ANZCTR search results

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is currently estimated at 1 in 88, but there is a distinct lack of validated biomedical treatments that target the core symptoms. Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, including repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), have been established as safe and efficacious treatments for a range of psychiatric disorders, particularly depression. We conducted a pilot, placebo-controlled study of deep rTMS (a form of rTMS providing stimulation of brain structures further away from the scalp) among individuals with ASD (n = 28) that involved a conservative two-week course of stimulation, and found evidence of improved social relating among those undergoing active deep rTMS. Following on from our pilot research, this study will examine the underlying mechanism of deep rTMS, and the safety and efficacy of a stronger course of deep rTMS in ASD. There will be two phases to this study. Phase 1 will involve 20 individuals with ASD aged 18 or older. They will undergo positron emission tomography (PET) and clinical assessment before and after receiving 30 minutes of active deep rTMS each weekday for 3 weeks, and for 2 weekdays of the following week. This phase will help to understand the underlying brain mechanism of deep rTMS. Phase 2 will involve 60 individuals with ASD aged 15 or older. They will receive 30 minutes of either active (n = 30) or sham (placebo) (n = 30) deep TMS each weekday for 3 weeks, and for 2 weekdays of the following week. Clinical assessments will be conducted at five points: (1) before the first treatment, (2) immediately after the last treatment, (3) 1 month after the last treatment, (4) 3 months after the last treatment, and (5) 6 months after the last treatment. These assessments will comprise self-report and parent-report (or significant other-report) questionnaires assessing ASD symptomatology and short experimental measures assessing distinct aspects of social relating (e.g., perception of other’s emotions). Individuals must have been assessed to have an IQ of 55 or above (i.e., mild intellectual disability, average intelligence, or above average intelligence). Capacity to provide informed consent will be evaluated and monitored for all adult participants. Child participants will require parental consent to participate. For Phase 1, it is expected that deep rTMS will enhance activity within the brain’s ‘mentalising network’ (i.e., a series of connected regions devoted to understanding others thoughts, beliefs, intentions, and feelings) and result in clinical improvements to social relating symptoms. For Phase 2, it is expected that active deep rTMS will improve social abilities in ASD, and that these will be maintained after 6 months. Should our hypotheses be supported, it will indicate the possibility of deep rTMS as a neurobiological intervention for ASD.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether rLCAT, when given to patients can lead to changes in the composition of plaque in the leg arteries and to changes in the amount of cholesterol and inflammation in the blood. From laboratory studies, rLCAT shows promising outcomes in terms of its ability to remove cholesterol from cells and animal models. Hence, we hypothesize it will have a similar effect in patients.

This retrospective study aims to evaluate the role of hip arthroscopy in patients who have undergone hip resurfacing surgery and who continue to have symptoms in the same hip. Symptoms may include pain, stiffness, clicking, giving way episodes or weakness. Pathologies causing these symptoms, which reside within the hip joint can be more accurately assessed and treated by the insertion of an arthoscope within the hip joint capsule. The study involves reviewing patient files and operating notes and subsequently conducting a phone call or a follow up visit, if possible, to evaluate current patient status. There will not be follow up appointments made specifically for fulfilling the purposes of the study. However, if the patient is attending a pre-booked follow up visit, then evaluation of patient functional status will be carried out concurrently. By analysing our series of hip arthroscopies used to treat symptomatic resurfacing arthroplasties, we hope to better define and categorise causes of persisting problems. This will help improve patient outcomes. Arthroscopy after hip resurfacing may assist in final diagnosis and address symptoms, yielding good clinical results.

Hamstring avulsion is a common misdiagnosis for FAI and there appears to be a relationship between these two diagnoses. This relationship has never been studied. This study could contribute significantly to the global understanding of this hard to treat entity.

In this study, the research group will work with staff on a vascular surgical ward to design and introduce changes to care which are more elder-friendly, to ensure that older patients regain their usual function faster after surgery. This will include prompt input from a physician to prevent early medical complications, early input from allied health professionals such as physiotherapists and nutritionists to reduce the risks of muscle loss, and resular encouragement from all staff members to keep their body and mind as active as possible. The changes in care will be made by working closely with ward staff using an evidence-based framework for implementing complex changes in health care settings. The investigators hope to show that the new model of care improves the rate of return to independence, reduces complications and reduces length of stay in this high risk patient group, compared to the usual way of organising care. They will also assess whether these improvements justify the additional intensity (and therefore cost) of staffing which would be necessary to provide this enhanced care.

1. This is a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy of a vitamin, mineral and herbal formulation. The aim is to investigate if the formulation reduces cold & flu symptoms including symptom duration compared to placebo. 2. All participants are provided with the cold/flu treatment pack – which includes the product (active treatment or placebo), a daily symptom diary and a pre-prepared QML pathology form for Influenza antigen testing. 3. If a participant experiences 2 or 3 more cold/flu symptoms during the 6 month study period (according to the Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey), they need to a) start treatment, b) have the antigen test taken at a local QML pathology collection centre, c) record their symptom severity in the diary every day until symptoms resolved. 4. Within 2 weeks from the cold/flu resolving, the participant is asked to attend a final interview, returning the diary and unused product. 5. There will be regular communication with all participants during the study. Once the number of cold/flu episodes reaches the quota (49 per group), all participants will be informed that the study has been completed. Therefore, it is expected that not all participants will experience a cold/flu episode while enrolled in the study.

This randomized controlled trial evaluated Primary Care Stepping Stones Triple P, a brief individualized parenting program, in a sample of parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It was hypothesised that parents who took part in the program would experience improvements in child behaviour problems, parenting styles, parenting confidence and parental adjustment.

This trial intends to determine whether the use of vitamin B can be used as an effective treatment for migraine. This trial will compare the migraine outcomes in those taking low or high doses of the vitamins versus people taking mock medication.

Monitoring pain in patients who are semi-conscious after an operation under general anaesthesia can be difficult. The Analgesia Nociception Index (ANI) is a monitor that claims to enable anaesthetists to monitor pain even when patients cannot communicate their pain directly. ANI is based on an analysis of the ECG signal which finally allows an estimate of the stress reaction a patient experiences during an episode of pain. The ANI score is a 0-100 score with high numbers indicating wellbeing and low numbers potentially pain. Aim of our study was to test this monitor in patients after surgery by asking the patients to rate their pain on an established pain scale and noting ANI scores at the same time. We hypothetized that ANI scores would reflect different states of pain with different ANI score results.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common cause for women experiencing menstrual irregularity and anovulation (not releasing an egg each month), affecting up to 10% of the population. While the cause for PCOS is not fully understood, certain probable links have been identified. Almost half the individuals with PCOS have an excess of adipose (fat) tissue stored around their waist, impaired sugar metabolism (insulin resistance) and high levels of fats / cholesterol in their blood stream (dyslipidemia). The excess fat tissue is believed to activate the bodies immune system, causing inflammation which then stops ovulation and increases the ovaries production of testosterone. It is this raised testosterone that may cause acne and excess body hair- a common feature of PCOS. Being over weight and a diet high in saturated fat have both been independently linked with inflammation. Furthermore, women with PCOS are known to have signs of increased inflammation in their body compared to healthy women without PCOS. Work by our group has shown that individuals with PCOS have less than ideal diets, with high intakes of saturated fat, and a higher body mass index (BMI) than aged matched fertile counterparts. Other groups have also shown that PCOS patients have a high saturated fat intake. We have previously proposed that a high fat / low fibre diet will create disturbances in bowel bacteria, with an overgrowth of “bad” bacteria which can then pass across the gut wall into the blood stream and activate the woman’s immune system. The resulting inflammation is known to produce insulin resistance with resulting high blood levels of insulin interfering with normal egg development and ovulation, while driving up the ovaries production of testosterone, potentially causing acne and excess body hair. Probiotics are “good” or beneficial bacteria that are present in food sources such as yogurt, fermented milk drinks or can be taken as powder and capsule supplements. Probiotics are useful treatments for gastro-intestinal conditions such as constipation, antibiotic associated diarrhoea and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). All of these clinical conditions are linked with an increase in “bad” bacteria in the gut and have been shown to cause inflammation in the gut and in the rest of the body. Probiotic “good” bacteria have the ability reduce the number of “bad” bacteria in the gut, while also helping stop these “bad” bacteria passing through the gut wall into the blood stream where they can activate inflammation. Therefore, we propose that by giving probiotic “good” bacteria supplements to women with PCOS and symptoms of excess “bad” bacteria in their gut (bloating, pain, constipation or diarrhoea) we may be able to reduce inflammation in the body, thereby reducing insulin and testosterone levels and re-starting ovulation. This is the primary research question of this study.