ANZCTR search results

The trial aims to determine if heparin and citrate anticoagulation in venovenous haemofitration provide equivalent circuit lifespan in paediatrics. It also aims to determine if additional albumin priming effects circuit lifespan.

The objectives of this study are to determine the extent to which 1) a hormone intervention therapy will reduce psychotic symptoms and improve cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia, 2) genetic changes in the oestrogen receptor alpha gene can be used to predict cognitive improvement in patients with schizophrenia, and 3) hormone intervention therapy will modify brain activation as assessed by functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in patients with schizophrenia. Our hypotheses are: 1) adjunctive administration of a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) will improve clinical symptoms and estrogen-sensitive cognitive deficits exhibited by patients with schizophrenia, 2) common variation in the oestrogen receptor alpha gene will predict the degree of cognitive improvement with SERM treatment in patients with schizophrenia, 3) adjunctive SERM treatment will modify dysfunctional brain activity during a cognitive test in patients with schizophrenia, and 4) that the altered SERM related dorsolateral prefrontal activity will be related to specific oestrogen receptor alpha genotypes.

Macrolide antibiotics have beneficial effects in chronic infections of the lung, although apparently not due to antibacterial effects. We suspect that erythromycin in a low dose will alter inflammation in the lungs of subjects with bronchiectasis, and reduce the frequency of lung infections.

An observational stroke cohort study of younger (18-65 years) patients admitted to a stroke units in NSW surviving to 28 days. 440 participants will be enrolled from approximately 20 stroke units over a 12 month recruitment period commencing August 2008. Following admission, and prior to 28 days post stroke, all stroke survivors aged between 18 and 65 years will be invited to be interviewed and data will be collected on demographic information, the stroke event (extracted from hospital records) and psychiatric history. At 28 days, and 6 and 12 months following their stroke data will be collected on psychosocial disability using the World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule (WHO-DAS) and mood from participants during telephone interviews conducted by trained researchers based at The George Institute. The primary objective is to determine if treatable early (within 28 days of stroke) psychosocial factors are associated with return to work (paid and unpaid) at one year. The secondary objective is to determine the economic impact of not returning to work for stroke survivors.

A preliminary study of the use of immune cells from transplant donors to prevent cytomegalovirus infection in recipients of blood stem cell transplants. The study hypothesis is that stimulation of infused CMV specific lymphocytes by CMV peptide pulsed DC given as a vaccine will enhance immune reconstitution. The study will use two different sorts of immune cells (called T lymphocytes and dendritic cells). These cells will be prepared in the laboratory and given back to patients after transplant to try to prevent diseases caused by the CMV virus.

Up to 50% of stroke survivors are left with upper limb disability that limits their daily activities. Several studies have established that recovery of function post stroke is maximised by active, repetitive use of the involved limb in task oriented training programs. Unfortunately for many stroke survivors, the degree of hemiparesis (or paralysis) is so severe that they are unable to generate enough strength to be involved in exercise training. To address this, a low cost, non-robotic training device (The SMART Arm) was developed by the investigators to provide a smooth and guided track to make reaching easier in people with severe weakness. Using the device with and without triggered electrical stimulation has led to improvements in function and strength in chronic stroke survivors. The current study aims to investigate the ability of the SMART arm with and without triggered stimulation to improve arm impairment, activity and participation in acute stroke survivors.

to see whether clarithromycin improves the clinical course of bronchiolitis requiring admission to hospital.

This study involves the use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) contrast agents called gadobutrol (Gadovist®) Injection and ProHance® Injection. The purpose of this study is to look at the safety (what are the side effects) and efficacy (how well does it work) of gadobutrol when used for taking MR images of the brain and spine. The results of the MRI with gadobutrol Injection will be compared to the results of MR images taken without contrast and with the results of the MR images taken with ProHance®.

This study tested potential treatments for Australian children who have severe problems learning to read. Some of poor readers find it hard to read via the letter-sound rules (phonics), some find it hard to read whole words by sight (sight-word reading), and many have both of these problems. In this study, one group of poor readers (N = 36) did 8 weeks of phonics training and then 8 weeks of sight word training; one group did the reverse (N = 36); and one group did phonics and sight word training simultaneously for two 8-week periods (N = 32). Sight word training lead to significant gains in sight word reading measures that were larger than gains made from phonics training; phonics training lead to statistically significant gains in a phonics reading measure that were larger than gains made from sight word training; and both types of training lead to significant gains in general reading that were similar in size. Training phonics before sight words had a slight advantage over the reverse order. These findings demonstrate the reliability of both phonics and sight word training in treating poor readers. This will aid Australia’s efforts to counteract the effects of poor reading in children by revealing how different treatments should be tailored to children with different types of reading impairment.

This study aimed to demonstrate that a low fat diet with a higher proportion of polyunsaturated fat will be more beneficial than standard low fat diets for overweight individuals