ANZCTR search results

To see whether a resilience training package will decrease trauma symptoms in police and lead to lower drug and alcohol use and fewer cases of absenteeism.

This study looks at the use of oestrogen cream or a simple lubricant to treat vaginal dryness in women on Arimidex for breast cancer. The aim of the study is to objectively measure vaginal atrophy in symptomatic breast cancer patients taking Arimidex and to compare the effectiveness, local vaginal effects and systemic absorption of 17-beta oestradiol (vagifem) with vaginal estriol (ovestin) and a non-hormonal lubricant, Replens. In addition we will evaluate quality of life and sexual function before and after use of topical oestrogen or replens. Eighty four postmenopausal women will be recruited from menopause, breast and oncology clinics in New South Wales and Western Australia. To participate women must have a history of estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer, postmenopausal, taking Arimidex for at least 6 weeks and complaining of symptoms of atrophic vaginitis. Patients will be asked to attend 4 clinic visits over a total of 4 months. All particiapnts will be monitored at 2, 6 and 12 weeks following the start of treatment and the changes in their serum oestradiol levels will be recorded.

This study aims to identify the best treatment for this group of patients, as well as the most appropriate use of hospital resources. The Hand Therapy Clinic is staffed by Occupational Therapists, with a primary interest in functional ability. Treatment aims to aid patients’ timely return to normal use of their hand. This study will hopefully demonstrate the impact differing treatment techniques have on patients’ regaining movement, strength and use of their hand following a metacarpal fracture.

The study will seek to find out whether aged garlic extract is an effective and acceptable adjunct treatment in reducing blood pressure in treated but uncontrolled hypertensive general practice patients.

Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide and affects 5-15% of adults over the age of 65 years. Several currently available treatments for depression have proven efficacy, but up to 40% of people with depression fail to recover after a course of appropriate treatment. This, in turn, leads to increased long term morbidity and mortality, greater use of health services, and increased costs to the person with depression, his or her family and the community. Various sources of observational data and a few trials indicate that physical activity improves mood and promotes the remission of symptoms in older people with depression. We designed the present study to determine if a general practitioner mediated physical activity intervention for older adults with depression improves treatment response to usual antidepressant treatment and decreases the prevalence of depression over a 1-year period. The intervention has been designed for delivery to a large number of older people by being inexpensive, home based, and delivered via easily distributed and understood media for self management and monitoring. If successful, the intervention has the potential to influence how health promotion interventions are delivered through a general practice setting.

The primary purpose of the study was to develop, pilot and evaluate a group-based program within a TC, aimed at reducing alcohol problems in drug rehabilitation clients. It was hypothesised that participants who recieved the 5-session intervention would demonstrate reduced alcohol consumption and relapse to drug use, post-residential care. A secondary hypothesis was that participants who received the 5-session intervention would demonstrate improved alcohol use skill acquisition, health status and psychosocial functioning.

Knee pain is a common problem with 19-23% prevalence in people aged 40 and over. Frankston hospital has 138 patients awaiting knee replacement and a waiting time exceeding 18 months. Preliminary work suggest patient with anterior, medial and lateral compartment knee pain who have not had open knee surgery may obtain good but temporary pain relief and functional improvement from selectively anaesthetising the cutaneous nerves supplying the knee joint. This study seeks to validate the injection technique, determine which nerves need to be injected and which patients, pain patterns and pathology may benefit from this treatment or may benefit from a follow-on study of pulse radiofrequency treatment to these nerves.

Mannitol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol that has been shown to improve sputum clearance when delivered as an aerosol to patients with bronchiectasis and cystic fibrosis. We think that if mannitol can be effectively delivered to the airways of intubated (patients on a breathing machine) in intensive care then clearance of secretions can be optimized. This may lead to reduction of sputum related complications less pneumonia , shorter time on a ventilator and reduced time in ICU and hospital.

Patients who experience spinal cord injury loose normal function of respiratory muscles leaving them particularly vulnerable to respiratory complications, loss of optimal speech function and potential development of secondary postural deformities. Gravity, in conjunction with increased abdominal muscle compliance, pulls downward on the diaphragm resulting in flattening of the diaphragm, which reduces its ability to drive respiration. Abdominal binders limit abdominal wall distension when against gravity (sitting in wheelchair) by replacing the non-functioning abdominal muscle (innervated T5-T12) role. The restoration of diaphragm position may assist with improved respiration, speech and blood pressure when a patient is sitting in his/her wheelchair. This study will investigate the effect of an abdominal binder on breathing, speech and blood pressure in newly injured patients admitted to the Spinal Injuries Unit of Princess Alexandra Hospital. Those patients that have suffered an injury resulting in damage to T12 level or above and presenting as a complete injury will be approached. The current practice in the Spinal Injuries Unit is to wean the abdominal binder once the cardiovascular system has adapted and postural hypotension is no longer a concern. However, the abdominal binder has been shown to have an effect on respiratory function. Respiratory, speech and blood pressure measurements will be taken with and without the binder on in sitting at 6weeks post initial mobilizing,12 weeks,24weeks ,and 48 weeks after this point. The results of this study will be analyzed to determine the effect of binder use on outcomes collected. These results will direct further practice and use of the abdominal binder.

The incidence of childhood rickets is increasing and is caused by vitamin D deficiency. Of those children, 81% of their mothers are also deficient. We aim to screen high risk women in early pregnancy and randomise those found deficient to either treatment with vitamin D supplements or non-treatment. We will monitor the effect of vitamin D supplementation by repeating vitamin D concentrations during pregnancy, cord and maternal blood at birth, and infant and maternal blood at six weeks postnatally. We hope to develop a protocol so all high risk women will be identified and treated, thereby preventing paediatric complications.