ANZCTR search results

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality in the chronic kidney disease (CKD) population, and is independently associated with kidney function decline. Dietary sodium intake has been implicated in several traditional and novel risk factors driving both CVD and CKD progression. Despite evidence implicating dietary sodium in the pathogenesis of CVD in CKD, sodium intake in CKD patients remains high and evidence suggests that sodium restriction is not adequately emphasized for CKD patients. Part of the reason for this may be high-quality intervention trials of sodium restriction in CKD patients are lacking. Most evidence has been extrapolated from studies in non-CKD populations. However, as sodium handling is influenced by kidney function; it is highly likely that the CKD population is more susceptible to adverse effects of high dietary sodium. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of reducing sodium intake on blood pressure, progression of renal failure and other cardiovascular risk factors in patients with moderate CKD.

The aim of this study is to compare the health status and functional outcomes of patients who weightbear at two weeks compared to those who weightbear at six weeks after surgery for an ankle fracture. Is the health status and functional outcomes for patients who weight bear 2 weeks after surgery for an ankle fracture the same as those who weight bear at 6 weeks after surgery for an ankle fracture?

This study aims to examine the effect of vibration therapy on markers of bone turnover in breast cancer patients on aromatase inhibitors. Who is it for? You may be eligible to join this study if you are a woman of any age who is currently taking an Aromatase Inhibitor drug for the treatment of breast cancer. Trial details. Participants in this trial will be randomly (by chance) allocated to one of two groups. One group will undergo whole body vibration therapy. This involves standing on a gently vibrating platform for 20 minutes, three times per week over a period of 12 weeks. The other group will be assigned to no treatment for the 12 week trial period. After this time participants in this group will be offered the vibration treatment. Participants will give blood and urine samples at baseline and at 12 weeks to examine markers of bone metabolism. They will also complete some tests of physical function and questionnaires about fatigue, pain and physical activity levels at these time points. It is thought that vibration training will decrease the breakdown of bone compared to no training.

The purpose of this study is to understand how oestrogen controls the use of fat in the liver. The hypothesis is that oestrogen is required to prevent the accumulation of fat in the liver. The mechanism may be direct or mediated by other hormones such as growth hormone, which is regulated by oestrogen. We wish to study the effects of oestrogen compounds called Selective Oestrogen Receptor Modulators (tamoxifen) and a drug that prevents oestrogen production (letrozole) on the secretion of growth hormone from the special gland in brain and how they control the liver production and burning of fat in men and women. We wish to compare these effects with that of natural oestrogen itself in women.

With the cessation of manufacture of MBDV in 2005, alternative JE vaccines were developed, including the VCDV approved by the TGA in Jan 2009. This vaccine was selected by the Australian Defence Force to continue its program of JE vaccination of members on 'short-notice-to-move'. Prior to this study there were no published reports of tolerability and immunogenicity of VCDV in previous MBDV vaccinees. Military volunteers who had previously received MBDV and were due for boosting were invited to take part in the study (the alternative was to have a single booster dose of MBDV from remaining stocks). The full primary course of two doses of VCDV 28 days apart was provided to each participant (shown by the manufacturer to be effective at inducing immunogenicity), and blood was drawn prior to each dose for PRNT50 assays of immunogenicity. This was done in order to determine whether a single dose of VCDV was effective as a 'booster' dose, as measured at 28 days. The aim of the study was to determine tolerability of the vaccine in this population, and to determine whether a single dose of VCDV would be adequate to boost immunogenicity in this population.

This study has been designed to determine if the application of skin moisturising cream twice a day to the limbs of aged care residents will reduce the development of skin tear injuries.

Dietary nitrate is known to protect against adverse cardiovascular events by reducing blood pressure and via effects on the vascular endothelium. Several studies have also shown that dietary nitrate supplementation (in the form in beetroot juice) leads to improvements in exercise performance in healthy subjects and elite athletes. No such investigation has been undertaken in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Improving exercise tolerance and performance in this group of patients may significantly enhance the benefits derived from pulmonary rehabilitation in a sustainable fashion. The aims of this project are to establish whether beetroot juice supplementation is safe and effective in improving exercise performance in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who attend an outpatient exercise program. It is a randomised placebo-controlled double-blinded crossover trial. Subjects with stable mild-moderate COPD are recruited and randomised to receive beetroot juice, BJ (in a commercially available form) or placebo, PL (an alternative juice). The placebo will either be beetroot juice which has been nitrate-depleted or apple & blackcurrent juice (depending on availability). There will be 3 phases to the study. Phase 1 is designed to assess safety. 10 of the subjects are randomly selected to take part in this phase. Subjects ingest a small dose of beetroot juice, and blood pressure and heart rate are observed over several hours. Phases 2 and 3 are designed to assess changes in exercise performance. All subjects take part in these phases. Baseline exercise tests are performed during the first session of testing. These comprise 2 incremental shuttle walk tests followed by an endurance shuttle walk test (ESWT). The following data is collected: distance walked, heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, symptom scores (Borg scale), all according to standardised procedures. There is then a 3-day wash-in period during which subjects drink beetroot juice or placebo twice daily. On day 4 the subjects attend for the 2nd testing session during which they perform a repeat ESWT four hours after the morning treatment dose with the same data collected. This is followed by a 4-day washout period. Phase 3 involves the crossing-over of subjects from each treatment group to the alternative treatment and repeating the testing as per phase 2. The data is then analysed to determine the magnitude of any decrease in blood pressure, improvement in exercise performance and change in symptom scores.

To determine if pre-filling of bladder prior to IDC removal allows men to regain bladder control faster and thereby allowing earlier discharge

The experience of both migrainous and vestibular symptoms is likely to be associated with greater compromise than for either disorder presenting independently. The impact of VM is compounded due to the current lack of evidence-based treatment that has proven to be definitely efficacious. CBT is likely to be an effective adjunct treatment to medication in the treatment of VM. Trials are urgently needed to provide an evidence-base for such approaches.

This trial looks at the use of a focused educational learning package for paediatric emergency doctors training them in the use of ultrasound to detect forearm fractures. It will look to see if it is as sensitive and specific as the current gold standard of x-ray and also at the acceptability to patient and parent.