ANZCTR search results

This project will compare the effects of Skype (Trademark) and regular telephone conversations with a family member on the levels of agitation, mood and engagement shown by aged care residents with dementia and an agitated behaviour. Conversations with a family member will be held in random order via Skype (Trademark) computer software and regular audio-only telephones on four occasions each. Conversations will last for a maximum of 20 minutes. A researcher will conduct observations before, during and after the conversations to record the presence or absence of the target behaviour and residents’ engagement and affect.

The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, are immune system related conditions where an overactive immune response from the body’s white blood cells causes inflammation and damage to the intestines and in turn the typical symptoms of diarrhoea, abdominal pain and weight loss. Immune-modifying drugs (immunomodulators) like azathioprine (AZA) and 6-mercaptopurine (6MP) dampen down the overactive white blood cells that are the cause of the inflammation. Over 50% of patients who attend an IBD clinic at Eastern Health are on one of these medications. In IBD like other immune related conditions, AZA and 6MP have been shown to both get patients well (induce remission), and keep patients well (maintain remission). Importantly, they also reduce the need for cortisone-based medicines such as prednisolone that are associated with many side effects and no long-term benefits. We know that AZA and 6MP to produce two chemical end-products (metabolites) that are responsible for the benefits and also side effects of these drugs. These metabolites are known as 6-thioguanine nucleotides (6-TGN) and 6-methylmercaptopurine (6-MMP). 6-TGN is the good metabolite that makes these drugs work, while 6-MMP instead can cause side-effects, especially affecting the liver. Therefore it is desirable to have high levels of 6-TGN and low levels of 6-MMP to get the best out of these drugs. Recent research has shown that by adding another drug called allopurinol to AZA/6MP in almost all cases the 6TGN levels improve and the 6MMP levels greatly reduce. Also, we generally use a much lower dose of the AZA/6MP combined with the allopurinol and thus most patients end up getting a greater benefit but with fewer tablets, with no increase in side effects. It should be noted that the use of allopurinol in combination with azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine remains experimental, and is not currently approved by the TGA. In this study we are comparing patients who are commencing on treatment with azathioprine with those who will be started on a combination of azathioprine and allopurinol to see if this combination of drugs is more effective and quicker to work, yet similarly safe, to those taking the standard AZA alone. If we are able to show that the combination is better in this study, then this will have major consequences to how azathioprine is used in the treatment of IBD in the future.

The purpose of this study is to conduct a prospective double blind placebo randomized control trial to evaluate the effect of colchicine in preventing postoperative atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery.

INTRODUCTION Dependency of the lower limb following free flap reconstruction needs to be gradually introduced due to the risk of edema and consequent effects on flap microcirculation. It is well established that these flaps must undergo graduated periods of wrapping and dangling before progressing to full dependency. Objective evidence for initiation of post-operative dangling following lower limb free flap reconstruction is limited and there is significant variability in the protocols of individual centres and surgeons. OBJECTIVE The goal of this study is to determine the physiological effect of dangling on lower limb free flap perfusion in order to determine an evidence-based protocol. METHODS Randomised controlled trial of patients from Royal Adelaide Hospital who have undergone lower limb free flap reconstruction. Group 1 will begin dangling on day 3, whilst group 2 will begin dangling on day 7. All patients will have their flap monitored by clinical assessment, implantable venous doppler and transcutaneous oxygen saturation (St02%). CONCLUSION The results of this study will be statistically analysed and summarised, will be presented at a plastic surgery conference, and will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

The main aim of this study is to assess whether one on one education and training of patients in pressure injury prevention will prevent pressure injury. The 3 key messages are; i) keep moving, ii) good skin care; and iii) good nutrition.

In this proof of concept study, we aim to demonstrate that CEA may be successfully produced from our laboratory and used in the clinical setting. With our strategy in the application of CEA sheets, we can match or better the quality of care previously provided by our unit, and other burn centres around the world.

Awake fibreoptic intubation is a method to enable intubation in patient with difficult airways. To ensure safety of the patient, awake fibreoptic intubation may be required. Previous studies have shown that this process can be a cause of anxiety in patients. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the use of a video to demonstrate the process will alleviate anxiety in this group of patient. The study will be a randomised controlled trial. The control group would have the process explained to them verbally and in the form of a leaflet. The study group will, in addition to verbal and leaflet, be shown a video on the process. A questionnaire will be used prior to the explaination to assess the level of anxiety and the questionnaire will be repeated after the operation twice The data collected will be analysed using appropriate statistical method.

To investigate the effects of bFGF on treatment of chronic ear drum perforations

This anonymous online questionnaire consists of two surveys completed by participants after agreeing to participate and for use of their responses to be reported in a journal. Survey A is a randomised study of different versions of an information leaflet describing a hypothetical clinical trial in preterm infants. The hypothesis is that different types of wording in 3 sections of the leaflet using negative, neutral or positive language will influence respondents' understanding, anxiety and willingness to participate. Survey B is a randomised 3 arm study of the effect of providing online participants with (i) a video versus (ii) a written transcript of the video versus (iii) no information will influence respondents' understanding, anxiety and willingness to participate.

This is a study of anal (HPV) infection and related anal disease in gay men. Both HIV positive and HIV negative men are eligible. You should not have been previously diagnosed with anal cancer. All participants in this study will undergo high resolution anoscopy during the study over 36 months. The first HRA will be conducted at Baseline and at all 4 follow up visits. The high resolution anoscopy involves, examination of the peri-anal region and perineum, and the a plastic anoscope is inserted into the anal canal. Following staining of the anal canal with acetic acid and lugol's solution, the anal canal is visualised under high resolution magnification. Biopsy samples will be taken by the clinician for histological assessment if there are any detected abnormalities. The data collected from these examinations will be used to determine the prevalence, incidence and risk factors for specific types of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. There are more than 100 type of HPV. Some cause genital warts and other types cause more than 90% of anal cancer. Gay men are over 20 times more likely than others to develop anal cancer. The information collected in this study may guide the possible future introduction of anal cancer screening programs for gay men.