ANZCTR search results

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of OCD STOP, which is an online psychological treatment for individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) that is based on the face-to-face psychological treatment for OCD called the Systematic Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive phenomena or STOP. To assess its effectiveness, OCD STOP will be compared to an online relaxation program for anxiety known as Progressive Relaxation Training. This study is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

In this trial, patients undergoing elective colonoscopy under sedation will be randomised to BIS-guided sedation targeting either “light” or “deep” sedation. Sedation will be achieved with a standardised regimen of target-controlled infusion of propofol and fentanyl bolus. The primary end point will be the incidence of procedure recall in each group. The procedural conditions, cardio-respiratory complications and recovery including cognitive function will be assessed. The patient satisfaction with anaesthesia care will be recorded.

This National Prescribing Service (NPS) project aims to improve GPs’ management of these patients through feedback on their own prescribing practices and small group discussions with peers and a trained group facilitator. Participating GPs can examine their prescribing practices using a “data extraction and reporting tool” provided by the researchers that interacts with the software GPs already use to manage patient records and write prescriptions. About twenty Divisions of General Practice will be recruited through expressions of interest and the chosen divisions will in turn recruit approximately 9 practices within their division to participate in the research. Participating practices will be randomly allocated to one of three groups of which two groups will be the intervention group and one group will be the control group. Practices assigned to the intervention group will receive the quality improvement intervention (data extraction tool and small group discussion) with each group undertaking the clinical topics hypertension and chronic heart failure ion the reverse order to the other. The control group will not receive any intervention for the first six months and will therefore act as a “true control” for the other two groups. Participating GP practices will receive continuing education credits and an average of $500 reimbursement for time spent on data cleaning. Non–identifiable patient and GP data before and after the intervention will be extracted and analysed by NPS.

This study aims to develop a more accurate screening test for colorectal cancer (CRC) by evaluating the accuracy of a panel of blood-based candidate biomarkers and to determine whether there is potential for recurrent cancers to be detected earlier with the new biomarker panel than the currently available blood tests. Who is it for? You may be eligible to join this study if you are aged 18 to 85 years old and are scheduled for colonoscopy for standard clinical indications. Participants with a diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) who have been treated and are being monitored for recurrence will also be eligible for the second and third phase of the study. Study details: All participants in this study will be asked to undergo several tests for bowel cancer at the time of their routine hospital colonoscopy, the established gold standard bowel examination. The tests include, blood and saliva samples; and faecal occult blood tests which we will compare to new tests that we are developing that detect specific markers in blood. If we can reliably detect these markers then we will be able to develop a better screening test for bowel cancer. In patients who have been previously treated for bowel cancer and who are being monitored for signs of recurrence, we will also explore the use of the new biomarker blood test. It is hoped that this test may be more sensitive and detect recurrence much earlier than is now possible. The overall duration of observation in each participant is three years post surgery. For patients that undergo cancer resection prior to chemotherapy or radiotherapy, consent will be asked to obtain some tissue samples from any excess specimen from surgery (a cancer specimen and adjacent normal tissue). Tissue will have DNA extracted for analysis of biomarker levels to allow direct comparison to blood biomarker levels, as well as methylated BCAT1 and IKZF1 in the blood and surgical tissue. This will help to evaluate the accuracy and efficacy of the new blood-based screening test for bowel cancer.

To determine the effect of gastric acid suppression (using the proton pump inhibitor [PPI] pantoprazole) on the pharmacokinetics of mycophenolic acid (MPA) in kidney and liver transplant recipients maintained on either mycophenolate mofetil [MMF] or enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium [EC-MPS]. The following outcomes will be assessed: a. MPA area under curve (AUC). b. Clinical outcomes including rejection, graft function and proteinuria.

Elinogrel is under the development for the treatment of patients with chronic coronary heart disease and acute coronary syndrome. Patient’s treated for these conditions are likely to be on a statin therapy such as atorvastatin in addition to other anticoagulants such as Elinogrel. Hence the need to investigate the potential drug interaction between Elinogrel and atorvastatin

The purpose of the study is to answer the following research questions. 1. Will the number of cigarettes smoked decrease during and after the treatment period in comparison to the number of cigarettes smoked during the baseline period? 2. Will there be changes in mood and nicotine dependency measures during and after the treatment period in comparison to the baseline period? This aim of this research is to test the effectiveness of the brief behavioural activation therapy with a sample who want to quit smoking.

The diagnosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is on the increase due to the rising incidence of diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity, leading to an increased demand on the healthcare system. Currently, the management of a patient with chronic kidney disease involves 3 - 4monthly review with a kidney specialist. However, we are aware that nurses play a vital role in the management of patients with chronic kidney disease and studies in Canada and South Australia have demonstrated that the regular monitoring of these patients can be safely managed by a nurse who specialises in this area. The nurse discusses the investigation results and patients’ ongoing management with a kidney specialist and liaises with the family doctor. Patients allocated to the CKD nurse group will be seen at the renal clinic by a CKD nurse every 3-4months for a period of 2 years.

The trial looks to establish if the use of a videolaryngoscope in patients with a known difficult airway makes intubation easier, faster and safer.

People who have had a severe stroke generally remain very disabled. An EMG triggered electrical stimulation machine measures electrical activity in muscles and provides electrical stimulation when a threshold level of muscle activity is reached, hence it provides feedback to people with weak muscles and strengthens muscles. Seventy very weak, acute stroke patients will be allocated to receive EMG triggered electrical stimulation to muscles of their arm in addition to conventional therapy or conventional therapy only. Measures of muscle strength and activity will be taken before and after the intervention. This intervention has the potential to increase the likelihood of returning to independence after a severe stroke.