ANZCTR search results

Surgical defeects that are predicted to be difficult to close may be considered for type one ketstone closure. The theoretical advantage of this method is that the release of the longitudinal tension in the wound allows greater stretch along the transverse axis. There is no reliable evidence in the literature to prove that this is the case in human models, indeed in our small study the increase in transverse stretch enabled by longitudinal release was less than 1mm. With this in mind the advantage of a keystone flap over other wound closure techniques is unclear. We aim to compare the keystone flap with simple primary wound closure, with primary outcome measured as wound healing, using the ASEPSIS wound score. The type one keystone flap was first described by Behan in 2003, for use in "suitable defects over most areas of the body up to 2cm in width". Patients will be recruited into the study based upon this selction criteria and then randomised to keystone flap or primary closure. Short and longterm follow up centered around the ASEPSIS wound score will be used to compare wound healing in the two groups.

Cardiovascular mortality and morbidity are high in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients compared to general population. Arterial stiffness is a cardiovascular measure that predicts mortality in ESRD patients. Although exercise can counteract many risk factors contributing to arterial stiffness, research on its effect on arterial stiffness in ESRD patients is inconclusive and limited to aerobic exercise. The aim of this project is to examine the affect of intradialytic resistance training on arterial stiffness and other secondary health outcomes in ESRD patients. Participants will undergo a 12 weeks usual care control period followed by a 12 weeks resistance training intervention period. Participants will be recruited from dialysis centres and will undertake their exercises in their centres. All participants will undergo a series of measurements before and after control period and after intervention period. Measures include arterial stiffness, blood sample measures, quality of life, depression level, physical fitness and activity level.

The overarching hypothesis for this study is that in older adults who undergo surgery, occult or preclinical Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) increases the risk of adverse central nervous system (CNS) outcomes, including acceleration of the AD disease process itself and subsequent earlier clinical expression. The specific hypotheses are: 1. In older people undergoing elective orthopaedic surgery, the presence of a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) signature of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) at baseline will be associated with a greater incidence and or severity of decline in Clinical Dementia Rating scale at 18 months post-operatively, compared with a non-surgical group with a CSF signature of AD and equivalent baseline cognition. 2. At baseline, a CSF signature of AD in surgical patients will be associated with a higher incidence of PostOperative Cognitive Dysfunction (POCD) and functional change at 3, 12, and 18 months post-operatively compared to surgical patients without the CSF AD signature. 3. Individuals classified with POCD will be at higher risk of conversion from cognitively normal to MCI or to dementia, or from MCI to dementia, compared with those who are not classified with POCD.

This study aims to explore the impact of an imposed de-synchronisation between circadian rhythms, sleep cycles and eating patterns - as would occur during a rotation between day and night work, on postprandial dysmetabolism.

Low frequency ultrasonic debridement is a new treatment approved for use at Southern Health to treat diabetes related foot ulcers. This project aims to assess if the use of low frequency ultrasonic debridement to treat diabetes related foot ulcers can achieve faster ulcer healing than standard non-surgical sharps debridement. The current research around the use of low frequency ultrasonic debridement to treat diabetes related foot ulcers is positive and suggests that this therapy leads to faster healing and is potentially les painful that other therapies. There is very little evidence comparing low frequency ultrasonic debridement with other ulcer debriding therapies for diabetes related foot ulcers.

Patients that present to Emergency Departments with syncope are some of the most difficult to diagnose. Syncope (fainting, collapse) is a temporary loss of consciousness with a spontaneous return to normal function. There are many causes of syncope, some serious and some trivial. There are a number of ways to determine whether a patient has a serious cause (and should be admitted to hospital and undergo further testing and observation) or a trivial cause and can be discharged home. One way is the San Francisco Rule, which looks at five factors. These factors are: using the acronym CHESS, C-history of congestive cardiac failure, H-haematocrit <30%, E-abnormal ECG, S- shortness of breath, S- systolic blood pressure <90. However, the accuracy of this rule is variable. There have been suggestions that looking at an additional factor, like a specific blood test for heart failure, may improve the accuracy of this rule. The aim of this project is to determine whether the use of the San Francisco Syncope Rule (SFR) with the addition of a Brain-Naturetic Peptide (BNP) blood test can result in an improvement in the outcomes of patients who present to Emergency Departments (ED) with syncope.

The primary objective of this study is to establish if exogenous glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) has a glucose lowering effect in critically ill patients and whether it effects gastric emptying

This trial will examine the effect of a new solution on subjective response, the ocular surface, and lens deposition. The hypotheses are these outcomes will be similar for each lens type and similar for control solutions

This study examines the intervention effects of phonological awareness intervention on the literacy skills of children who are bilingual in English and German.

Tamsulosin is currently prescribed for the symptoms associated with a condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia. In lay terms this is known as an enlarged prostate (benign). This condition is common in men over the age of 70. The condition can become symptomatic (meaning that symptoms appear) with urinary tract infections and signs of obstruction (of the urine pathway) reported. Symptoms are reported in about 10-30% of men aged in the early 70s. Tamsulosin is currently prescribed for these symptoms. An oral capsule containing tamsulosin has been approved in Australia and other countries and has been on the Australian market for several years. The tablet is taken daily by patients. The current study will test the safety and effectiveness of administering tamsulosin by an alternative method – a patch will be applied once to the skin and is designed to provide 7 days of doses. This patch is called a transdermal delivery system (TDS).