ANZCTR search results

Purpose of the Study To scientifically appraise a newer piece of technology (Alcon Active Sentry handpiece) to see if it is superior to existing commonly used technology. Cataract surgery can degrade the number of vital cells on the inner lining of the cornea which are essential to keeping the cornea clear. This study is to investigate whether a new piece of technology is superior to older technology in terms of protecting the cornea. Hypothesis There is an incremental beneficial effect of the newer Active Sentry handpiece on cataract surgical safety and outcomes.

Reducing blood cholesterol is one of the key strategies to reduce cardiovascular disease risk (CVD), the leading cause of mortality worldwide. While the evidence for the cholesterol lowering effects of ß-glucan from oats and barley are well established, there is less evidence for ß-glucan from other dietary sources such as fungi, yeast and algae. The aim of the current study is to investigate the effects of consuming 200 g/day of white button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) (raw weight) on serum LDL-cholesterol in adults with mild hypercholesterolaemia compared to 200 g/day non-starchy vegetables over four weeks.

Existing Multiple Sclerosis (MS) therapies are effective at reducing MS relapses but there is currently no effective therapy for treating MS ;related fatigue. There is an understanding that chronic Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) infection of immune cells, called B lymphocytes, might be a driver of chronic symptoms in MS, such as fatigue. As such, this trial examines whether treating EBV infection can improve MS-related fatigue. The study tests two 're;purposed' anti-viral drugs, 'Tenofovir alafenamide' and 'Spironolactone', as an add-on to standard MS treatment for 16 weeks to see if fatigue can improve in participants with relapsing MS. We hypothesise that both Tenofovir alafenamide and Spironolactone will improve measures of fatigue in participants with relapsing MS compared to placebo.

The purpose of this study is to determine if the addition of a short 20 second breath hold during a positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scan is able to improve the characterization of metastatic liver lesions. Who is it for? You may be eligible for this study if you are a patient aged 50 years or over who has been referred for initial staging or staging of cancer any type with suspected or confirmed multiple (2 or more) liver metastases. Study details After completing the regular PET/CT that was requested by their referring specialist, participants will be asked to perform a 20-second breath hold whilst CT images are acquired. Following a short break where they are allowed to breathe normally, participants will be asked to perform another 20-second breath hold for PET image acquisition. We will assess the total number of liver lesions, as well as their size and metabolic activity and compare the breath hold images with the standard whole body PET/CT images. It is hoped that findings from this study will help inform researchers of the utility of breath holds in improving detection of metastases during PET/CT imaging.

This study assesses the effectiveness of pancreatic screening in identifying early-stage pancreatic cancer among high-risk individuals. Significant emphasis is also placed on assessing the psychological perception of cancer surveillance and understanding its impact on high-risk populations. Who is it for? You may be eligible for this study if you are have relatives with history of PDAC, or high-risk pathogenic variants within the family. Study details Participants will undergo monitoring via endoscopic ultrasound or MRI to detect changes in the pancreas, for a period of 10 years. Participants will be asked to complete an eligibility questionnaire, an enrolment questionnaire and then follow-up questionnaires annually which include updates to the participant’s medical information, relevant risk factors associated with pancreatic cancer, and assessments to determine quality of life, as well as cancer risk perception and worry. It is hoped that findings from this study will help improve the prognosis of pancreatic cancer by diagnosing precursor lesions or cancer in its early and asymptomatic stage, when surgery provides the best chance for a cure.

CARGo is a Phase IIb single arm efficacy study of oral carbamazepine in women to treat uncomplicated Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) infection. The study applies a window-of-opportunity design where participants will receive carbamazepine whilst awaiting the results of a standard of care NG test. Asymptomatic women who have been identified as a sexual contact of a person confirmed to have gonococcal infection will be targeted for recruitment

This study will use electronic medical records from the Austin Health database to evaluate the outcomes and complications in patients undergoing liver transplant surgery who receive an IV dextran infusion. These results may be used to aid prognostication of post-operative liver transplant patients, as well as identify, and therefore modify, factors that may predispose patients to poorer post-operative outcomes and ultimately reduce overall morbidity and mortality in this patient cohort.

Participants in both groups will receive quality care by a physiotherapist based on the best current research evidence. This care involves two telehealth consultations, approximately 5 weeks apart, with a physiotherapist via Zoom software. During these sessions, participants will receive an individualised strengthening exercise program for the knee comprising 4 leg exercises. In addition to the exercise program, participants will be randomly assigned to recieve either of two different ways a physiotherapist provided information about osteoarthritis and its management, i) information provided verbally or ii) information provided verbally and supported by an online resource. We hypothesize that the use of the online resource will enhance pain and/or physical function outcomes at 24-weeks in comparison to information provided verbally only.

This randomised controlled pilot trial will test the feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy and cost-effectiveness of a digital health intervention (RecoverEsupport) among breast cancer patients undergoing surgery. Who is it for? You may be eligible for this trial if you are aged between 18 years or older, have been diagnosed with breast cancer, and are planning to undergo mastectomy with or without a breast reconstruction, or a breast reconstruction (following a previous mastectomy) Study details Eligible patients will be recruited at the pre-surgical consultation or the peri-operative clinic. Consenting patients will be asked to complete surveys at: baseline, post-surgery during the hospital admission, and post-discharge (1- and 3-months post-surgery). Following completion of the baseline survey, patients will be randomly allocated to the control group (receiving standard care), or the intervention group (receiving the RecoverEsupport program): RecoverEsupport is a digital health intervention aimed at improving adherence to patient-led ERAS recommendations. The intervention includes an online program (accessible to patients) and a series of prompts for patients and clinicians to encourage continued self-management. It is hoped this intervention will assist in overcoming some of the barriers to implementation of the ERAS pathway. If effective, the intervention could be rapidly rolled-out at scale and adapted for other surgical patient groups.

This is a open label pilot randomized controlled trial to evaluate multi-disciplinary integrated team approach to electronic discharge summaries. Historically its the doctors who traditionally make the discharge summaries. This project will evaluate and compare the discharge summaries made by the nursing and medical staff compared to the conventional medical only discharge summaries.