ANZCTR search results

This is a multi-centre, blinded placebo-controlled randomised trial of long-term antibiotics in children. Patients will be randomly allocated to either low dose cotrimoxazole or placebo and followed for 12 months. Randomisation will be performed centrally by the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre with dynamic balancing of important confounders and stratified by vesicoureteric reflux. Treatment allocation will be concealed. A total of 780 participants will be drawn from children routinely given long-term antibiotics, either because of their age (infants), what is thought to be a predisposing abnormality (vesicoureteric reflux), or because of recurrent infections. Children will be monitored at 3, 6, 9 and 12 month clinics. The primary outcome is repeat symptomatic microbiologically proven urinary tract infection

The provision of information is recognised as a key component of post-stroke management for clients, their carers and their families and can improve client and carer knowledge, reduce client depression and increase some aspects of client satisfaction. Clients with stroke and their families need, and want, information about stroke, across a broad content range and there is evidence that their education and support needs are not met by current practice. Current recommendations for effective information provision include providing a combining verbal and written information, using an interactive teaching style and repetition or reinforcement of information. Preliminary research conducted by this team sought stroke clients’ and carers’ content, format, teaching style and timing preferences regarding stroke educational support. Although this data is as yet unpublished, it confirms support for the aforementioned recommendations (combination of written and verbal information, an interactive style and reinforcement). It was further established that a combination of face-to-face and telephone contact is acceptable to clients with stroke and their carers. As a result, an education and support package was developed, consisting of a previously trialled Australian tailored written education booklet, supplemented by verbal reinforcement and repetition of the information contained therein. This study will evaluate the impact of this education and support package through a single-blind randomised control trial, by comparing the health and psychosocial outcomes of participants in the intervention group with those of participants in the control group, who will receive usual care. Outcome measures will be administered prior to hospital discharge and again at three months post discharge.

The aim of the study is to investigate the efficacy of a Chinese herbal medicine in treating symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee. The study hypothesis is that the Chinese herbal medicine will be effective in treatment of symptoms and signs associated with osteoarthitis of the knee.

Alcohol consumption is known to affect blood pressure regulation but the mechanism by which it does this is not known This project examines the role of certain fatty acid metabolites called cytochrome P450 metabolites of arachidonic acid (CYP450AA-M) acutely after drinking red wine de-alcohlised red wine or water. These fatty acid metabolites act on blood vessels causing them to constrict or dilate. In doing this they affect blood pressure regulation. The results of this study will determine how important CYP450AA-M are in regulating blood pressure acutely after consuming alcohol. We will study CYP450AA-M in cells as in plasma and urine in relation to blood pressure levels over 24hours.This project will help scientists decide how important these metabolites are for blood presssure regulation. If these metabolites are found to be important then it should be possible to alter their levels either by diet or drug treatment.

This is a trial of thrombolytic (clot-dissolving) treatment for acute stroke comparing the standard medication alteplase to a newer agent, tenecteplase

This project is part of a research program examining the efficacy of Internet based education and treatment programs for people with social phobia. This project compares the effectiveness of different types of reminders at encouraging people with social phobia to complete the 6 lessons in the Program. We expect that people who receive telephone reminders (in addition to weekly emails and fortnightly smss) will complete more lessons and report more benefit from the program than participants who do not receive the weekly phone call (but who do receive the email and sms reminders).

The aim of this single blind randomized controlled trial is to determine the effectiveness of an intensive training program directed at improving the ability of people with spinal cord injury to sit unsupported. Subjects from Sydney's two spinal injury units will be randomly allocated to an experimental or control condition. Experimental subjects will receive an intensive training program specifically directed at improving their ability to sit unsupported. Control subjects will receive usual care. Subjects’ ability to sit unsupported will be assessed by a blinded therapist at the beginning and end of the study with a standardized battery of tests. In addition, subjects’ and therapists’ impressions about the effectiveness of therapy will be assessed using rating scales designed for this purpose.

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.