ANZCTR search results

The primary aim of the study is to test in a randomised, double ­blind, placebo­ controlled trial the efficacy of melatonin in patients with REM sleep behaviour disorder over 8 weeks of treatment Specifically, we will test the hypothesis that, compared to placebo, melatonin treatment will result in a reduction in the frequency of patients' self reported events

The primary aim of the study is to test in a randomised, double ­blind, placebo­ controlled trial the efficacy of melatonin in patients with REM sleep behaviour disorder over 8 weeks of treatment Specifically, we will test the hypothesis that, compared to placebo, melatonin treatment will result in a reduction in the frequency of patients' self reported events.

The study is evaluating whether premedication can prevent or delay the onset of carboplatin hypersensitivity reactions in women win gynaecological malignancy. 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 a gynaecological malignancy, for which you will be commencing a carboplatin containing chemotherapy regime. Eligible patients will have already undergone at least one prior line of carboplatin containing therapy. Trial details All participants in this study will be given premedication with Dexamethasone, Loratadine and Ranitidine the night before chemotherapy, the morning of chemotherapy and about 30 minutes prior to chemotherapy. These will be administered orally (by mouth) the night before and the morning of chemotherapy, and intravenously (directly into the vein) about 30 minutes prior to chemotherapy. All participants will be asked to complete a symptom diary, and will be clinically assessed in order to evaluate whether the study premedication can prevent or delay the onset of hypersensitivity reactions following chemotherapy with carboplatin. If it does (compared to a control group who receive their care in the past), then a subsequent larger randomised trial will be developed.

Aims / Objectives To compare the results from a Laser Doppler Flowmetry -based test against the current gold standard protocols for skin testing in patients suspected of severe allergic reaction. Hypothesis LDF-based testing is as accurate as conventional skin testing protocols in assessing anaesthetic allergy. Significance of project LDF-based testing is objective, inexpensive and non-invasive. This may prove to be a valid alternative to conventional skin testing and may facilitate the identification of an allergic agent in patient’s that have proven to be difficult using previous testing protocols. It may present a faster, more efficient and reliable method of undertaking skin testing with the potential to discriminate between two main causes of serious allergic reaction (currently indistinguishable); Anaphylactic (IgE mediated allergy) versus anaphylactoid (direct histamine amplification).

This study aims to explore 3 key themes: 1.What are the perspectives of podiatrists on the utilization of Complimentary and Alternative Medicine and its effectiveness? 2.Which specific Complimentary and Alternative Medicine therapies should be classified as Complimentary and Alternative Medicine in podiatry and why? 3.Is there a need to integrate Complimentary and Alternative Medicine into the podiatric medicine education system?

With increasing rates of food allergy in countries such as Australia, there is a growing need to understand the role and effects of early food allergen exposure in the development of tolerance to food allergens. Egg allergy is now the most common food allergy in babies in Australia, with almost 1 in 10 babies at 1 year of age in the community now having an egg allergy. Previous recommendations to prevent food allergy through early allergen avoidance of certain foods have failed and now have instead been associated with increased risk of allergy development. With rates of food allergies increasing in our young Australian children, prevention is therefore the key to reduce allergies and the associated burden on the individual, the family and the health care system. In recent studies we have found a significant number of babies to have food allergy reactions the first time they eat a solid food (for example, egg) at 4-6 months of age. This indicates that earlier strategies may be needed in some babies to prevent food allergy. To develop tolerance (and not have a food allergy reaction) to a food it is currently thought that regular eating of that food is needed. However the ideal age to eat the food and amount of the food is unknown. Foods proteins are known to pass from the breastfeeding mother’s diet into breast milk. Current thinking is that the regular presence of food proteins in breast milk will help babies to develop tolerance and hence prevent allergies to foods. The primary aim of the study is to investigate the effect of a breastfeeding mother’s dietary egg intake on egg levels in breast milk during the first six weeks of breastfeeding. We will recruit women with singleton pregnancies who have a history of allergic disease, and ask the women to eat "high egg" (4-6 eggs per week), "low egg" (1-3 eggs per week) or "egg-free" diet during the first 6 weeks of breastfeeding. Differences in egg levels in breast milk samples will be measured. The study will not interfere in any way with breastfeeding or the mother’s or the baby’s nutrition. With expanding the research in this area, recommendations of what women should eat while breastfeeding can be more evidence based, especially with the goal to reduce the current rising problem of food allergy in Australia.

There is currently no scientific evidence concerning the direct effect of running shoes on running performance and prevention of injury. It has been suggested that excessive cushioning in running shoes may have had the unintended effect of weakening the foot and altering the way that people run. Lightweight running shoes with minimal cushioning and reduced heel lift have been shown to increase muscle strength and cause potentially beneficial changes to the way that we run. Lightweight running shoes may be of benefit to runners wanting to improve running performance and prevent injury. The aim of this project is to investigate the long term effects of running shoes on running performance and prevention of injury.

Spasticity affects more than half of stroke survivors and can severely impact on functional independence, quality of life and caregiver burden.Recently non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) has been proposed as an alternative approach to promote the recovery of motor impairments after stroke. This type of intervention aims to alter brain excitability and may have potential as a therapeutic intervention to enhance neuroplasticity after stroke. There may be benefits in combining this novel intervention with standard therapies. Therefore in this study we will assess the effect of NIBS on upper limb spasticity in individuals with stroke concurrently treated with botulinum toxin. We anticipate that this study will guide us to develop a novel intervention program to improve spasticity in stroke survivors and in turn motor control and upper limb function.

Studies of the treatment of firesetters are limited, being largely focussed on juveniles or conducted in inpatient psychiatric settings. Consequently, there are currently no standardised treatments for adult firesetters in use in the UK, the United States or Australia. Research indicates that predisposing factors for deliberate firesetting include poor interpersonal functioning and poor communication skills, and difficulties regulating emotion (particularly anger) and behaviour. Less is known about specific fire-related beliefs that contribute to this type of offending, however it is likely that, as with other types of offending, firesetters have specific beliefs that allow them to justify, rationalise and minimise their firesetting that arise from underlying schemas and attitudes supportive of such antisocial behaviour. Jackson’s model has previously informed treatment programs for incarcerated mentally disordered offenders, and intellectually disabled firesetters, although both programs are group-based and tailored to specific settings that are not easily replicated in Australia. The proposed research aims to develop and evaluate a treatment program that can be delivered to an array of firesetters in a variety of settings, and which closely adheres to established principles of effective offender treatment. Thus it will address the core components relevant to risk of offending generally as well as delivering fire-specific interventions targeted at the hypothesised pathways to arson offending. Both aspects are considered integral to a successful application of risk management and offending treatment for firesetters. The aims of this project are: 1. To investigate the psychological and psychiatric characteristics of individuals who engage in deliberate firesetting. 2. To develop and trial a psychological intervention to reduce the risk of repeat firesetting. 3. To examine clinical, attitudinal, behaviour change monitoring as a result of involvment in treatment.

Each year CSIRO Animal, Food and Health Sciences perform a number of research projects involving human participants. The present study will be investigating genetic differences in sweet and fat taste and the association with dietary intake and health status.