficult to achieve than walking, with only 5% of people with hemiplegia regaining functional use of their hand. This devastating outcome could potentially be addressed, however we do not yet know how to best increase movement in the arm and hand after stroke for patients with spasticity. There is a lack of randomized controlled trials of botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) with a group who does not receive therapy in some dose, and so whether gains were achieved through BoNT-A or a combination of the BoNT-A and therapy cannot be determined from the studies to date.The research project is testing whether intense therapy given after botulinum toxin injections into the arm is more helpful than just the injections alone.

The aim of this study is to compare the use of intravenous methadone to morphine in improving quality of recovery, acute pain and reducing the risk of chronic pain after abdominal hysterectomy.

This will be a single-center, two-period, open-label study to investigate the single-dose pharmacokinetics of PRN1008 when administered as a liquid formulation compared to a capsule formulation under fasted conditions. Participants will be screened for participation in this study within 28 days before dosing. Participants will be admitted to the study unit the day before dosing (Day -1), then dosed in the mornings of Days 1 and 3, and will remain in the clinic up to Day 4, after collection of the final PK sample. Participants enrolled will be randomized to one of the two possible orders in which the following treatments will be completed. Doses will be approximately 48 hours apart.

40 participants will be recruited to complete a 12-week exercise training intervention which consists of either high-intensity intermittent exercise or continuous moderate-intensity exercise on a cycle ergometer. This study aims to determine the effect of exercise training on the changes in insulin sensitivity and the immune system as a result of a training adaptation over the 12-week period. This will be a parallel randomised group design which will include male participants between the age of 18-44 years old who are overweight (BMI greater than or equal to 25 kg/m2) but otherwise healthy (no previous history of type 2 diabetes or other immune-related diseases).

Stiffness post Total Knee Replacement (TKR) can cause quite significant disability in patients and is associated with persistent pain and inability to perform activities of daily living. Stiffness post TKR has been reported between 8 to 25 percent. The standard management for stiffness is aggressive physiotherapy followed by manipulation under anaesthesia (MUA) predominantly when patients' flexion range of movement (ROM) is restricted to less than or equal to 90degrees. MUA entails forced flexion and extension of the knee under anaesthesia to break the scar tissue causing stiffness, resulting in significant acute improvement usually around 5 to 6 weeks post primary total knee replacement. We propose decreasing that threshold of acceptable range of movement post total knee replacement in patients whom would otherwise deal with the restrictions and would not qualify for MUA under current guidelines. Patients will assessed 5-6 week post total knee replacement and those who have a flexion range less than or equal to "'pre-operative flexion' minus 20 degrees" will be included into the study. Patients selected for participation will be primary TKR patients that fall between 90 degrees and the "new range". Participants meeting selection criteria will be randomised into one of two groups; either 'intervention' or 'control' groups Results analysis will focus on range of movement and patient reported outcomes. We intend to follow up patients and record data for a period of 12 months. This will ensure capture of patients that require late manipulation for worsening function, depicted by manual assessment, patient outcome scores and other complications.

The primary concern of people with chronic low back pain (CLBP) is pain relief, for which current treatments are not very effective. Our current understanding of pain and CLBP indicates that we should target the central nervous system in new treatment approaches. This project will test two new treatment approaches that target the central nervous system as part of the treatment of chronic low back pain. We predict that one of the new treatment approaches will result in a clinically meaningful reduction in pain intensity at six weeks post intervention