ANZCTR search results

Aging is characterised by changes to bone, muscle and fat tissues, and these changes are associated with falls, fractures and chronic disease including heart disease and diabetes. The aim of this project is to explore in middle aged and older adults, how bone, muscle and fat communicates, and how exercise may modify these tissues. We will assess this following a single session of high intensity cycling exercise, and following 4 weeks of high intensity cycling training. The study includes blood and urine sampling before and after exercise in the acute exercise session, and following the 4 weeks of training to assess if certain markers of bone, muscle and fat health that circulate in the blood and urine are modified by exercise. Muscle (thigh muscle) and fat (abdomen) biopsies are optional in this study, and are taken before and after exercise. This project will bring new insights into how exercise can modify the way in which bone-muscle-fat communicates leading to potentially new pharmacological/non-pharmacological interventions important for healthy ageing.

The purpose of this study is to compare the effect of eyelid wipes with and without Manuka honey in order to ascertain whether the Manuka honey (in the form of eyelid wipes) provides any potential benefits to patients with dry eye. Participants will be randomly assigned to use either the test eyelid wipes with Manuka honey or the control standard eyelid wipes without Manuka honey once daily for one month. Measurements of ocular signs and symptoms will be collected before and after one month of treatment, and the results between treatment groups will be compared. The hypothesis is that the eyelid wipes with Manuka honey will reduce the amount of bacteria on the eyelid more than the standard eyelid wipes, and consequently improve other signs and symptoms of dry eye.

eCliPSE is an online clinical portal that facilitates access to evidence-based eHealth treatments for people with comorbid mental health and alcohol/other drug use problems. The present study aims to evaluate the uptake of eCliPSE. We will compare a direct-to-consumer marketing strategy (DtC) and an Integrated Translation and Engagement Model (ITEM) of implementation designed to engage 'users' (i.e. consumers and health services). The study will be a 3-level cluster randomised controlled trial that will compare the uptake of and outcomes of eCliPSE across consumers, services, and LHDs received the DtC intervention alone versus ITEM + DtC together.

A cohort study of patients undergoing a medical intervention for weight loss at a bariatric surgery clinic (laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, intragastric balloon or medication) between March 2019 and March 2020. A food and eating behavioural checklist developed by health professionals at the clinic was used to identify and record problems in the medical checklist. Patient demographic data, outcomes, number of follow-up appointments attended, psychology notes will be accessed via medical records. Data will be analysed to determine whether there is an association between food and eating behavioural problems, adherence to follow-up appointments and adverse events. Results may be used to patient outcomes by improving the multidisciplinary intervention model provided at bariatric surgery clinics.

This study aims to assess the current use of robotic surgery for patients with locally advanced and recurrent pelvic cancer. Who is it for? You may be eligible for this study if you are an adult aged 18 or older, you have been diagnosed with locally advanced or recurrent pelvic cancer that requires extended resection (surgery to remove the lesions) and you are being treated at a centre where a robotic approach for surgery may be offered. Patients will be eligible regardless of whether they do or do not undergo surgery with a robotic approach. Study details This is an observational study, the decision to enrol in this study will not impact upon whether participants are, or are not offered surgery using a robotic approach. Participants who choose to enrol in this study will be asked to consent to their medical data being collected from their records, and will also be asked to complete a series of questionnaires about their quality of life and recovery post-surgery. It is anticipated that these questionnaires will be completed online usually and will take up to 30 minutes. Participants will be asked to complete these questionnaires at 4 timepoints, up to 1 year after their surgery. It is hoped this research will enable researchers to learn about the current use or robotic-assisted surgery, share their findings on techniques and help find out important information to plan and run a future trial to test the benefit of a robotic approach.

This study will explore the impact that a sigh breath will have on ventilator weaning in post cardiac-bypass patients. Cardiac -bypass (a form of extra-corporeal support ) is utilised to allow Cardiothoracic surgeons to operate on the heart for a variety of procedures. Due to the complexity of the case and the impact of bypass on patients, these patients remain intubated at completion of the operation. Weaning from the ventilator occurs in ICU. Patients are required to be haemodynamically stable, with minimal respiratory support before being extubated. A sigh breath (a type of recruitment manoeuvre characterised by a high volume inspiration) has been shown to improve respiratory mechanics. It is hypothesised that patients who take a sigh breath as part of their assisted mode of ventilation will be able to be weaned off of a ventilator quicker. This study will introduce a sigh breath to a randomised sample of elective Cardiothoracic patients in order to demonstrate improvement in the primary outcome “Time to Weaning from mechanical ventilation”. It will examine for secondary outcomes like adverse effects, re-intubation rates and other physiological parameters. Mechanical ventilation is instituted in a variety of patients for respiratory support, to allow for certain procedures, for airway protection (e.g. in Traumatic brain injury). Mechanical ventilation is not without its dangers with longer periods of ventilation associated with increased risks. Clinicians routinely aim to extubate patients as soon as safely possible to mitigate these adverse effects. If Sigh ventilation can be shown to aid in a shorter duration of ventilation in this subset of patients , it may allow for further study into Sigh ventilation’s efficacy in other ventilated patient groups.;

The objective of this Pharmacy-based Screening and Quality Use of Medicine in Kidney Disease Trial is to screen for people with or at risk of kidney disease and subsequently optimise the use of medications. The primary hypothesis is that the addition of a Point of Care Testing for kidney function markers to an online CKD risk assessment tool (POCT + QKidney® Risk Assessment; Intervention Group) will result in (i) a significantly increased proportion of newly diagnosed CKD cases and (ii) reduced inappropriate medication use (higher than recommended dose as per kidney function and/ contraindicated medications) when compared to the use of CKD risk assessment alone (QKidney® Risk Assessment; Control Group). Additionally, we hypothesise that there will be a long-term economic benefit resulting from the addition of POCT to CKD risk assessment alone.

Group One: Freestyle Libre blood glucose sensors and consults using telehealth Group Two: Freestyle Libre PRO combined with Freestyle Optium Neo blood glucose finger prick monitoring and face to face study visits. Aim: To compare Flash Libre glucose monitoring paired with Telehealth consultations versus standard SMBG monitoring with face-to-face clinic visits in people with diabetes who are undergoing discharge from hospital. Hypothesis: That, in at least 60 people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes who are being discharged from Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPAH) on insulin treatment, those randomised to the Freestyle Libre (Flash) will have favourable effect on glucose levels (time in range (TIR), estimated HbA1c (eHbA1c), hypoglycaemia frequency and glucose variability) compared to the traditional finger prick BGL group over a seven week period after discharge.

Tonsillectomy, with or without adenoidectomy, is one of the most commonly performed otolaryngological procedures, occurring in 75 per 10,000 Australian children. The evolution of different techniques and devices throughout the years, along with the contradictory outcome measures, has resulted in there being no international consensus regarding the optimal technique for tonsillectomies and the decision on which technique is used often comes down to the surgeon’s experience and the perceived benefits of the different techniques. In this study, we aim to perform a prospective, randomized, blinded study to compare post-operative pain in patients undergoing BiZact tonsillectomy compared to bipolar tonsillectomy. We hypothesis less pain will be experienced post-operatively in patients undergoing BiZact tonsillectomy.

MAPS is an online program which combines music/song writing and psychological therapies with a closed social networking group, for people living with younger-onset dementia (PLWYOD) and their spousal care-partners. The goals of the program are to improve well-being, social connections and coping, with a secondary goal of investigating whether non-cognitive symptoms related to dementia, called neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) might improve as part of the program.