ANZCTR search results

To assist clinical decision making pre-operatively in renal failure patients having fistula formation, using a trans-thoracic echo, in order to improve patient well-being post-operatively

All patients presenting for PICC line insertion will be offered follow-up in this audit of Nurse led PICC insertion at the RMH. Time of insertion, success, complications and patient satisfaction will be measured and this data will be compared to same data subsets acquired from same patient population in 2008, but when the service was physcian led.

Posttraumatic stress reactions have been indetified as a predictor or poorer outcomes for individuals with whiplash injury in longitudinal studies and poorer response to physical therapy in previous research. This study aims to investigate whether or not stress innoculation training added to standard exercise program will decrease pain and disability in people with acute whiplash injury. It is hypothesised that stress iccoculation will decrease physiological arousal and stress reponses in those at risk individuals and thus facilitate the effects of the exercise program.

The purose of this study is to understand how well oxymorphone in combination with tocopheryl phosphate mix (TPM), is absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream, with the use of a patch.

Although cognitive-reminiscence approaches to the treatment of depressive symptoms have been shown to be highly effective in older adults, to date no studies have determined its efficacy with younger adults. The current study aims to trial a manualised and validated cognitive-reminiscence intervention for depressive symptomatology with young adults. This intervention utilises both cognitive and problem-solving therapy frameworks within a reminiscence-based approach. Individuals systematically review various events, circumstances, and turning-points in their lives while learning adaptive techniques for appraising and interpreting themselves, others, and the world, and applying these techniques to present-day issues. Individuals over the age of 18 who present at a community youth mental health services in Melbourne with elevated depressive symptoms will be recruited and randomised to either six sessions of individual cognitive-reminiscence intervention or treatment as usual. Outcomes in both groups will be assessed by measuring depressive symptomatology, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and meaning in life at baseline, three weeks, six weeks, and one and three month post-treatment. The intervention is predicted to lead to significant reductions in depressive symptomatology.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) offers an exciting management option for patients with severe aortic stenosis, many of whom are considered too high-risk for traditional surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). It has been noted, however, that patients undergoing TAVI have an increased rate of stroke compared to those undergo in alternative management options (namely, medical therapy and SAVR). In these high-risk patients the functional, quality of life and mortality improvement of TAVI outweigh this risk and thus TAVI has had a favourable risk-benefit analysis. As TAVI practice extends in to lower-risk and younger populations, as is being seen in many of the large studies currently recruiting, this risk-benefit analysis may shift due to the better outcomes with SAVR in this group. A better understanding of stroke and neurocognitive impairment in TAVI is required to characterise and understand this risk better allowing for more accurate risk assessments and highlighting strategies for stroke minimisation.

The operation of inguinal herniorraphy is associated with long term pain in 10-12% of patients.There are various factors that might influence the development of chronic post surgical pain after inguinal herniorrhaphy. Using quantitative sensory testing maybe a way to predict the occurrence of chronic post surgical pain syndrome

Objectives: This randomised controlled trial (n = 122) compared the effectiveness of a nurse practitioner (NP) pain management intervention commencing with immediate release oxycodone the day after caesarean section compared to standard care with a prescription of controlled release oxycodone. Methods: A pain management plan based on immediate release oxycodone was developed for each woman in the intervention group. The NP addressed psychosocial aspects of pain in order to (1) reduce pain intensity, (2) decrease pain interference on maternal function and recovery, and (3) increase maternal control over pain management. The control group received standard care including controlled-release oxycodone prescribed twice daily for two days.

Single fasting blood samples will be collected from each study participant for analysis of pro-inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress. At the time of blood sample collection, isolated neutrophils will be for measurement of superoxide production and elastase activity. Results of pro-inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress obtained from liver tranaplantation recepients will be statistically compared to those obtained from healthy controls using analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects ~21% of Australian reproductive aged women, has reproductive, psychological and metabolic features (increased diabetes) and is exacerbated by obesity. This randomized control trial will evaluate the benefits of behavioural modification training plus 1) lifestyle advice 2) low intensity exercise and 3)high intensity exercise on metabolic and reproductive health, and sustained exercise engagement. We hypothesize that high intensity intermittent exercise may be more effective in managing the poor metabolic, reproductive and psychological health in women with PCOS, as well as offering a more engaging and enjoyable exercise modality for improved lifestyle modifications as recommended by the national guidelines for management of PCOS.