ANZCTR search results

The overall aim of this study is to assess the effects of cognitively demanding resistance training breaks in secondary school classrooms. More specifically, this study will assess the effect of cognitively demanding classroom resistance training breaks on adolescents' executive function, on task behaviour and muscular fitness. The majority of research in physical activity and cognition has investigated the quantitative aspects of physical activity, such as duration and intensity. Alternatively, the qualitative characteristics of physical activity, such as task complexity, novelty and activity context, have received less attention. Emerging research on cognitively demanding physical activity, using the qualitative characteristics of physical activity, seems to promote changes in executive functions. The outcomes from this research will benefit current and future generations of young Australians as physical activity levels decline dramatically during adolescence, and only 15% of Australian adolescents are sufficiently active. Finding ways to promote physical activity in adolescents is particularly important considering that physical inactivity is linked with a range of diseases such as obesity, Type II diabetes, and a range of mental health disorders. Of note, stress and anxiety among youth are increasing in recent decades, particularly among older adolescents. Schools are ideal settings for the promotion of physical activity because they have the necessary facilities, equipment, personnel and are accessible to young people. Our proposed study, focusing on the promotion of physical activity for adolescents has the potential to create new knowledge and reduce the burden of physical inactivity. This project will offer a significant contribution to the field by emphasising the impact of cognitive demanding physical activity.

An open label, cluster randomised controlled trial to determine the comparative efficacy of 2 different insulin regimens for management for dexamethasone induced hyperglycaemia amongst diabetes patients with COVID-19. Patients with COVID-19, with hyperglycaemia when treated with dexamethasone will be eligible. The 2 regimens being compared are morning isophane insulin combined with standard basal bolus insulin therapy versus basal bolus insulin therapy alone. The hypothesis is that the addition of morning isophane insulin will result in superior glucose control, compared to basal bolus insulin therapy alone. The primary outcome is the mean of pre and post meal glucose levels following commencement of the protocol.

This is a bone mineral density (BMD) study using a dedicated analysis protocol to compare bone density around the surgical knee implant. in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Patients with osteoarthritis will be recruited prior to their TKA operation by their treating surgeon. Patients who participate have an equal chance of being allocated to the Triathlon cemented baseplate or the Triathlon cementless baseplate (Tritanium). Clinical information, such as age, height, weight, ethnicity, general health, medications and medical conditions will be collected. Patient reported outcomes, functional activity, pain and adverse events will also be recorded. The study involves four visits to Monash Medical Centre in Clayton which are additional to routine clinical appointments: before the operation, 6-weeks after, 12 months after and finally 24 months after the operation.

This school trial investigates how family-school partnerships can improve education and mental health outcomes for children in primary school. The project will investigate the effect of family-school partnerships, and how best to increase parent recruitment into evidence-based programs and research studies. Families with children in Grades 2 and 4 in primary schools across Geelong and surrounding municipalities will be asked to participate by completing surveys. We will also gather school-wide (not individual) outcomes related to student academic achievement and readiness using school administrative data. We plan to analyse how family and school influences can improve education and mental health outcomes for primary-school aged children, and how parent engagement can impact these outcomes. The hypotheses are that schools randomised to receive a family-school partnership intervention will show improvements in parent-reports of child academic achievement and parent school engagement (primary outcomes), and in school-wide indicators of student academic achievement, school readiness, and parent-reports of child behaviour problems and child adherence to nutrition and physical activity guidelines (secondary outcomes). We may also conduct further analyses that are aligned to these outcomes in the future using this data.

Undergoing surgery can be a stressful and anxiety provoking process both for parents and the child undergoing surgery. Children are particularly vulnerable to experiencing procedural anxiety in the context of anaesthetic induction, especially due to varying and developing cognitive abilities, inability to self-regulate, and limited knowledge and/or experience of the healthcare environment. Young children are especially unlikely to engage in self-coping strategies, and instead rely on primary attachment figures for emotional regulation and behavioural cues. Previous research has demonstrated that parents’ own responses are influential for paediatric procedural coping and distress. As such, providing parents of children undergoing surgery with psychoeducation resources which can reduce their anxiety and promote coping strategies for both them and their child, may reduce negative experiences and post-operative outcomes (e.g., emergence delirium, pain severity, increased analgesic requirements, and longer-term poor psychological sequelae). The “Take Five” video resource for parents is a newly developed resource for procedural distress, and preliminary data from a study in young children with burn injuries indicates it is effective for improving parent and child experiences of burn wound care. We believe that this resource has the potential to significantly improve anaesthetic induction for parents and children and reduce poor post-operative outcomes.

This is a multi site open label pilot study designed to assess feasibility of further studies looking at the utility of mepolizumab in the treatment of DRESS syndrome. This is an investigator initiated study, with study drug being provided by GlaxoSmithKline. DRESS syndrome is a potentially life threatening, idiosyncratic adverse drug reaction. It is typically accompanied by morbilliform rash, fever, lymphadenopathy, haematological abnormalities including eosinophilia and the presence of atypical lymphocytes, and multiple organ involvement. A number of drugs can cause DRESS syndrome and the common causes include antiepileptic drugs, allopurinol and sulfonamides. We aim to recruit 8 participants over 1.5 - 2 years across the study sites. Mepolizumab, a humanised monoclonal antibody that targets IL5, will be used in conjunction with standard therapy in participants with DRESS syndrome. Mepolizumab is currently approved for use in refractory eosinophilic asthma. Participants will be involved in the study for ~6 months. In addition to standard care investigations/monitoring, blood samples for cytokine analysis and lymphocyte profiling, and patient reported outcome measures will be collected at each visit.

Over half of the people undergoing total knee or total hip arthroplasty (TKA, THA) in Australia have obesity (Body mass index (BMI): 30 kg/m2 or more). Obesity is associated with greater complication rates, lower absolute recovery in mobility and patient-reported pain and function, and higher costs of care following TKA or THA. While weight loss prior to surgery is thought to be beneficial, there is no definitive data to support that this will improve outcomes following surgery, or as to what the most appropriate or effective method of weight loss is. Therefore, this study will test the feasibility and effectiveness of a calorie-restricted partial meal replacement (2 shakes plus a meal, total 1200 Kcal/day) for people with obesity prior to undergoing TKA or THA. This study will assess 30 patients as to whether >50% of people waiting for knee or hip arthroplasty can achieve 5% or more weight loss in 3 months using a clinician-supported partial meal replacement weight loss program.

Exercise performance is impaired in hot conditions compared with temperate conditions. During exercise in such thermally stressful conditions, fluid loss through sweat production to liberate heat from the body is accelerated, which can adversely impact cardiovascular and thermoregulatory function and ultimately hinder exercise performance. To increase the total fluid pool available for sweat production, ingestion of nutritional aids such as glycerol and sodium prior to exercise may increase total body water above normal body water levels (i.e., euhydration) prior to exercise, which is known as hyperhydration. This topic requires further investigation to determine if hyperhydration is a viable preparation strategy for endurance running in hot conditions. The hypothesis for this study is that the combined ingestion of glycerol and sodium will result in a significantly greater fluid retention than the control and this will improve half-marathon time-trial performance in hot ambient conditions.

Paediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery or inpatient in the intensive care unit at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne (RCH) will have a study pulse oximeter (Contec Pulse Oximeter, model CMS50DL) placed on a digit when an arterial blood gas is being drawn for routine clinical management. At this time, the patient’s vital signs and specific values from the arterial blood gas measurements will be recorded and, ultimately, the usual RCH pulse oximetry readings and arterial blood gas co-oximetry values will be compared with study pulse oximeter readings. All paediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery at RCH during the specified time period will be eligible and may be subjects in this study. Patients and/or the patient’s legally acceptable representative will be provided with a study information sheet. Verbal consent will be obtained for all patients. Patients and/or the patient’s legally acceptable representative will also be asked to fill out a survey as part of the study. Study hypothesis: We are conducting this study to test whether a low-priced pulse oximeter (a medical device to measure the amount of oxygen in the blood) is accurate in paediatric patients, particularly those undergoing cardiac surgery.

Whole Brain Radiotherapy (WBRT), Stereotactic RadioSurgery (SRS) and NeuroSurgery (NS) have been used to treat brain metastases (BM) for many years. There has not been any research that tells us which is the best way to use these treatments for individual patients with BM. At present, any combination of SRS, NS and WBRT is considered acceptable. This research aims to evaluate whether changing the sequence of two routinely offered treatment options (SRS and NS), will improve the management outcomes of patients with brain metastasis. Who is it for? You may be eligible for this study if you are aged 18 years or older, have been diagnosed on MRI of the brain with metastatic brain tumours amenable to a combination of SRS / NS and have a life expectancy of greater than 6 months. Study details All participants will first receive SRS; a standard non-surgical radiation therapy used to treat small tumours of the brain, using precisely focused radiation beams. SRS is not surgery in the ordinary sense, because there is no incision involved and general anesthesia is not required for adults. Treatment will involve an MRI/CT planning session taking approximately 1 hour each, followed by initiation of treatment within 1 week of planning. SRS will be delivered face-to-face in the radiotherapy department. Each treatment session will take up to 1 hour covering initial treatment set-up through to treatment delivery. The number of treatment sessions could range between 1 and 5 sessions delivered over a 1 week period. The number of sessions are based on the size, location, and number of brain metastases. All participants will undergo NS 1-3 days after completion of SRS, An MRI scan is routinely performed 2 days after NS to assess the outcome of the operation. Follow-up of participants will occur at 1 month and 3 months after treatment completion, as well as 3-monthly for the first year after treatment and 6-monthly for the second year after treatment. Follow-up involves surveillance MRI imaging, assessing for side effects of treatments / complications and the efficacy of the treatments. Trial participants will be invited to participate in the optional translational sub-study involving the collection of blood and tissue samples for molecular/laboratory evaluation before treatment, during SRS, after treatment completion and at the time of post treatment disease progression. After the sub-study is completed, any remaining blood and tissue samples collected, will be 'banked' or stored for future research. How may the study impact practice? It is hoped that this approach will decrease the risk of short and long-term complications, in addition to improving the chance of controlling the tumour in the cavity left in the brain after removal of a brain metastasis by NS. The results of this study may also help clinicians to determine which initial treatments to offer people with brain metastases in the future.