ANZCTR search results

Intravenous tissue plasmingen activator (tPA), is an approved therapy for ischaemic (clotting type) of stroke. A worrisome side effect of tPA is haemorrhagic transformation; ie bleeding into damaged brain tissue. This occurs in over 6% of stroke patients treated with tPA, and is associated with a mortality rate of approximately 50%. Minocycline, is an anti-biotic with properties that may protect brain tissue in stroke. Early studies confirm its safety in stroke patients. Animal experiments combining the two agents have shown reduction s in haemorrhage. The WAIMATSS study examines this combination in humans, with the aim being to reduce haemorrhage.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating anxiety disorder. Given the strong demand for psychotherapeutic services, effective and reliable treatment for OCD is not always readily available. The aims of this research are to (1) develop an online self-help metacognitive therapy (MCT) programme for OCD, and (2) implement and evaluate the self-help MCT programme in an online controlled trial. A minimum of forty participants with symptoms of OCD will be recruited through the World Wide Web via snowballing throughout Australia. Participants will be randomly allocated to either control group or intervention group. Access to either the self-help MCT programme (intervention) or the progressive muscle relaxation training programme (control) through the website (the OCD-Doctor-Online) will then be granted. Participants will be required to complete each module of the programme before carrying onto the next. Participants will be administered several instruments measuring symptoms of OCD, depression, anxiety and stress, quality of life, and metacognitions at pre-test, post-test and at 6-week follow-up. If statistically significant reductions in OCD symptoms are found in this study it will justify the completion of further effectiveness and efficacy research and will potentially provide an important alternative treatment option for people diagnosed with OCD.

A retrospective review of the safety and efficacy of the use of mifepristone 200mg with misoprostol 800mcg buccally for termination of pregnancy less than 9 weeks gestation. Summary of the findings from an Authorised Prescriber program in Australia.

This study evaluates the effects of adding Bodyflow therapy to the standard of care treatment after patients underwent a surgical procedure for total knee replacement (TKR). The Bodyflow treatment will consist of an in-hospital component, as well as a self-administered component after the patient has been discharged. The effect of the treatment on the duration of the post-operative hospital stay will be the primary objective, while its effects on peripheral tissue oedema and patient’s pain scores are evaluated as secondary objectives.

This study involves 3 drugs called MK-0906A, Proscar and Tamsulosin intended for treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). BPH is a very common medical condition in most men above 50 years of age and is characterised by enlarged prostate gland resulting in difficulty in urination. This study is testing and comparing the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics (level of drug in your blood) of a single dose of MK-0906A, Tamsulosin and Proscar in different treatment combinations and sequence.

The trial is investigating how, and to what extent an injection of stem cells, obtained from your own fat tissue, reduces pain & inflammation, repairs structural damage, affects mobility, and affects quality of life in knee osteoarthritis.

There are currently very few criteria to guide as to which youth would benefit most from using more advanced diabetes technologies, for example continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII). The lack of robust selection criteria means that intermittently, patients who may not benefit are commenced on CSII and subsequently encounter disappointment and regimen disruption if they elect to switch back to injected insulin. The ability to reliably predict lower self-care, as extrapolates to technology usage, would be helpful when advising an individual regarding their regimen. The purpose of this study is to see if this questionnaire can accurately predict which individuals will be most likely to use technology so that they gain the most benefit from it for their diabetes control. We wish to explore its ability to predict use of the two most commonly used technologies presently - continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and CSII. Studies have shown that individuals get a clinically significant improvement in their HbA1c from usage of CGM when they use it 70% of the time, which equates to 5 days in any week. From CSII, most clinical benefit is gained when users enter 5 or more blood glucose measurements in their pump per day. Our hypothesis is that our questionnaire will predict individuals who will/will not display this usage of their device. Usage of CGM will be assessed after three months, as usage at this point has previously been shown in studies to be predictive of medium to long term usage. Likewise, usage of CSII at six months after commencement has been shown to be indicative of medium term usage.

The purpose of this study is to find out whether adult patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit with septic shock who are given hydrocortisone compared to placebo (a dummy solution), will have an improved rate of survival 90 days later. Septic shock is the result of an infection, which triggers a complex response by the body (the inflammatory response) that causes a decrease in blood pressure and subsequently one or more organ systems to fail when blood supply to these organs is reduced. This may result in poor recovery and death. About a quarter of the people who suffer septic shock that is not rapidly reversed, will die. When patients are admitted to Intensive Care with sepsis and/or septic shock they receive a number of therapies. These include fluids given through a drip, antibiotics, drugs to boost your blood pressure and other organ systems. In addition to these therapies, steroids (hydrocortisone) are sometimes administered. Whether steroids are useful or not in the treatment of severe infections has been studied for more than 50 years. Previous research has suggested that the use of low dose steroid may have shortterm benefits in improving the circulation. However, there is no agreement amongst doctors around the world about whether treatment with or without low dose steroids improves the overall recovery and survival in patients with septic shock. This study would allow doctors to make informed decisions about whether the addition of low dose steroid therapy is better for patients with septic shock in intensive care. The study will include 3800 intensive care patients who have septic shock. Each enrolled patient will be randomised to receive either Hydrocortisone 200mg or placebo daily for 7 days as a continuous intravenous infusion while in intensive care. The patient will be followed for 90 days. If the patient is discharged prior to 90 days a telephone call will be made for the followup information. At six months the patient will be contacted again for completion of a quality of life questionnaire.

In Australia Pulmozyme is licensed for use in CF with mild/moderate lung function impairment. All CF patients are eligible for an initial one-month trial, but continued funding after one month dependent on a 10% improvement in FEV1. The purpose of this one month trial of Pulmozyme is to provide information for each individual patient as to whether they benefit more with Pulmozyme before or Pulmozyme after their physiotherapy technique. Following a period of optimization of their therapy, the patients undergo 2 two-week periods: Pulmozyme given before physiotherapy, and saline nebulized after physiotherapy with the second two weeks in the reverse direction. The other half of the subjects are randomly allocated to the reverse order of interventions. Outcomes include lung function, quality of life, sputum, weight and exercise testing.

Comparison of group, individual and home based treatments for speech and language delays and disorders in young children.