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This trial is a prospective randomised controlled trial comparing outcomes in patients who have undergone median sternotomy fitted with the QualiBreath sternal brace postoperatively with those who have not. Pain, sternal instability, patient satisfaction and functional activity level will be assessed.

Background People with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) have abnormally slow clearance of mucus from their airways. This causes chronic lung infection with obstruction of the airways by mucus. The chronic lung infection is characterised by (A) periods of acute worsening of the infection known as exacerbations, (B) progressive deterioration in lung function outside periods of exacerbation, (C) reduced quality of life, and (D) reduced ability to exercise. A strong, sterile, salt-water solution known as hypertonic saline is commonly used to assist clearance of mucus from the airways of people with CF. We know that long-term use of hypertonic saline where the concentration of salt is 7% produces significant benefits for people with CF in terms of (A) exacerbations, (B) lung function, and (C) quality of life. Some patients find 7% hypertonic saline difficult or impossible to tolerate. Some of these patients use lower concentrations of saline, although it is not known whether these are as effective, nor even whether they are more effective than doing nothing. Some patients often skip doses of hypertonic saline because the delivery is time consuming. Faster nebulisers are now available. The efficacy and tolerability of hypertonic saline delivered through these new nebulisers have not been formally assessed. Also, hypertonic saline has not been tested in patients with very badly affected lungs. Aim One aim of the study is to determine the benefits of 6% and 3% hypertonic saline when delivered via a new, fast nebuliser, in people with CF. Another important aim is to determine whether hypertonic saline is tolerable when delivered via a fast nebuliser. A final aim is to compare the response to hypertonic saline among those with very badly affected lungs with the response to those with mildly and moderately affected lungs. Method 140 people with CF will be enrolled in the study. For the first time, patients with very badly affected lungs will be eligible to enrol. All will be required to be in a stable clinical condition. At enrolment, lung function, quality of life, and some other relevant measures will be assessed. Participants will then be randomised to inhale either 6%, 3% or 0.9% saline. All other standard care will continue in all groups. Participants will be regularly assessed during the 16-week period over which they will inhale their allocated saline solution, twice a day, via a fast nebuliser. The progress of the groups inhaling the different concentrations of saline will be compared in terms of (A) exacerbations, (B) lung function, (C) quality of life and (D) exercise capacity. The tolerability of the solutions will also be recorded. We will also compare the response to the saline among those with very badly affected lungs to those with milder disease.

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of weight loss plus oral supplementation of Omacor (Fish Oil) on postprandial lipid and lipoprotein transport in obese subjects. We hypothesis that in obese subjects, triglyceride production will be further reduced with Omacor oral supplementation in addition to weight loss in the postprandial state. All eligible participants will be on a weight loss period for 12 weeks followed by a weight maintanence period of 4 weeks. During these 16 weeks, each participant will be randomised into either weight loss alone (Group 1) or weight loss plus Omacor oral supplementation (Group 2).

Our research has shown that patients with inflammatory symptoms (fevers, sweats and weight loss) and/or elevated inflammatory markers have slower clearance of chemotherapy and experience worse toxicity, as well as worse response and survival. We recently confirmed that UK based lymphoma patients with inflammatory (also known as B) symptoms experienced worse chemotherapy related leucopenia and thrombocytopenia, however we were not able to explore whether this resulted in more neutropenia, febrile neutropenia, treatment related hospitalisation or deaths, because of gaps in the UK data set. We plan to evaluate these issues in Australian lymphoma patients by re-evaluating stored de-identified data collected as part of several ALLG national lymphoma trials. Using the same data, we will also evaluate the prognostic significance of a new inflammatory marker (the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR)) in lymphoma patients. We have shown this marker to be prognostic for survival in mesothelioma and colorectal and lung cancer patients. To our knowledge, it has not been evaluated in patients with NHL.

This study is aimed at improved PET scanning diagnosis of liver secondaries from colon cancer. There will be no recruitment of patients from outside of the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital.

The aim of this study is to determine the RS content of finely milled new varieties of barley (in muffin bars) using ileostomy participants.

The initial pilot study for this trial was registered with ANZCTR (ACTRN12610000532000) and completed in July 2010. The purpose of this study is to ascertain whether oral garlic tablets reduce vaginal colonisation of Candida (the yeast that causes thrush) when taken in the second half of the menstrual cycle, in women of childbearing age. Women will be asked to take three garlic tablets (or placebo) for two weeks, as well as send daily vaginal swabs to the laboratory for analysis, and complete a daily diary. This will give information not yet known about colonisation patterns of Candida in the second half of the menstrual cycle, as well as whether or not oral garlic tablets may be helpful in reducing recurrences of episodes of vaginal thrush.

A trial to see if the use of a cyanoacrylate ("Superglue") sealant applied to the skin prior to the surgical incsion can reduce the incidence of post operative wound infections.

This double-blind, randomised, placebo controlled trial will examine the safety and efficacy of intranasal oxytocin for the treatment of cannabis and alcohol dependence. It is hypothesised that participants randomised to the oxytocin condition, compared to participants randomised to the placebo condition will have a higher rate of treatment completion, experience reduced number, severity, and duration of cannabis and alcohol withdrawal symptoms and will report fewer days of cannabis and alcohol use at one month follow-up.

The hypothesis is that in healthy humans dietary omega-3 fatty acids and aspirin enhance the formation of the potent antiinflammatory metabolites resolvins and protectins. Specifically, we aim to determine blood resolvin and protectin levels in a randomised controlled trial of aspirin or placebo in healthy men and women taking omega-3 fatty acids.