ANZCTR search results

The primary purpose of the study is to understand how TMS alters brain networks responsible for cognition in psychotic disorders. This is randomised, placebo controlled study. The main hypothesis is that TMS will produce acute and specific changes in functional connectivity of the cognitive control network compared to placebo.

The purpose of this trial is to investigate the effects of intragastric administration of the bitter agonist, Amarasate, on the motor and hormone functions of the upper gastrointestinal tract, appetite, and energy intake. We have found previously that specific dietary nutrients, when given into either stomach or small intestine in small amounts (and so not contributing significantly to overall energy intake) have the unique ability to substantially stimulate gastrointestinal functions leading to marked energy intake suppression. There has been a recent interest in the effects of bitter compounds, some of which also occur in the diet, including thio-urea compounds in certain vegetables or fruit, or quinine in tonic water, with reported effects on gut functions and energy intake suppression. This study aims to characterise the effects of Amarasate (a natural extract from a hop cultivar), at the administered dose, when delivered to the stomach, in an effort to identify the beneficial effects on the outcomes mentioned herein.

Heart failure (HF) is a common heart condition whereby the heart muscle is weakened and the pumping capacity is significantly impaired. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common electrical disturbance of the heart which results in rapid and irregular heart beats which may cause or significantly worsen HF. Catheter ablation is a minimally invasive procedure involving the use of specialized instruments through the groin to make a small burn in the area of the heart that is responsible for irregular heart rates. This procedure can eliminate AF in many patients, however, in patients with both AF and HF, it is difficult to determine whether all patients will experience an improvement in symptoms and heart muscle function. In particular, patients who have had a heart attack often have scarring in the heart which may not recover. The amount of scarring in the heart muscle can be detected on MRI and usually the more scarring there is, the less likely the heart will recover. This study will explore the influence of scar on patients undergoing catheter ablation to assess the degree of recovery of heart function and improvement in HF symptoms, functional capacity and survival. We propose that MRI may help to stratify which patients with both AF and HF will derive the most benefit from catheter ablation. This study builds upon the previous CAMERA-MRI study and similar studies of catheter ablation in HF, by evaluating how scarring of the heart influences catheter ablation in patients with AF and HF.

As the world continues to fight the global pandemic of COVID-19, health resources in many Australian hospitals are expected to reach capacity and become overwhelmed. COVID-19 which is caused by the newly identified virus SARS-CoV-2, can result in a severe respiratory illness requiring ventilator support and sometimes lead to death. Front-line health care workers are at an increased risk of becoming infected due to repeated exposure in their occupational role in caring for patients with COVID-19. There is an urgent need for better drug options for COVID-19 as currently there are no known effective therapies above delivering best supportive hospital intensive care. Hydroxychloroquine is a well-known well-tolerated immune-modulatory drug widely used in rheumatological conditions. It has anti-malarial properties but has also exhibited in vitro anti-viral activity against SARS-CoV-2. It is currently in clinical trials as both a treatment option and as prophylaxis (prevention) for COVID-19. This large Australian multi-centre randomised double-blind placebo-controlled study aims to evaluate the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine as prophylaxis against COVID-19 in high-risk health care workers. It will enroll 2250 participants who will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio to take hydroxychloroquine orally daily or placebo for 4 months. The primary endpoint will be incidence of COVID-19.

Since December 2019, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has affected millions of people worldwide. Modern hospital negative pressure rooms have high flow rates and negative pressure to prevent the spread of TB, measles etc. Nevertheless, such negative pressure rooms do not prevent droplet spread of the infectious disease to personnel within the room. Western Health and The University of Melbourne conceived and developed a personalised ventilation hood device (the McMonty) to provide a physical barrier to droplet and aerosol spread. The McMonty hood will provide health care workers with protection from droplets and aerosols during routine care and the administration of specialised oxygen therapies (including high flow oxygen and non-invasive ventilation), and during the conduct of aerosol generating procedures.The hood has a plastic barrier (to prevent droplet spread) and a ventilation system to reduce aerosol spread from a COVID-19 or other infectious patient. The hood relies upon air being drawn from the front near the patient’s legs etc. up to the rear, i.e. away from the healthcare worker who is principally at the front/sides of the patient. The air passes through the fan and on through a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter, thereafter returning to the hospital ward/ICU (similar to that for a patient’s mechanical ICU ventilator). The entire McMonty personal isolation unit is designed to be reusable in order to ensure security of supply during the COVID-19 pandemic. The SARS CoV-2 virus is susceptible, amongst other disinfection treatments to heat (70°C for 10 minutes), and soap/detergent (exposure to soap for 15 minutes). The hood can be thermally disinfected in a standard industrial washing machine (initial studies on the hood prototype have been successful) followed by drying. The remainder (frame, hoops) of the McMonty hood can be readily cleaned down with alcohol wipes. We aim to evaluate the safety of the portable McMonty hood in a clinical setting on use of 20 patients.

This research thus aims to address these gaps in knowledge and practice by characterising how acute doses of Methylphenidate (Ritalin) affect ocular parameters and the visual attentional system. Furthermore, we seek to examine how these changes might be indexed to predict impairment in performance during a neurocognitive and driving task.

Impacted mandibular third molars can cause extensive damage to the bone and supporting structures (known as the periodontal attachment) surrounding the adjacent second molar. This clinical trial is conducting research on the benefits of ridge preservation, also known as socket grafting, carried out at the time of extraction of an impacted mandibular third molar provides any additional periodontal attachment. In many cases after a tooth extraction, soft tissue and bone grows into the site to facilitate healing and the formation of periodontal tissue to support the adjacent second molar. However, in some cases the healing does not proceed as desired and there are inadequate amounts of periodontal attachment. This means that the bone and tissue support around the adjacent molar is compromised and the tooth has an increased risk of being lost prematurely. Bone substitute materials have been widely used for socket grafting and periodontal regenerate procedures for more than 15 years. Geistlich Bio-Oss Collagen® supports the body’s own bone regenerative processes extremely effectively and help guide hard tissue formation following tooth extraction. Bio-Oss Collagen® consist of 90% Bio-Oss® with 10% porcine collagen. Bio-Oss® is derived from the bone of an Australian bovine herd around Melbourne. The bones are transported to Switzerland for treatment either by heat, chemicals or both to remove all organic components. Porcine collagen is added as part of this process to provide some dimensional stability. Bio-Oss Collagen® is made under a strictly controlled manufacturing process. Due to the great similarity to human tissue, these materials are optimally suited and widely used clinically to promote new bone formation and tissue healing in the human body. Current treatment following an extraction involves healing by blood clot with or without placement of sutures to stabilize the blood clot. Recent evidence suggests that the application of Bio-Oss Collagen® might help assist the healing process to reform the desired levels of bone, gum and periodontal supporting tissue. We are interested in whether socket grafting with Bio-Oss Collagen® will help bone, gum and periodontal tissue formation around the adjacent, remaining tooth compared to standard extraction protocols. This will result in a greater amount of periodontal tissue supporting the adjacent tooth and reduce the risk of premature tooth loss. We are particularly interested in healthy 18 – 35 years old subjects.

The purpose of this study is to see if providing rehabilitation (prehabilitation) before stem cell transplant builds physical strength and fitness. Who is it for? You may be eligible for this study if you are aged 18 of older and are on the waitlist for autologous stem cell transplant. Study details Participants will be randomised by chance (like flipping a coin) into two groups. One group will receive a physiotherapy assessment and standardised exercise advice in addition to standard care. The other group will attend 2 x 60 minute exercise classes per week and receive fortnightly phone calls comprising nutrition education for up to 8 weeks before their transplant. As part of this study, participants will also have a fitness and nutrition assessment, answer questionnaires, provide blood samples and consent to medical records being accessed. It is hoped this research will demonstrate that prehabilitation builds physical strength and fitness, and this will to prevent problems after stem cell transplant, leading to faster recovery from treatment.

The primary objective of the Australian and New Zealand Pulmonary Hypertension Patient Registry is to capture all prevalent and incident data on adult and paediatric patients with PH particularly PAH and CTEPH subgroups, presenting to centres of excellence to assist in future service planning, resource allocation and to promote equitable and timely access to life saving therapies and to audit standards of care across Australia and New Zealand. The secondary purpose of the PH registry is to formally characterise this patient population. The study aims to document the history of PH in addition to the current diagnostic and treatment trends in Australia and New Zealand Further, Australian data has previously shown a significant delay in the time to diagnosis. The ANZ Pulmonary Hypertension Patient Registry may serve as a tool to advocate for standardisation in access to skilled clinical care. Importantly it will allow pulmonary hypertension centres in Australia to compare their performance with national (aggregated) benchmarks.

The study will review SARS-CoV-2 IgG, IgA and IgM antibodies in front-line health care workers every month for six months in comparison to symptom presentation.