ANZCTR search results

The hypothesis is that overtraining syndrome due to hypothalamic dysfunction and that Eleutherococcus will assist in preventing overtrainign syndrome. Evidence for hypothalamic dysfunction is made by changes in waking core body temperature, and also by measuring changes in corticotrophic releasong hormine (CRH) which is released by the hypothalamus in times of stress. This hormone CRH in turn stimulates the pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) which stimulates the adrenal cortex to release cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone. All three of these hormones are measured at 0, 6 and 12 weeks. The study will determine if there is any difference in these hormones between the control cohort and the active ingerdient cohort

The study will evaluate the effects of different sugars on the release of the incretin hormone GLP-1 from the small intestine, and how this affects the gastric emptying of, and glycaemic response to, a subsequent meal, in both healthy subjects and patients with type 2 diabetes.

Does routine administration of fluoxetine (20mg od) in the 6 months after acute stroke improve patients’ functional outcome?

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine whether a diagnosis of osteoarthritis (OA) in the hip, makes failure of internal fixation in hip fractures more likely; in the patient population group undergoing internal fixation for proximal femoral fractures at any Western Australian tertiary hospital between 2002-2004. Importance: Hip fractures are very common in Australia and are associated with high mortality and morbidity. The number of hip fractures in Australian women is projected to increase from 11 300 per year in 1996 to 44 700 in 2051; In men, the number is projected to rise from 4 000 to 15 300. The cost of this clinical problem is estimated at between 0.9-1.4% of the total government healthcare expenditure. Most will be managed with surgery, through internal fixation. This process can fail (failure of internal fixation). Many of the patient factors behind failure of fixation are unknown. Through clinical observation it is assumed that OA does increase the likelihood of fixation failure, however no published research exists to support this assumption. The reasons behind why OA may have this effect relates to alterations in bone homeostasis. Given that OA is highly prevalent in our society it is important to determine if a link exists between hip OA and failure of fixation. If a link is established, this information would assist clinicians in the choice of an appropriate fixation technique and reduce the likelihood of failure and therefore reoperation. This information would contribute to an improved efficiency of health care provision in this patient group. In addition, it would serve to use the limited health dollar more efficaciously. Methods: This is a multi-centred study in which data will be collected retrospectively, investigating an estimated 700-800 patients records, across the three tertiary hospitals in Western Australia, where internal fixation was performed after hip fracture. This sample size will allow study estimates to be representative of the population estimate. The presence of OA at time of fracture will be identified. Failure of internal fixation will be identified over a four year follow-up period. The collected data will be analysed using a Proportional Hazard Regression model (Cox Regression model) to measure rates of failure of fixation between two patient groups: the patient group with no hip OA and the patient group with hip OA. Benefits: The median cost for hospital treated proximal femoral fractures is approximately $15,984 per fracture. Reducing the number of fixation failures would therefore result in measurable reductions to health care budget expenditure, in combination with the reduction in mortality and morbidity associated with reoperation.

This study will investigate 28 days of butyrylated resistant starch supplementation on faecal short chain fatty acids, faecal microbiology and immunity in well trained athletes. Well trained athletes undertaking prolonged endurance exercise suffer gastrointestinal dysfunction and suppression of immunity from heavy exercise training. This supplement is being investigated to examine whether it may reverse these issues.

Going to hospital usually means having an intravascular device (“IV drip”) in your vein or artery. Almost half of all IV drips fall out or fail because they are not well secured to the skin. This means patients miss out on treatment and have extra painful needlesticks to insert new devices. Serious infections can also occur. This study will find the best dressings to use on IV drips. Patients will have their drips glued in with medical superglue, or have one of two new dressings, compared with current usual care.

This project will undertake a randomised evaluation of an intervention for socially disadvantaged children, the Early Years Education Program (EYEP). EYEP is a new program being offered by the Children’s Protection Society (CPS). The project will examine effects of program participation on outcomes such as children’s cognitive, speech, language and emotional development, their health and school readiness, and on the parent-child relationship, and parents’ health and community participation. The EYEP will provide enrolled children with at least 25 hours per week of enriched centre based child care and education for three years (or until school age). Children must be less than 3 years of age at the time of their initial enrolment into EYEP. Key features of this program are high staff:child ratios, qualified staff, therapeutic interventions with the child and family, integration with family support services, and a focus on building alliances with parents to sustain their child’s participation in child care. Referrals of children eligible for enrolment in EYEP will be from clients of child welfare services including family casework services accessed through Child FIRST (Family Information Referral Support Team) and Child Protection. Children eligible for participation will be aged less than 3 years at referral, and assessed as having experienced at least two identified risk factors such as family violence, parental mental health problems, or parental drug and alcohol use. The referred group of children who are eligible for participation in EYEP will be randomly assigned between a treatment group who will be enrolled in the EYEP and a control group who will receive ‘usual care’. The trial will involve data collection standardized questionnaires completed by parents and child care staff, interviews with parents, standardized assessments (for example, cognitive functioning), and observation of child behaviour in the early child care centre classroom and with parents. This will occur over a three year period – baseline and then at yearly intervals. The importance of the project derives from its potential contribution to knowledge of how enhanced childcare might contribute to improved social and educational outcomes for children from highly disadvantaged backgrounds. Currently fewer than 16% of Child FIRST clients in the north eastern region attend child care or kindergarten despite early child care and education services being a potential resource for children at risk. To our knowledge this will be the first randomised trial of an early childhood intervention in Australia.

Stroke is currently the second highest cause of death in Australia and a leading source of disability (National Stroke Foundation, 2010). Some strokes are caused by a blockage in a blood vessel within the brain. Evidence suggests that thrombolysis (i.e., administering a drug to dissolve the blockage) shortly after a stroke may reduce some of the neurological damage (Wardlaw, Murray, Berge, & del Zoppo, 2009; Williams et al., 2009). One such drug is called recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA). Very little is known about the effects of rt-PA on the recovery of communication or swallowing function. This has significant implications for patient rehabilitation, as it is unknown whether patients who receive rt-PA will respond differently to traditional behavioural rehabilitation methods post-stroke or improve at different rates. It is also unknown whether the effects of rt-PA on post-stroke recovery differ according to stroke location. As a result, the proposed study will investigate the effects of thrombolysis on the recovery of communication and swallowing function after stroke. Increasing our knowledge in this area will assist in the development of effective patient rehabilitation programs to maximise quality of life post-stroke. Aims The overall aim of the project is to investigate the effects of thrombolysis on the recovery of communication and swallowing function after ischaemic stroke. Specifically, the project will investigate whether patients who receive rt-PA following an ischaemic stroke differ from patients who do not receive the drug with respect to language, speech and swallowing function. The project will also investigate whether these communication and swallowing recovery patterns differ following rt-PA over the first 6 months post-stroke. Finally, given the difference in communication disorders resulting from stroke location, the study will investigate whether there is a difference in the effects of rt-PA on communication and swallowing outcomes according to whether patients experienced a left or right sided stroke.

Heart failure is a condition cause by heart muscle weakness. As a result the circulation to the body becomes inefficient and blood flow tends to fall. We are studying whether a simple medicine which is used in other settings can improve blood flow and thus outcomes for patients admitted to hospital with heart failure.

The specific aim of this study is to determine whether methylphenidate significantly reduces deficits in attention and/or executive function in children with NF1. This study also aims to establish whether MPH reduces ADHD related behaviours in neurofibromatosis. It is hypothesised that methylphenidate will improve attention and executive function deficits in children with NF1 and reduce the ADHD like behavioural characteristics in children with NF1.