ANZCTR search results

The study aims to determine the effect of a high-fibre processed wheat bran and fruit dietary supplement on bowel-movement frequency and suppository use in aged residents with chronic idiopathic constipation.

In Australia each year ten million intravenous (IV) drips are inserted in patients’ arms or in the backs of their hands to give fluid and medications. Many drips are routinely replaced every few days in the hope that this reduces infection, however preliminary research suggests it would be better and more cost effective to leave them alone. That would save patients the pain of another needle as well as interruption to treatment. It would save doctors and nurses time, and reduce waste from plastic disposables. The research will provide the evidence to know one way or the other whether IV drips should be routinely changed or left alone.

Patients with critical lower-limb ischaemia admitted to RGH for a bypass graft will be invited to participate in a study investigating the effect of a diet that is enriched with arginine on the time taken for the surgical wound to heal. Participants will be allocated at random to receive either a standard hospital diet with 2 Arginine-enriched supplements or a standard hospital diet with 2 standard nutritional supplements, that are equal in energy, protein, vitamins and minerals. In addition to the time taken for the wound to heal, participants will also have their nutritional health measured via body weight, dietary intake and arm muscle stores. Quality of life will also be measured.

Manual hyperinflation is a physiotherapy treatment technique where patients with a breathing tube for artificial (mechanical) ventilation are given a deep breath by squeezing a small bag with an air/oxygen mix. The aim of this study is to investigate whether how physiotherapists perform this technique affects the amount of mucus (phlegm) cleared from the lungs.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common and treatable condition with significant consequences in terms of morbidity as well as mortality. Currently diagnosed with an in-laboratory polysomnogram (PSG) in the context of specialist consultation, this pathway is both labour- and resource-intensive. The burden of undiagnosed and untreated disease imposes a great economic cost to the community in terms of injuries, lost productivity and associated medical conditions. We propose to test the utility of a nasal-flow based diagnostic device, anatomical features from analysis of photographic images of the head and neck, as well as clinical information from questionnaires and biometrics, in General Practice. Subjects presenting to the primary care practitioner (PCP) in metropolitan and regional areas with suspected OSA will undergo a clinical evaluation, answer questionnaires, have a photograph taken of their face and profile and be tested for 3 nights at home on a portable nasal flow monitor. The reference standard will be an in-laboratory polysomnogram. A diagnostic algorithm will be developed and validated, combining the factors giving the best prediction of OSA.

Obesity in adolescents is a major public health problem in Australia and the prevalence is increasing. Along with the rise in prevalence of obesity there has been a dramatic increase in the number of adolescents with insulin resistance and/or pre-diabetes. It is essential that insulin resistance/pre-diabetes in adolescents be targeted for early intervention. Unmanaged it is likely to progress to type 2 diabetes and early cardiovascular disease. Development of type 2 diabetes in adolescence is of particular concern as complications are common and appear early in the disease. However, there is only limited evidence to guide management of clinical insulin resistance in young people. The aim of this study is to establish an evidence based management plan for these adolescents by undertaking a randomised control trial designed to examine the role of dietary protein in improving insulin sensitivity and metabolic profile.

This study has been developed to assess the impact of a short (once only) education program for patients admitted to an acute hospital because of coronary artery disease. We are investigating whether early education about the importance of exercise and how to safely begin exercise after a 'heart event' will improve physical status, quality of life and confidence in completing physical activity in the early stages after acute hospitalisation. We are also investigating whether people participating in this program will be more likely to engage in cardiac rehabilitation after hospital discharge - a program that has been shown to improve function, quality of life and mortality in people with coronary artery disease.

Our previous research indicates vapocoolant is effective in significantly decreasing the pain of intravenous cannulation. This new study will compare vapocoolant with subcutaneous lignocaine, another common means of reducing the pain of cannulation.

The goal of this study is to evaluate the safety of increasing doses of an experimental drug called INO-4885. In the earlier, completed parts (Parts 1 and 2) of this study, a single dose on INO-4885 at 1-600 micrograms per kilogram body weight was given to healthy male volunteers via a catheter placed in an arm vein. In Part 3 of this study, one dose of 1200 micrograms per kilogram body weight will be given to healthy male volunteers. Safety assessments will include physical examinations, routine blood and urine tests, electrocardiograms, blood and urine levels of INO-4885, and other indicators of safety will be recorded and analyzed.

Aim: to determine whether the web-based Bipolar Education Program (BEP) improves understanding and control of bipolar disorder, as well as mood, functioning and psycho-social adjustment in adults with newly diagnosed with bipolar disorder, in comparison with a minimal online education control condition. Two versions of the bipolar education program will be evaluated:(a)on its own and (b)with email support from an informed supporter who will also provide structured assistance to implement a ‘stay-well’ self-management plan. Informed supporters are people with bipolar disorder who are effectively self-managing their condition and who will be trained to provide online support for the education program under supervision of our clinical team. Hypotheses: At post-intervention and follow-up (3 and 6 months post-intervention): 1. Participants who receive the Bipolar Education Program (BEP) will have greater understanding of bipolar disorder, report greater control and self-management of their condition, and experience a better illness trajectory (fewer depressive and manic/hypomanic episodes, symptoms and impairment, fewer hospitalizations) and better psycho-social functioning than the attention control group. 2. Participants who receive the full BEP package (BEP + email support from an informed supporter with assistance to develop and implement a ‘stay well’ plan) will have greater understanding of bipolar disorder, report greater control and self-management of their condition, and experience a better illness trajectory (fewer depressive and manic/hypomanic episodes, symptoms and impairment, fewer hospitalizations) and better psycho-social functioning than people receiving the BEP alone or the attention control condition. 3. People receiving the full BEP package will report greater satisfaction with the intervention than those in the other BEP conditions and in the attention control condition. 4. The health service costs associated with hospitalizations and visits to health practitioners will be significantly different between the groups.