ANZCTR search results

This study will determine whether abdominal massage can be used effectively to treat constipation for patients receiving palliative care. The hypothesis is that abdominal massage is effective in relieving constipation for palliative care patients.

This study will compare health outcomes and costs for patients diagnosed with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea managed by either their general practitioner assisted by a sleep-trained nurse in the community or by a sleep physician in a hospital outpatient setting.

Overweight and obesity impact on the risk of diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Emerging data suggest that nutrient composition of the diet is an important factor controlling satiety and energy intake, and that dietary protein is the most satiating nutrient. Skim milk is an excellent source of protein. Sweetened drinks rich in sucrose and/or glucose and fructose have become increasingly popular, and evidence suggests they may contribute to positive energy balance and the development of obesity. Skim milk has similar energy density to many sweetened drinks, but almost half the energy is present as protein. Indirect evidence suggests that skim milk (high in protein) relative to a sugar beverage, should reduce energy intake acutely. The study aims to investigate the effects of drinking skim milk in comparison to a fruit juice beverage, at breakfast on self-reported post-meal satiety and energy intake at lunch, in overweight individuals.

This is a randomised control trial designed to test the hypothesis that three months of whole body vibration training (WBVT) will enhance the effect of lifestyle intervention, diet and exercise on improving insulin sensitivity and metabolic/cardiovascular profile in overweight adolescents with hyperinsulinemia. Obesity in children and adolescents is often associated with high insulin levels and other complications such as high blood pressure, high blood fats, fatty liver and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Adolescents with high untreated insulin levels are likely to progress to Type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise can improve obesity, reduce high insulin levels and reduce the risk of cardiovascular sequelae. It is well known that exercise makes more muscle. Increased muscle tissue allows uptake of blood sugars more easily and thereby decreases insulin levels. We plan to see if whole body vibration training, a novel low impact form of resistance training, will lower insulin levels by increasing the muscle tissue in these young people. This in turn may improve their glucose uptake and reduce their insulin resistance. This new form of training may condition overweight adolescents by increasing their muscle strength and allowing them to take part in more structured physical activity. The promotion of physical activity and lifestyle change may prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes and associated cardiovascular complications in later life.

This is a sub-study of the Frailty Intervention Trial (FIT), ACTRN12608000250336. Please refer to ACTRN12608000250336 for a brief summary of the FIT. This sub-study will examine the effect of a goal-focused exercise program on participation in frail, community-dwelling older persons. Participation is defined within the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as ‘the individual’s role in a life situation’. The term ‘participation’ evolved from the concept of ‘handicap’, when the ICF reconceptualised disability with the inclusion of the social model. Despite being a key goal of rehabilitation, participation has not been adequately investigated in the frail population. Due to its polyfactorial aetiology, participation can be influenced by intervention, despite the presence of irreversible health conditions and activity limitations in frail people. The interventions proven to modify the remediable clinical, personal and environmental determinants of participation have been combined to form a treatment protocol. The current trial will investigate the effect of an exercise program and goal-focussed barrier modification on participation restriction. Participants recruited for the Frailty Intervention Trial will be invited to take part in the sub-study. In addition to the exercise program provided to the intervention group in the Frailty Intervention Trial, the intervention group will receive two additional physiotherapy sessions. The additional intervention is an individually prescribed program that targets the goals of the individual, with respect to their participation in the home or community environment. The intervention will target potentially remediable barriers to reaching the individual's participation goal eg. walking capacity, social support and community environment. The primary outcome sought is a reduction in the rate of restricted participation. The primary outcome measurements are the Reintegration into Normal Living Index, Goal Attainment Scale and the Life Space Assessment. Secondary outcomes measured are participation, using the question: 'Do you get out of the house as much as you would like?', and the ability to perform activity, measured using the Activity Measure for Post Acute Care and Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living Index. A secondary analysis will be conducted to see whether there was an interaction between group allocation and cognition. i.e. Did the effect of the intervention vary according to cognitive status? This sub-study will boost the scant evidence-base for increasing participation in the older person. Combined with outcomes from the Frailty Intervention Trial, this sub-study will provide a more comprehensive understanding of the level of function and disability in the frail population and will enhance understanding of intervention to increase function in the frail population.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is often associated with problematic alcohol consumption. Individuals with both problems are more likely to require specialist treatment, which at present is not readily available to the public. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the gold standard of treatment for PTSD, prolonged exposure, is acceptable to individuals who present with PTSD and alcohol use problems. Also, whether integrating treatment for these problems is more efficacious than treating alcohol problems alone. We expect that participants in both treatment conditions will show significant improvements in PTSD and alcohol problems. We hypothesise that integrated treatment will be associated with greater improvement than treatment for alcohol alone.

The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectivness of a bilateral application of bronchoscopic thermal vapour ablation (BTVA) for lung volume reduction in patients diagnosed with heterogeneous upper lobe emphysema.

This study will collect preliminary, pilot data regarding the feasibility and utility of supplemental melatonin to treat delayed sleep in quadriplegia

Low Intensity Laser Therapy (LILT) is compressed laser light that is beamed over a specific area of the body; the laser light making its way through the surface of the skin with no heating effect or damage to the skin. Laser light directs the light energy to help promote natural healing and pain relief. Thus, the present study aims to examine the potential of Low Intensity Laser Therapy (LILT) as a means of reducing pain experienced by clients who have not had symptom relief using standard treatment. Specifically, the aim of the investigation is to examine and explore the effectiveness of LILT treatment on chronic wound pain experienced by clients receiving care for chronic wounds.

Only few studies have examined the use of Hypericum perforatum (HP) to assist in smoking cessation. In an animal study HP has been shown to decrease symptoms associated with smoking cessation. Research on humans has found preliminary evidence to suggest that HP increases long term abstinence rates and decreases anxiety. The proposed trial will expand on these animal and small human trials by conducting a randomized, open human trial with the following treatment arms; 1) HP extract (Remotiv; Ze117); 2) nicotine patches and a combination of Remotiv/nicotine patches treatments. The proposed study will provide scientifically valid data to date on whether HP is effective either alone or in combination with nicotine patches to help smokers quite smoking.