ANZCTR search results

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is the most common condition affecting the upper limb and is associated with significant socioeconomic and quality of life costs. CTS is either treated conservatively (provision of wrists splints and exercises) or with surgery. However, long public health orthopedic waiting lists often mean symptoms have progressed beyond the point of conservative management being an option. The aim of this project is to implement a therapy based, screening and early intervention clinic for patients with CTS, to determine its effect on waiting lists, benefits to Hospital based health services and patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes. The participant group will be those who have been referred to Orthopedic depts of participating hospitals by their General Practitioner for management of CTS. The method will involve a standard care group who will receive the currently implemented management (i.e. staying on the orthopedic department waitlist for review), and the enhanced care group who will receive early intervention and conservative management. The standard care group will receive treatment at the conclusion of the study, which will still be sooner than they would otherwise normally receive it.

This paper reports on the post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) experience of a single centre heart and lung transplant unit from its inception in 1984 to 2011 with respect to patient demographics, risk factors, management and outcomes. This detailed retrospective analysis aims to identify risk factors and describe outcomes in heart and lung transplant patients with PTLD to understand the unique clinical features of their disease in order to further develop tailored treatment strategies and prophylaxis.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique with the potential to improve function and learning in neurological conditions. However, evidence in PD is limited to three small pilot studies, all of which use sub-optimal tDCS protocols. Here we aim to undertake a preliminary trial to investigate the effect of tDCS coupled with dual task training on gait disturbances in PD. In addition we will examine the effect of tDCS on bradykinesia, motor function and learning. This novel and innovative research has the potential to improve the function and quality of life for over 4 million individuals living with PD.

The purpose of this quality improvement project is to undertake a series of studies with the overall aim of increasing the frequency of mobilisation of patients in the Royal Adelaide Hospital Intensive Care Unit. The study will comprise four parts as follows: 1. A prospective audit of the frequency of mobilisation in the Royal Adelaide Hospital Intensive Care Unit, including reasons that patients are not mobilised. 2. A prospective survey evaluating Royal Adelaide Hospital Intensive Care Unit staff’s perceptions of the barriers to mobilising Royal Adelaide Hospital Intensive Care Unit patients. 3. Implementation of strategies to address these barriers (e.g. education, improving inter-disciplinary communication). 4. A prospective repeat audit of the frequency of mobilisation in the Royal Adelaide Hospital Intensive Care Unit following implementation of these strategies, including reasons that patients are not mobilised. THis registration form is for parts 1 and 4 of the study.

The purpose of this quality improvement project is to undertake a series of studies with the overall aim of increasing the frequency of mobilisation of patients in the Royal Adelaide Hospital Intensive Care Unit. The study will comprise four parts as follows: 1. A prospective audit of the frequency of mobilisation in the Royal Adelaide Hospital Intensive Care Unit, including reasons that patients are not mobilised. 2. A prospective survey evaluating Royal Adelaide Hospital Intensive Care Unit staff’s perceptions of the barriers to mobilising Royal Adelaide Hospital Intensive Care Unit patients. 3. Implementation of strategies to address these barriers (e.g. education, improving inter-disciplinary communication). 4. A prospective repeat audit of the frequency of mobilisation in the Royal Adelaide Hospital Intensive Care Unit following implementation of these strategies, including reasons that patients are not mobilised. This registration form is for part 2 of the study.

The primary purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of two exposure-led interventions on children's vegetable acceptance and intake. Low acceptance is one of the key reasons for low consumption of vegetable in children. A randomized controlled design study will compare two exposure-led interventions to a control group, in 4-6 year old children, whose parents would like their child to eat more vegetables. Both intervention groups will be exposed to small quantities of vegetables in the home environment. Effect on vegetable acceptance and dietary intake will be compared between groups, and with the control group, before and after an at home exposure intervention, as well as after a three month follow up. It is hypothesized that the interventions will lead to increased vegetable acceptance and intake in children.

Whilst the importance of diet on health and well-being has long been established, there has been a recent interest in the effects of nutritional status on mood and memory. For instance, deficiencies in a number of nutrients have been associated with poorer mood. For this reason researchers have focused on the role of vitamins and minerals including folate, vitamins B12, B6 and zinc in the treatment of mood and stress disorders, as well as a way to improve cognition (i.e. memory, attention, mental function), general well-being and quality of life. Previous research studies have shown that taking a multivitamin for at least one month may improve the mood, general well-being and cognition of middle aged and older adults. This study will investigate the effects of a Women’s 50+ multivitamin supplement on mood, cognition and well-being.

Diabetes Mellitus is a global health concern and a national health priority area in Australia. In particular, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is emerging as one of the greatest health threats in Australia, with approximately 90% of all individuals living with diabetes mellitus having T2DM. Being overweight or obese greatly increases the risk of progressing to T2DM (increasing the risk by four-fold). The link between obesity and progression to T2DM is attributed to changes in the immune system, specifically the inflammatory changes seen in individuals who are overweight or obese. Being inactive has also been shown to increase the risk of developing T2DM by two-fold. Although we know that the intensity of exercise can change the level of improvement seen in insulin sensitivity (higher intensity having greater effect), there is limited research investigating the role of high-intensity intermittent exercise (HIT) on insulin sensitivity. HIT uses alternating bouts of high-intensity and low-intensity exercise over the duration of the exercise bout and has recently demonstrated significant beneficial effects on health measures including body mass index (BMI). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine how insulin sensitivity and the immune system can be affected by exercise intensity. We hypothesise that the high-intensity intermittent exercise will be more effective in regulating glucose.

The primary objective of the current study is to replicate a recent study conducted in our centre (Benson et al., 2013) in order to confirm these results and to provide further data on the acute cognitive effects of an extract of Bacopa (KeenMind). The secondary objective of the study is to extend upon the study by Benson et al. (2013) by examining a wider range of doses to ascertain whether there is a dose-response relationship between KeenMind and cognition. The study will be an acute, 4-arm, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design. Participants will attend 4 testing sessions (and 1 practice session) where they will complete cognitive, mood and stress assessments, prior to and 1, 2 and 4 hours post supplementation. The participant group will be healthy adults aged between 18-55yrs, who are able to commit to five visits to Swinburne University to attend testing sessions. Participants will not be taking any supplements or medications and have no current medical or psychiatric diagnosis. Participants will orally consume each treatment one occasion, directly after a light meal. Each treatment will be administered after a 1 week wash out period. Treatment 1 – Placebo Treatment 2 – 320mg KeenMind Treatment 3 – 640mg KeenMind Treatment 4 – 960mg KeenMind

This study aims to test whether an internet-based workplace mental health induction program is effective in increasing mental health literacy, decreasing stigma and improving help-seeking attitudes and intentions for depression and anxiety when compared to a wait-list control group.