ANZCTR search results

This pilot study aims to test the feasibility of a non-pharmacological intervention to improve sleep and mood in care partners and people living with dementia. The developed intervention is multimodal and encompasses cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (first line of treatment for insomnia), mindfulness-based and fatigue management strategies to holistically target sleep and wellbeing in dyads. 24 dyads of people with dementia and carer partners (n=48) will engage in weekly sessions with a psychologist over six weeks. It is hypothesised that the sleep intervention will demonstrate appropriate: a) acceptability, implementation, and b) preliminary efficacy in reducing symptoms of sleep disturbance, insomnia, daytime impairment and mood disturbance (symptoms of depression and anxiety) and improving quality of life in people living with dementia and their carers from pre- to post-intervention.

This study is assessing the utility of regular venesection (blood removal) for treatment of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and concurrent iron-overload on liver biopsy. Patients involved in this study will undergo 4-weekly venesection for up to 10-months, with a liver biopsy prior to and after the venesection schedule to assess the impact on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and liver iron overload. We hypothesise that regular venesection will be a tolerable therapy that improves iron overload on liver biopsy and reduces severity of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease on liver biopsy.

The primary aim of this study is to find out whether a 5-6 session, small group, education and engagement course on social interaction and meaningful activity has an effect on pain, function and social networking. There will also be a qualitative part of the study that looks at enjoyment, engagement and efficacy of the course and aims use this feedback to progressively improve the course over time. Outcome measures for the main part of the study are quantitative, based on pain and function questionnaires and there is a control group who are waitlisted for twelve weeks prior to commencement of the study. We hypothesise that there will be an increase in social connection, function and pain self-efficacy in the treatment group when compared to the control group, and that these increases will be seen at the end of the course and at 6 and 12-week follow up.

This study will explore the impact of general practice-initiated SMS recall messages (with and without an additional nudge message) on increasing attendance at GP clinics and increasing CVD risk assessment. The trial design will be a three-armed randomised control trial. The level of analysis will be general practice clinics. Practices in the two active arms will be provided with an information package (constituting a recall SMS with an embedded link to health promotion resources) to be sent to appropriate patients Active arm 2 will be provided with an additional nudge message (with embedded link to health promotion material) to be sent two weeks after the recall message is sent. The control arm practices will be asked to maintain care as usual for a three-month follow up period. Following the 3 month observation period, the practices in the control arm will be provided with all materials and support provided to the active arm allowing them to provide identical information to their patients. The practices will be randomised using a pseudo random number generator (RNG) to assign participating practices to one of three groups.

This study will investigate whether the expectation of threat influences sensitivity to temperature in healthy people. All participants will have their warmth detection and heat-pain thresholds on the back of their hand, forearm and upper arm measured. Participants will then be randomised into two groups: one will be told their hand will be immersed (only as far as the wrist) in green coloured, neutral temperature water (control group). The other group will be told their hand will be placed in a bucket of painfully cold water (intervention). Pressure pain-threshold will be re-measured post randomisation. We hypothesise that the cold water group will demonstrate reduced heat-pain threshold and increased warmth detection thresholds, suggesting an increase in sensitivity to noxious stimulation and reduced sensitivity to non-noxious stimulation, after being told they are going to have their arm immersed in cold water compared to those who are randomised into the neutral temperature water. We also hypothesise that the difference will be greatest at the hand as that is the rest of the arm is not expected to be immersed.

This study will investigate whether the expectation of threat influences sensitivity to temperature in healthy people. All participants will have their warmth detection and heat-pain thresholds on the back of their forearm measured. Participants will then be randomised into two groups: one will be told their arm will be immersed in green coloured, neutral temperature water (control group). The other group will be told their hand will be placed in a bucket of painfully cold water (intervention). Pressure pain-threshold will be re-measured post randomisation. We hypothesise that the cold water group will demonstrate reduced heat-pain threshold and increased warmth detection thresholds, suggesting an increase in sensitivity to noxious stimulation and reduced sensitivity to non-noxious stimulation, after being told they are going to have their arm immersed in cold water compared to those who are randomised into the neutral temperature water.

This study will investigate whether the expectation of threat influences sensitivity to pressure in healthy people. All participants will have their pressure-pain threshold on the back of their forearm measured using an algometer. Participants will then be randomised into two groups: one will be told their arm will be immersed in green coloured, neutral temperature water (control group). The other group will be told their hand will be placed in a bucket of painfully cold water (intervention). Pressure pain-threshold will be re-measured post randomisation. We hypothesise that the cold water group will demonstrate reduced pressure pain thresholds, suggesting an increase in sensitivity, after being told they are going to have their arm immersed in cold water compared to those who are randomised into the neutral temperature water.

This six month observational study was undertaken to better understand the differences in the pharmacokinetics (if any) of children who receive secondary prophylaxis with benzathine penicillin G in Aboriginal individuals aged 5-21, for acute rheumatic fever and/or rheumatic heart disease. It is well established that plasma concentrations of penicillin vary greatly. To date no studies have been undertaken in an Australian Aboriginal cohort living in the Northern Territory. Other aspects such as breakthrough infections and inflammatory response will be assessed through repeated throat or skin swabs and measurements of anti streptolysin O titres throughout the study.

Paediatric spinal cord disorder (SCD) is a devastating occurrence that carries severe physiological consequences. Because children are still developing, the effects of injury differ significantly from those seen in adults with SCD. Among these are the effects on bone health in children with SCD. The loss of neural input and compromised musculoskeletal interaction causes the disruption of bone growth below the injury site. This poses significant implications for later life. Despite the significant negative effect of SCD on bone health in children, there is a lack of evidence based clinical practice guidelines for treatment of bone health, and there are significant variations in clinical practice. This study aims to improve our understanding of bone development following SCD using multiple imaging modalities, which will allow the development of consistent, evidence-based guidelines, thus improving future treatment of these patients.

Raised blood pressure (BP) is the leading but modifiable risk factor for preventable death and physical inactivity can substantially lower BP. However, participation in physical activity is low in Australia. To overcome this, people with hypertension in Australia can be referred to a Medicare-subsidised Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP) to receive individualised exercise counselling. Yet, the uptake of this service remains low, in part due to a lack of awareness of the benefits of physical activity. Thus, this randomised controlled trial aims to investigate the feasibility and efficacy of an online 12-week exercise physiologist intervention for improving fitness and reducing high BP in people who are diagnosed with hypertension compared to the control group who will receive usual care.