ANZCTR search results

As a consequence of mammographic breast screening programs, ductal carcinoma in situ was diagnosed with increasing frequency. Mastectomy for localised DCIS was thought to be a overtreatment by many physicians, but there was much controversy as to whether complete local excision alone was sufficient. The trial aimed to assess the effectiveness of adjuvant radiotherapy and tamoxifen.

Acute bronchitis is the 5th most frequent reason to visit a general practitioner (GP), often leading to an antibiotic prescription even though guidelines advise that the infective organism is usually viral. Patient factors are partially responsible for these prescriptions but research indicates that GPs are inconsistent in their labelling of acute bronchitis and may feel the need to use antibiotics “just in case”. Studies indicate that, overall, patients with acute bronchitis may experience only a marginal benefit from antibiotic treatment, and this benefit may be offset by potential side effects. A recent Cochrane systematic review suggests that some patients may benefit from antibiotics. Based on clinical symptoms, signs and investigations, we think there may be two groups of patients with acute bronchitis - ‘uncomplicated’ and ‘complicated’- the former not requiring antibiotics and the latter, associated with poorer outcomes, who might benefit from their use. By identifying those sub-groups, GPs could be more certain about who to treat (and therefore who not to treat) leading to more rational and cost effective prescribing without compromising patient care. This is a double blind study which means that the patients have been randomly assigned to recieve either amoxycillin or placebo capsules for 6 days, and neither the patients nor the physicians or trial staff know which treatment has been allocated until database close.

The purpose of this study is to test a new anticancer drug, AMG 706, which targets the blood vessels of the tumour. Evidence suggests that the formation of new blood vessels within the tumour is critical in the progression of solid tumours, including breast cancer. Of the numerous factors that affect the growth of these blood vessels, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is likely one of the most, if not the most, important molecules regulating new blood vessel formation and subsequent invasion and metastasis. As a result, agents that inhibit VEGF (such as those drugs being used in this trial) may prevent this tumour vascular invasion and thereby block the growth of the tumour.

This study will investigate two methods of pain relief after caesarean section conducted under regional anaesthesia. Our hypothesis is that multimodal analgesia including intrathecal morphine is more effective than multimodal analgesia with regular administration of oral opioid.

A phase Ib, open label, dose escalation study of the safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of oglufanide disodium in patients with chronic hepatitis C who have declined or are nonresponsive to conventional antiviral therapy.

Patients having colonoscopy under sedation may remain sedated for some hours afterwards. This may mean that they cannot return to work inside or outside the home. Our hypothesis is that patients who receive midazolam and fentanyl, as well as propofol, will be more sedated than those who receive propofol alone, at the time of hospital discharge.

Recent studies by the US Gynecologic Oncology Group have found that patients, who are given chemotherapy directly into the abdominal cavity as well as through a vein, live longer than those who are given chemotherapy through a vein only. TRIPOD is a study which will determine if it is possible and safe to treat ovarian cancer patients, in Australia and New Zealand with chemotherapy given directly into the abdomen as well as through a vein. This study will enroll at least 35 patients which will take approximately 1 year. The aim of the study is to determine if it is possible to treat women with ovarian cancer with chemotherapy, some of which is given directly into the abdomen as well as into the vein. It will also determine how safe it is, what side-effects it causes and how it affects quality of life.

Previous studies have highlighted the need for better training of health professionals in outcome measurement, so that limited time and resources are spent on interventions that improve the health of the population. Currently less than 30% of allied health professionals routinely use outcome measures in practice. Fewer still use reliable, published measures. The primary aim of this study is to: Determine the effectiveness of a one-day interactive educational workshop, with printed educational materials and 3 months email and telephone follow-up support on the use of outcome measures by allied health professionals. All allied health professionals (N=121) employed by The Spastic Centre of New South Wales were invited to participate in the study. The study assessed changes in outcome measurement behaviour, knowledge and skills at baseline, 3 months and 6 months.

A phase III study to compare the effect of 'Zoladex' with 'Zoladex plus Nolvadex' in pre- and peri-menopausal patients with advanced breast cancer.

The primary aim of this study is to quantitatively measure, in healthy controls, the effects of a pharmacologic agent in attenuating experimentally induced responses simulating the clinical characteristics of lateral epicondylalgia (“tennis elbow”). The primary hypothesis to be tested in this study is: in comparison with a placebo intervention, a pharmacological intervention targeting processes of central sensitisation via blockade of the N-methyl-D-asparate (NMDA) receptor will attenuate the somatosensory and motor effects of experimentally induced pain in healthy control subjects with simulated characteristics of clinical lateral epicondylalgia Lay version: In the experiment we will investigate what happens to forearm muscle function and pressure pain sensitivity when given a lozenge containing either an active medication or placebo prior to experimentally induced pain in those muscles. These muscles are involved in “tennis elbow” problems in occupational and sporting settings. What does it involve? This experiment will be conducted over two days taking about 1.5 hour per session. At the first session you will be given a lozenge (either placebo or an active drug) 1 hour prior to undertaking an intense bout of eccentric exercise in your non-dominant arm. One day later, a muscle in your exercised arm will be injected with hypertonic saline. This injection may generate a short period of muscle pain. Before and after each session a number of measures will be taken: 1. Pressure pain sensitivity at sites around forearm muscles and tendons using a device to measure mechanical pressure sensitivity (pressure algometer); 2. muscle strength of specific elbow muscles. These measures will also be repeated at Day 1 during the hypertonic saline-induced pain.