ANZCTR search results

The study aimed to assess the impact of nudge strategies embedded within an invitation to attend a healthy menu planning workshop, on childcare service workshop registration. We hypothesised that the use of these strategies would result in an increased number of registrations from childcare services that receive the intervention, compared to control. Acceptability of the invitations and contextual barriers to workshop attendance were assessed at follow-up. Intentions to implement dietary guidelines for the sector and service characteristics were also obtained.

Inflammation is central to the development and progression of atherosclerosis. Neutrophils are the most abundant immune cell in circulation and contribute to atherosclerosis-associated inflammation. Colchicine is an anti-inflammatory agent currently approved for the treatment of gout, familial Mediterranean fever and acute/recurrent pericarditis. There is mounting evidence that indicates colchicine is effective at reducing ACS recurrence rates by inhibiting specific inflammatory pathways. An anti-inflammatory effect of colchicine on neutrophils has been noted in patients with vasculitis, although this has not been examined in those with coronary artery disease. Colchicine use has been proven to be safe, well tolerated and is inexpensive and readily available. The aim of this study is to assess the acute effect of colchicine (1.5 mg orally) on neutrophil function in patients with coronary artery disease. We hypothesis that colchicine will inhibit neutrophil hyper-reactivity seen in these patients.

Elective and non-elective caesarean section (CS) rates have been increasing in Australia over the past 20 years. Increasing antenatal morbidity, has meant that surgical site infection (SSI) post CS is an important issue effecting Australian women. Populations most impacted include low socioeconomic and regional communities where high rates of antenatal comorbidity augment the incidence of SSI. Despite a recent trend towards supporting the development of evidence based bundled approaches to SSI reduction, there remains paucity in data proving efficacy and supporting bundle implementation. This study aimed to develop, implement and assess an evidence based caesarean infection prevention “CIP” bundled intervention to reduce SSI rates following CS in a high risk rural population. The study is a pre-post intervention study with 3 phases and included all women undergoing CS at a regional referral hospital between December 1st 2016 and December 31st 2018. A 12 month retrospective pre-intervention review identified all women who developed a post CS SSI. A comprehensive literature review informed the development of the intervention, which was implementation in December 2017. Prospective data collection for a subsequent 12 month period was collected on all women who underwent CS with pre and post comparative data analysis.

Rehabilitation is an important factor that improves recovery from total knee arthroplasty (knee replacement surgery). However, no clinical guidelines currently exist to inform recovery pathways following surgery, likely due to the lack of evidence to suggest who may benefit from rehabilitation, when and where this service should be delivered, and what services should be provided. This has led to an inconsistent approach to rehabilitation. The aim of this study is to develop a recovery pathways stratification tool based on a comprehensive evaluation of individual patient data, including physical performance assessments and physical, social, and mental health evaluations. Ultimately this tool will allow a personalised approach to refer patients to rehabilitation pathways based on their own needs and circumstances.

We aim to complete a prospective observational cohort study to examine the rates of intra-abdominal adhesions in women with a past history of abdomino-pelvic surgery undergoing laparoscopy for any indication at our institution. At time of consent for laparoscopy for any indication, patients will be invited to participate in this study. Our study has a pragmatic design, and patient involvement in the research will not alter their treatment course. Upon consent and enrolment, the research team will then endeavour to obtain operative notes from prior surgeries for each study subject. Data will then be entered into a secure database, noting baseline patient characteristics, year of prior surgery(ies), type and number of prior incision(s), and any known history of complications during/after the prior abdominal surgeries. Patient confidentiality will be respected as per HREC guidelines. Collection of baseline data (including prior operative history) will occur pre-operatively at time of consent to participation and upon wait-listing of the case. Intra-operative findings will be documented during the planned procedure (by way of intraoperative clinical pictures), as well as at the by completion of a brief questionnaire at the conclusion of the procedure. This questionnaire will concern the presence/absence of anterior abdominal wall adhesions, their proximity to the umbilicus, and whether omentum, bowel, or both were involved. The questionnaire will take 5 minutes. Results will be analysed following the completion of data collection (once the final enrolled participant has undergone their planned surgery). Any surgical complications will be noted either on the operative questionnaire (for immediate complications), or at the initial 1-2 month post-operative visit (for delayed complications).

Buruli ulcer is a destructive disease of the skin and soft tissue that is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium ulcerans. There is currently a major outbreak of Buruli ulcer in Victoria, specifically in the Mornington and Bellarine Peninsulas. It is unclear how humans acquire the disease. Further information regarding how Buruli ulcer is transmitted may help to prevent the disease and its complications. This study is investigating whether people who live in or visit endemic areas carry the bacteria on their skin. This has implications for how Buruli ulcer is transmitted. Participants will self-collect swabs of their skin (of backs of elbows, wrists, calves and ankles), which will be tested for the presence of Mycobacterium ulcerans DNA by PCR.

Early nutrition in spinal surgical patients has been a part of most enhanced recovery protocols but has not been studied independently. Assessment of gastrointestinal function, measurement thereof, and appropriate timing of nutrition initiation have been ambiguous and non-standardized. I-FEED scoring system is a clinical decision making tool devised by the American Society for Enhanced Recovery and Perioperative Quality Initiative.We aim to compare and contrast period of time taken for dietary libertization in the the cohort of patients managed the standard way compared to the cohort having the I-FEED score utilized to assist their early postoperative nutrition. We believe that utilizing the I-FEED score will decrease the time it takes for patients to regain their ability to have full oral intake.

A significant number of late preterm and term newborns require respiratory support and surfactant administration in the immediate newborn period for respiratory distress. Although there are many methods for delivery of surfactant, almost all require laryngoscopy. For those infants born outside a hospital with a neonatal intensive care nursery this requires emergency transport and mother-baby separation as the skill of laryngoscopy is mostly held in tertiary care centres. A supraglottic airway device (SAD) is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics as an alternative to direct laryngoscopy in later preterm and term newborns requiring resuscitation. It is particularly useful in non-tertiary settings where the skill of laryngoscopy is not available. It is the purpose of this study in late preterm and term newborns with respiratory distress, to determine if this approach is non-inferior in therapeutic effect, presents less risk to the infant and is more user friendly than standard approaches requiring laryngoscopy. If proven effective and safe, the ease of use of a SAD in this population would mean that it could be widely applied in non-tertiary special care nurseries, reducing the need for emergency transfer to a tertiary NICU – reducing costs and keeping mothers and babies together.

Individuals diagnosed with ASD experience persisting deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts. They experience high levels of social anxiety, loneliness and isolation, despite a strong desire for friends. It is likely that many of these children have much to gain from social skills training. KONTAKT(c) is a manualized Social Skills Training Group (SSTG) program designed for children and adolescents with ASD which has demonstrated improvements in social skills, behaviour, reduced stress and improved overall functioning as reported by parents immediately following and at three months after the program. However, social skills are at least in part influenced by social cultural contexts so the aim of the current project is to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a social skills group training intervention, KONTAKT(c), for Australian Children with ASD.

There is a call to address population-level mental health through the use of integrative approaches that include non-pharmacological strategies such as lifestyle interventions, education programs and psychological therapies. Advances in online technology presents an opportunity to provide mental health promotion and primary prevention strategies that are easily accessible, available population-wide, and that overcome barriers with face-to-face interventions and the stigma of mental health disorders. Online interventions can also provide low-cost solutions for dissemination. This study investigates the effectiveness of a ten-week online multimodal intervention, incorporating both Positive Psychology and Lifestyle Medicine strategies, for improving the mental health and emotional wellness of a community-based cohort. Participants are randomly assigned to an intervention or control group and measures of mental health and wellbeing are assessed at times corresponding to pre-intervention, post-intervention and 12 weeks post-intervention. Comparative changes in the measures of mental health and wellbeing are made between the intervention and control groups.