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Intrathecal baclofen (ITB) therapy is used to manage severe spasticity. ITB therapy is available to children and adolescents at 6 tertiary Paediatric hospitals in Australia. ITB is a new therapy, with 12-15 ITB pumps implanted in Australian children and adolescents each year. There is no standard pre assessment tool or follow up protocol for children and adolescents receiving ITB therapy in Australia. The objective of this study is to identify and collect a minimum data set for assessment and follow up of children and adolescents receiving ITB therapy in Australia. Two of the aims of this study are (1) Identifying which assessment tools are useful at assessing the effect of ITB upon your child’s daily functioning; and, (2) document the complications associated with ITB therapy. For the purposes of data collection a prospective multicentre audit is proposed. This would include children attending Princess Margaret Hospital for Children (Perth), Royal Childrens Hospital (Melbourne), Monash Medical Centre (Melbourne), Westmead Childrens Hospital (Sydney), Women & Childrens Hospital (Adelaide) and the Royal Childrens Hospital (Brisbane). All Australian children and adolescents who are offered ITB therapy will be asked to enrol in this audit. A standardised assessment protocol will be utilised by each centre to capture data across each domain of the World Health Organsiation international classification of functioning, disability and health. Participation in this prospective audit reflects standard care and is voluntary.

Vitamin D deficiency is common amongst people with type 2 diabetes. People with type 2 diabetes frequently develop painful neuropathy ("nerve pain" especially in the feet). The study hypothesis is that vitamin D supplementation may improve symptoms of nerve pain. The study is therefore designed to investigate the impact of vitamin D supplementation on nerve pain in people with type 2 diabetes

The purpose of this study is to determine the safe and potential cardiac (heart) benefit of using Certican (Registered Trademark) in kidney transplantat patients in combination with Neoral (Registered Trademark) (cyclosporine A), corticosteroids (methylprednisone/prednisone) and myfortic (Registered Trademark) (mycophenolate) with or without Simulect (Registered Trademark). The main goal is to reduce the risk of heart disease. Certican (Registered Trademark), Neoral (Registered Trademark), Simulect (Registered Trademark), corticosteroids and myfortic (Registered Trademark) are all anti-rejection treatments.

Influenza is a viral illness that causes much social disruption. It causes serious complications in young children including hospitalisation. Children in child care settings are more likely to be infected. Influenza vaccination can help prevent influenza in adults but data are lacking in young children. This study will determine both direct child benefits (protection, continuity of day care) and indirect benefits of influenza vaccination in reduced work absence (staff, parents), illness in the extended family. The study also measures the social and economic impact of influenza vaccination.

There is a growing body of research indicating that vitamin D blood concentrations can impact on brain functioning. In particular, there is robust evidence in animal models showing that vitamin D deficiency during development impairs brain functioning in adulthood. However, no studies have examined whether enhancing vitamin D blood concentrations by vitamin D supplementation during adulthood can improve brain functioning. This study will assess whether increasing vitamin D blood concentrations via vitamin D supplementation in healthy adults improves various aspects of brain functioning such as attention, response inhibition, and general mood and emotions. We anticipate that this study will provide us with important information about the effects of enhancing vitamin D blood concentrations on brain function in healthy adults.

There are a number of dietary approaches, including restriction of total energy or fat, or increasing dietary protein and reducing carbohydrate to try and induce weight loss. Protein is commonly believed to be the most satiating macronutrient, however no studies have investigated the effects of protein in an oral preload on satiety and energy intake, taking into consideration the daily energy requirements of individual subjects. Therefore the purpose of the study is to compare the effects of high-fat, high-carbohydrate and high-protein oral preloads and the effects of increasing amounts of protein in an oral preload on gastrointestinal hormone secretion, appetite and energy intake in lean and overweight subjects.

Although most patients with different haematological disorders present with either bleeding or clotting, there is little known about how patients develop these complications and what risk factors are involved. Platelets are an essential component of haemostais to stop bleeding and also in case of their activation may give rise to thrombosis. So it is important to study the role of platelet-function and activation in the patients who are diagnosed with different haematological disorders/cancers and receiving treatment. Studying platelets function and activation with various new techniques will give us a better understanding of platelets activity in haematological malignancies such as leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma or other haematological disorders who present to the Launceston General Hospital (LGH), Tasmania, Australia. With the help of the Flow Cytometer and also as a part of PhD degree at University of Tasmania (UTAS), School of Human Life Sciences, we are aiming to establish different methods of studying platelets activation and function in different haematological malignancies in order to examine the theory of these malignancies and rheir association with platelet activation and or dysfunction. Significance of the Project: The availability of fluorescent monoclonal antibodies and probes provides a powerful tool for the investigation of platelet function by flow cytometry. To date, most platelet function analysis by flow cytometry has focused on the involvement of platelets in thrombotic disorders and acute coronary syndromes. One area where research has been limited is in oncology patients, including those with malignant e.g. leukaemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and benign e.g. immuno thrombocytopenia and thrombocytopenic purpura, haematological disorders, where patients usually present with either bleeding or thrombosis symptoms. It is well documented that bleeding is quite common in these patients often leading to more intensive platelet intervention and sometimes poorer prognosis. Thrombocytopenia is usually evident due to the late diagnosis of disease with subsequent marrow replacement or as a consequence of the treatment. However, the effect of platelet dysfunction may also contribute more significantly than is currently known. Patients with haematological disorders who bleed often receive platelet transfusions. Although this approach usually rectifies the bleeding to suggest the defect is quantitative, it is not known whether abnormal platelet function also contributes to the bleeding diathesis in these patients. Indeed, this is yet to be corroborated given that donor platelets are initially healthy and unaffected when transfused so offer both volume and functionality to the patient before disease or drug regimens have any affect on them.

This study looks at the effectiveness of treatment with the drug PF-804 in patients with incurable non-small cell lung cancer, where standard therapy for advanced or widespread disease has not been successful. Who is it for? You can join this study if you have a confirmed diagnosis of non-small cell carcinoma of the lung, described as incurable stage IIIB or IV, where standard therapy has not been successful. Trial details Participants will be randomly divided into two groups. One group will receive a non-active (placebo) treatment, and the other will receive treatment with the drug PF-804, both taken orally (in cycles of 28 days)until the disease progresses or toxicity is unacceptable. The aim is to compare the overall survival between the two groups, and to monitor the effects of the treatment. PF-804 may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth.

Evidence has accumulated that changes to the tiny blood vessels at the back of the eye (retinal arteries) are linked to heart disease. It is possible to use a simple eye examination to view these tiny retinal blood vessels and get an idea about their condition. This kind of examination is simple to perform and is not invasive. Because there are similarities to blood vessels throughout the body, an eye examination could be used to provide important information about blood vessel condition in general and whether certain treatments can result in improved blood vessel function. This study will examine the retinal arteries of a group of patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea and risk factors for or actual heart disease. It will also look for evidence that the function of the retinal arteries improves with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) treatment

This study compares the effectiveness of treatment with the drug anastrozole before and during adjuvant radiotherapy compared with anastrozole therapy delayed until after radiotherapy. Who is it for? You can join this study if you are a woman who has had a mastectomy or lumpectomy for breast cancer, and all planned surgery is now complete and radiotherapy is recommended. Trial details Participants will be divided into two groups. One group will receive anastrozole orally before and during radiotherapy. The other group will receive standard treatment, where anastrozole and subsequent anti-oestrogen therapy is delayed until after radiotherapy. Participants will be monitored for 10 years after radiotherapy. The study aims to determine if commencement of anastrozole before radiotherapy results in improved local control of the disease.