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Endometriosis is a condition where endometrial-like tissue grows outside the uterus. The direct consequences of endometriosis usually include different chronic pain symptoms, but also other symptoms beyond pain, such as fatigue, bloating, and gastrointestinal disturbances. The typically complex range of symptoms affects the quality of life of women with endometriosis. Endometriosis has also been consistently associated with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Unfortunately, many of the pharmaceutical medications for endometriosis have bothersome side effects or should only be used for a short period of time due to concerns related to dependence and addiction. Therefore, it is important to define other treatment options that are safe, effective, and associated with minor side effects. Acupuncture has shown promising results in previous research for the management of endometriosis. In addition, it is also considered a safe treatment. Acupuncture is the insertion of fine needles into specific body points. It is part of Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and aims to restore the balance, which is believed to be impaired in pathological conditions such as endometriosis. Each needle addresses the entire network, reflecting TCM’s holistic approach. We will test whether two types of acupuncture can improve endometriosis symptoms. We will also examine the safety of the treatment by monitoring any adverse events participants might experience.

The purpose of this study is to collect data for cancer patients with heart risks and compare this data to other people without cancer. Who is it for? You may be eligible for this study if you are an adult who has either been diagnosed with cancer or has never been diagnosed with cancer. Study details Participants with cancer will take part in blood tests, echocardiogram, ECG, and vital sign assessments as part of their standard care and questionnaires, while participants without cancer will take the same asssessments of which results will be availabe through medical record or your treating team in many cases. All participants will also be asked to complete an interview at baseline and be followed up for 6 months, 12 months and 24 months which includes vital signs, blood tests, ECG, echocardiongram,and questonnaires. If the test results are available, we'll collect data through medical records, however it these are not available, participants are asked to do the tests. It is hoped that this study will help provide data that will be able to be used to reduce risk of side effects including the heart, while also reducing interruptions to cancer treatment.

The current study is designed to evaluate the feasibility of implementing measurement based care as described in the ‘Collect Share Act’ framework into group therapy sessions delivered within a non-government, community-based treatment setting for alcohol and other drug use. The primary aim is to examine the feasibility of delivering measurement based care as defined by the ‘Collect Share Act’ framework (adherence to outcome monitoring and feedback procedures, participant and provider attitudes and experiences) to better understand the context for successful implementation of MBC within this setting. The secondary aim is to examine the potential effectiveness of MBC within outpatient group therapy for alcohol and other substance use by examining the relationship between measurement based care (MBC) and client experience of treatment, engagement in group therapy sessions and clinical outcomes.

The Guunu-maana (Heal) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Program at The George Institute has been awarded a grant over three years to develop a new approach to reducing early life preventable disease risk and improve the health and wellbeing among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. The funding - part of the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund Indigenous Health Research round - will support a contemporary cultural dance pilot program to enhance cultural identity, cultural connectedness, self-esteem and physical fitness of children on the Central Coast and in Moree, a remote community of NSW. The program will be led by the Guunu-maana (Heal) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Program in partnership with Aboriginal youth, Elders and communities. It will be offered to children between the ages of 8 and 15 yrs and families experiencing economic disadvantage to address modifiable risk factors for non-communicable diseases including cardiovascular and mental health conditions. To ensure ongoing community involvement and that communities’ priorities are met, our partners Barang Regional Alliance, Yulugi Marumali (Moree) NAISDA dance college, Yerin Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Health services, Darkinjung Aboriginal Land council and Moree SHAE Academy will support the dance project. We also will have a youth group to ensure cultural safety for the kids. NAISDA and Barang Regional Alliance will be holding youth meetings that the children participants will be attending.

Tumours of the pituitary gland (located beneath the brain) are common, affecting 1/1000 people. Prolactinomas (defined by hypersecretion of prolactin hormone) are the most frequent pituitary tumour subtype. Currently, no functional imaging tests are routinely available in for the diagnosis of prolactinomas. In this study, we will assess the ability of a radiotracer, 18F-FDOPA, to provide functional information about these tumours and aid in their diagnosis. 18F-FDOPA is currently used to assess Parkinson’s disease and is therefore an established, safe radiotracer. Here, we will assess its ability to diagnose prolactinomas and inform management decisions e.g., surgical planning and responsiveness to medications.

This study looked at whether a small handheld ultrasound device can accurately detect collapsed lung (pneumothorax) after a lung biopsy. Currently, patients are usually checked with a chest X-ray, but this takes time and requires special equipment. We believed that handheld ultrasound would provide faster results at the bedside without radiation exposure. The study compared ultrasound findings with chest X-ray results to see how accurate the device is, particularly for clinically important cases that need treatment. We will also look at how quickly each test provides answers and compare their overall costs.

Obesity is common in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. This WA-based study, designed in partnership with Aboriginal health and community groups, will test whether a medication called semaglutide (already shown to reduce weight and improve blood sugar and heart risk in other groups) can help improve health outcomes in Aboriginal people. The study will involve 200 Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander participants, who will be supported with healthy eating, exercise, and regular check-ins. Some will receive weekly semaglutide injections, while others will receive a placebo. The study will measure changes in weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, and heart health over two years. This is the first trial of its kind in Aboriginal Australians and aims to guide future care.

The primary aim of this study is to assess the effect of a sensory vest on autistic children’s anxiety. Using a randomised controlled trial design, Autistic children aged 8-12 years will be randomly allocated to an experimental (sensory vest) or placebo vest condition. Study participants will wear the vests for 12 weeks, attend monthly study visits with the research team and complete brief online surveys throughout. Child anxiety will be measured by assessing stress response (electrodermal activity via sweat response) during activity and parent report. The secondary aim of the study is to explore the mechanism-of-action and cost-effectiveness of the sensory vest. Specifically, we will examine a) whether the sensory vest affects anxiety symptoms directly or indirectly via sensory regulation, sleep quality and/or physical activity pathways, and b) the cost-effectiveness of sensory vest wear compared to placebo in terms of health-related quality of life from a societal perspective.

This project aims to evaluate acceptability and feasibility of the implementation of a pressure injury preventing system (PIPS) within a Residential Aged Care service setting. The key objectives will be to: - Evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the PIPS intervention by Healthcare Workers to understand how it impacts workflow, clinical decision making and prioritisation of clinical care provision. - Secondary outcomes include reporting of preliminary effectiveness data related to pre and post changes in repositioning frequency and cumulative 'at risk' pressure minutes.

The Royal Hospital for Women (RHW) in Randwick is implementing a new model of maternity care for women with pregnancy complications such as: a diagnosis of gestational hypertension, threatened premature labour (TPL) and/or premature pre-labour rupture of membranes (PPROM) called ‘Virtual Maternity Ward’. Women who have traditionally required inpatient admission, will be offered the opportunity to be cared for at home by midwives and obstetricians from the RHW. The midwifery team will consult with women regularly and collaborate with obstetricians and escalate women’s care when required. The new model with combine a midwifery home visiting program and periodic outpatient visits to RHW. Models of this type are common in Europe and have been operating as standard care for up to 10 years. Examples include maternity units in Aarhus University Hospital and Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark and Utrecht University Hospital The Netherlands - see Lancet publication: Bekker, M. N., Koster, M. P. H., Keusters, W. R., Ganzevoort, W., de Haan-Jebbink, J. M., Deurloo, K. L., Seeber, L., van der Ham, D. P., Zuithoff, N. P. A., Frederix, G. W. J., van den Heuvel, J. F. M., & Franx, A. (2023). Home telemonitoring versus hospital care in complicated pregnancies in the Netherlands: a randomised, controlled non-inferiority trial (HoTeL). The Lancet. Digital Health, 5(3), e116–e124. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2589-7500(22)00231-X This pilot evaluation study will evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the Virtual Maternity Ward at RHW model to women, their partners, clinicians and managers. It will also pilot methods for a future evaluation of cost (hospital and individual levels) and carbon emissions. The study is fully funded by NSW Health, SPHERE and UTS and has been approved by the HRECs of SESLHD and UTS. Governance approval has been granted by the RHW.