ANZCTR search results

To assess the visual performance of multiple prototype soft contact lens designs.

This study will evaluate the prognostic value of assessing hypoxia (low oxygen) in cervical and lung tumours using FMISO-CT/PET scans throughout a course of radical chemoradiation therapy. Who is it for? You may be eligible to join this study if you are aged 18 years or above and have been diagnosed with either cervical cancer or non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), for which your are scheduled to undergo a course of radical radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy. You should not have received any previous radiotherapy or chemotherapy for the cancer, or have any evidence of distant metastases. Study details All participants in this study will be treated as per standard of care with the addition of 3 FMISO-PET scans which will be done prior to treatment (baseline), 2 weeks into radiation therapy and 2 weeks after completion of radiotherapy. Each FMISO-PET/CT scan will take approximately 60 minutes. During this time an intravenous cannula will be inserted into your arm and contrast injected. PET scans pose a small health risk as they involve exposure to radiation. The dose from this study is comparable to that received from many diagnostic medical x-ray and nuclear medicine procedures. The aim in this proof of concept study is to demonstrate that we can non-invasively and safely use 18FMISO-PET on 2 cohorts of patients (cervix and non-small cell lung(NSCLC)) whose tumours are known to be affected by hypoxia and explore the tools to measure the PET images to objectively evaluate the hypoxic region within the tumour throughout a course of radiation therapy.

The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of a probiotic preparation in improving glucose metabolism and metabolic markers in adults with pre-diabetes and recently diagnosed with T2DM. Moreover, gut permeability, faecal and metabolomic profiles will be measured to evaluate a potential mechanisms of action of the multi-strain probiotic. We hypothesize that the administration of an evidence based probiotic preparation may modulate the GI microbiota from a dysbiotic to a balanced state improving blood glucose levels, decreasing inflammatory markers and endotoxaemia, and improving lipid profiles.

With the ageing of the population, the number of people entering the last stages of life will increase rapidly in the coming few years. Most people will die of progressive, non-malignant disease and most will never be reviewed by a specialist palliative care team, in spite of the intensity of many peoples' needs being equivalent to those dying of cancer. This study aims to improve the care of people dying of non-malignant disease, by conducting a case conference between the patient's GP, their specialist heart failure or lung health nurse, and a palliative care specialist. The purpose is to conduct a comprehensive case review, and develop a clear care plan with clear allocation of tasks. We will compare service utilisation after the conference with that of the previous 12 months, patient outcomes, carer outcomes, and a health economic analysis. This project is a pilot and will lead to a formal randomised controlled trial.

The blood thinner warfarin is stopped prior to elective surgery for safety reasons. Immediately after the operation it is re-commenced at the usual dose, but takes a week or longer to become therapeutic again (until the blood is thinned out again). This means the patient has to be followed at home by extended care services and injected with a faster acting blood thinner until the warfarin becomes therapeutic again. Some modelling using existing data indicates that if we know the usual warfarin dose of the patient, we may be able to develop a more rapid-acting loading dose strategy that shortens the time for the warfarin to become therapeutic again. This would mean the hospital services wouldn't need to follow the patient for as long, and the patient wouldn't need as many blood thinner injections before their warfarin was therapeutic again.

The purpose of the whole research program is to evaluate the feasibility of replacing several high cost materials currently in use for burn management at the RAH (Integra, Matriderm, Biobrane/cadaver allograft for burn wound temporisation after excision) with a cost-effective, synthetic alternative. This new material has demonstrated superior efficacy in large animal studies and two pilot human trials in non-burn wounds are currently ongoing. This will represent the first stage of a proposed two-stage strategy to abolish the need for split skin grafts in burn care. The second stage is already at an advanced stage of development in-vitro and has similarly proven effective in porcine wounds.

1.Background: Dehydration, or the loss of fluid and salt from the body can sometimes be a life-threatening disorder. Intense exercise can cause the loss of 1-3L of fluid/h and may be aggravated by warm climates (Ramakrishna, 2004). The fluid deficit typically ranges from 2-4% of body weight and can result in thermal stress, impaired cognition and cardiovascular function, accelerated fatigue and impaired exercise function (Rodriguez et al., 2009). During an Australian Rules football game or intensive training session AFL players lose between 1.15-3.45% of their body weight. As outlined above this degree of fluid loss will result in physiological changes that impact on player performance. The current sports drinks consumed by players during and after the game have a high glucose content much higher than in proven rehydration solutions. Because of the high glucose content (hyperosmolar to body fluids) it is inefficient for hydration, leads to a slower than achievable water absorption and only utilises the absorptive capacity of the small intestine and not the large intestine. It has been shown that hypo-osmolar solutions achieve faster and more effective rehydration in children and adults with acute diarrhoea and as a consequence, hypo-osmolar solutions are the WHO/UNICEF policy for rehydration [WHO/UNICEF, 2009] Oral rehydration solutions which utilise the absorptive capacity of both the large and small intestine have been developed and proven effective in the treatment of cholera. Water and salt absorption through the large intestine requires the presence of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) which are fermented by colonic bacteria from carbohydrates This study aims to build on this foundation work and test a formulation that is designed for healthy guts taking advantage of absorption of fluids and salts from the large and small intestine. 2.Rationale: The current sports (“hydration”) drinks are really energy drinks because they have a high glucose content are designed less for rehydration than they are for delivering glucose. As such they seem to be less than ideal for rehydration when dehydration is evident Provision of “resistant starch” will do this while at the same time providing glucose in the small intestine. It is thus conceived as a dual-action solution providing glucose to stimulate small intestinal uptake and RS for fermentation to SCFA to drive large intestine uptake. This principle has been tested now in four randomised controlled trials in India in severe acute diarrhoea and in all studies it reduces severity of diarrhoea significantly. This study will test whether the use of RS and an oral rehydration solution (Sports-FS-ORS or SpORS), which contains a balance of salts, glucose, and starches which optimise water absorption by also utilising the absorptive capacity of the large intestine, can improve hydration in elite athletes during and after strenuous exercise.

This study is hoping to determine if overnight monitoring in the form of a sleep study can improve the way we set up non-invasive ventilation (a form of assisted breathing that uses a nose or face mask connected to a ventilator)

The project is a case series looking at the effectiveness of a series of self help modules for the treatment of health anxiety. The self-help modules are based on evidence-supported intervention and were developed by expert clinical psychologists. The project will entail the recruitment of four participants whose primary condition is health anxiety and their assessment. The selected participants who meet the selection criteria and consent to the participation will be emailed these modules weekly. The project aims to investigate if pure self-help is an effective treatment for health anxiety by assessing if the participants demonstrate reliable and clinically significant change. If so, this will improve treatment accessibility and affordability for individuals who suffer from this problem.

Background: Regular exercise is fundamental for older adults with heart disease. However, most find it difficult to meet the National Physical Activity Guidelines of 150 minutes per week moderate intensity exercise (for example, walking). Music is easy to use and may motivate older adults with heart disease to complete more physical activity. Aim: To find out if listening to music while walking helps older adults with heart disease to achieve recommended amounts of physical activity. Design: A randomised controlled trial, comparing one group of participants walking with self-selected music, and another group walking without music. Measures will be collected at discharge from cardiac rehabilitation (baseline), and at weeks 6 and 26 following discharge. Participants: We will recruit 53 participants and randomly allocate then to either walking with or without music. Participants will be eligible if they are 60 years and older, have been diagnosed with heart disease, and walk independently. Measures: Amounts of physical activity will be measured over 7-days using an accelerometer, a small device attached to each participant's thigh. We will also test walking endurance, blood pressure, weight, and waist circumference. Participants will be asked to answer a questionnaire about exercise and complete an exercise log-book. Intervention: All participants in the music group will receive a personal music playing device with their preferred music to use during walking. Participants in the group without music will receive usual care. Data analysis: Comparisons between the two groups will aim to see if there are more participants in the music group who meet the National Physical Activity Guidelines than in the group without music.