ANZCTR search results

The purpose of this research project is to provide a new alternative to currently approved methods of sealing retinal breaks for participants that are undergoing repair of retinal detachments. The name of the investigational product in this study is PYK-2101. PYK-2101 will be injected during surgery as a retinal sealant to tears/breaks in the retina. Use of the investigational product will prevent subjects from having to remain in a face down position for a number of days, will not limit their ability for air travel for a period of time, nor require an additional surgery to remove the tamponade and may have improved visual clarity as compared to other methods.

The current study aims to reduce the rate of unexplained infertility in couples who test positive for Genital Mycoplasmas by using antibiotic and probiotic treatments. It will recruit couples attending Concept Fertility and City Fertility clinics for investigation of unexplained infertility. Couples will submit semen and vaginal swab samples for analysis; Semen samples will subsequently undergo routine analysis as per World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines and Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium spp. will be quantified in vaginal swabs using quantitative PCR (qPCR). Both sample types will undergo qPCR analysis for the presence of Genital Mycoplasmas and where one or more are identified in at least one partner, couples will be treated with either doxycycline (M. hominis and U. urealyticum) and/or azithromycin (M. genitalium) as per standard treatment guidelines. Women will receive a vaginal Lactobacillus sp. probiotic for five weeks post-treatment and then both partners will provide follow-up semen and vaginal swab samples for repeat analysis to assess treatment efficacy in terms of semen parameters and removal or reduction in Genital Mycoplasma DNA titres.

This sub-study is part of the PRAETORIAN registry (ACTRN12622000621718). The PRAETORIAN registry collects information on patients receiving genicular artery embolisation (GAE) to treat pain from knee osteoarthritis. In this sub-study, we will ask participants to provide blood samples at the same time points they complete questionnaires for the PRAETORIAN registry. These samples will be analysed at Queensland University of Technology to study biomarkers, which are indicators of biological processes in the body. By correlating biomarkers with questionnaire responses from the PRAETORIAN registry, we aim to understand how GAE affects the biological mechanisms of osteoarthritis and assess its treatment efficacy.

People with indwelling urinary catheters (IDC) experience frequent complications, particularly when they have an IDC for a long period of time. Hence, it is important that residential aged care staff caring for them are equipped with the knowledge and confidence to deliver person-centred catheter care. Our team has designed a suite of person-centred resources termed the “IDC-IMPROVE Catheter Care Bundle” consisting of a course for residential aged care nurses (RNs and ENs) and personal care workers about person-centred IDC care; a skills-based catheterization workshop for nurses; a toolkit for Managers/Senior Leaders; and online/phone support by health professionals to apply their IDC care skills to practice. Using a multi-centre, facility-level cluster randomised control feasibility trial, we will investigate whether the ‘IDC-IMPROVE Catheter Care Bundle’ is feasible to implement in Australian residential aged care homes.

Those living with frailty are at greater risk of adverse events when attending the Emergency Department (ED). Gold standard practice for frail older patients is a multidimensional multidisciplinary comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA). However, routine completion is difficult in the ED setting due to increasing demand, overcrowding and patient flow issues, but has shown positive outcomes when used selectively with patients at high risk of adverse events. Allied health professionals often contribute to the multidisciplinary process providing comprehensive care to ED patients, However, referrals are traditionally received after medical intervention which can cause delays in decision making and discharge. The project aims to implement an early allied health assessment for frail older adults presenting to the ED. They will provide individualised interventions to priority patients, minimising the risk of adverse events and gathering valuable information regarding social complexities and function earlier to assist discharge decision making, facilitating patient flow through the ED and improve patient outcomes and experience.

This study is part of the TRAvel VAccine Decision Aids for Decision-making (TRAVAID) Project, which is establishing a platform for the development of a suite of evidence-based travel vaccine decision aids for travel medicine. In this randomised controlled trial, we will measure the impact of a Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine Decision Aid (JEVADA) compared with standard practice (an online fact sheet) on vaccine decision-making for Japanese encephalitis in a representative cohort of Australian travellers. We hypothesise that JEVADA will reduce uncertainty about JE vaccination and help users make decisions that align with their personal values. This should lead to an increase in both the intention to get vaccinated and actual vaccine uptake before travel.

Diabetes-related foot ulceration is a debilitating condition that arises in part due to high mechanical pressures acting on the underside of the foot. Offloading treatments intend to reduce these pressures to allow wound healing, however the most effective existing offloading treatment approaches (non-removable knee-high offloading) are poorly accepted due to the negative effects the treatment has on the person and their quality of life. The research team have developed an approach to 3D print accessible and low-cost personalised metamaterial insoles with functionally graded stiffness that varies across the device. These insoles could potentially be used to enhance the effectiveness of offloading treatments – particularly, those offloading treatments that are better tolerated by individuals (removable ankle high offloading devices). This within-subjects repeated-measures crossover study in healthy participants will compare the immediate effects on plantar pressures in prefabricated offloading devices with and without personalised 3D printed metamaterial offloading insoles produced using automated design algorithms. The results of this study will provide insight to the most suitable design algorithms for functionally graded insoles as part of offloading treatment. The findings of this study on healthy participants will inform later studies with participants with Diabetes-related foot ulceration.

The ePREVENT-360 project is a pilot study funded by the 2023 RACGP Foundation and HCF Research Foundation to test the feasibility of a consumer-facing digital health program (IN2HEALTH) for preventing chronic conditions in Australian general practice. The study aims to assess the program's acceptability, engagement, sustainability and effectiveness among consumers and clinicians. By examining these factors, the research will provide insights into the program's value, barriers and facilitators, helping to refine its design for future trials. The outcomes will guide how the program could be integrated into routine care to promote better health outcomes.

This study aims to assess the acceptability of standardised early referral to palliative care services for patients with aggressive haematological malignancies. Who is it for? You may be eligible for this study if you are a male or female with haematological malignancies with poor prognosis defined as: adult patients with acute leukaemia Age > 70 years or Age < 70 years not in complete remission after two lines of prior therapy; Aggressive Lymphoma that has not responded to treatment or that has come back after treatment; Myeloma Symptomatic and age > 80 years. You may be eligible as a primary caregiver if you are nominated by participant at time of enrollment. You may be eligible as clinician in this study if you are a clinical haematologist responsible for the care of patients at the Austin Health during the study period. Study details All participants in this study will receive an early referral to a specialist palliative care service and will then be asked to attend palliative care reviews every 4 weeks over a 12 month period. Participants will also complete questionnaires throughout the 12 months to assess if there has been any change in quality of life and data will be collected from medical records to determine any changes in healthcare or outcomes. It is hoped that findings from this study will help [One sentence about how it is hoped this research will contribute to the field/how it may be used to improve health outcomes], e.g. understand whether SPC services' acceptability at managing patient's physical symptoms and helping patients and their support networks negotiate issues at the end of life.

The PAUSEMATTERS Study investigates natural pauses during childbirth, so-called physiological plateaus. This study seeks to generate high-quality data on the prevalence (how often), timing (when) and duration (how long) of physiological plateaus in healthy labour, including how such plateaus may affect the mother’s and newborn’s health. This study applies a cohort design, meaning that data is collected in a group of women, during and soon after birth. Participants in this study include women who plan a homebirth in Western Australia with the support of a midwife.