ANZCTR search results

This research aims to assess and measure various aspects of psychological wellbeing, self-compassion and body image disturbance in women with endometriosis over a six-month period. A secondary aim includes mapping and exploring the trajectories of psychological distress this duration of time. It is hypothesized that women with endometriosis will report high levels body image disturbance, anxiety and depression, and that this will correlate with reduced levels of self-compassion. In order to be able to mitigate these issues and help women cope with the day-to-day challenges of living with endometriosis, the crucial first step is quantifying the level of body image distress and its relationship to other psychological variables. Through a longitudinal design, we may be able to firstly identify the trajectory of psychological distress in this population, and furthermore delineate predictors of psychological distress over time. This research will form a foundation on which development of interventions that can address body image concerns and improve coping in women with endometriosis.

The purpose of this study is to test some online training modules for those involved in cancer consultations. Who is it for? You may be eligible for this study if you are aged over 18 and any of the following: a) a hospital-based medical/radiation/surgical nurse or oncologist treating cancer patients. b) a person diagnosed with cancer of any type, whose nurse/oncologist is participating in the study c) a person related to a participating patient who supports the patient inside and outside a consultation. Study details Medical staff in this study will be randomised by chance (like flipping a coin) into two groups. one group will use the eTRIO resources, and the other will use existing NSW Health resources. Patients and carers will use separate resources, based on which group their medical staff are allocated to. The use of these resources involves reading websites, watching videos and completing activities. As part of this study, participants will answer questionnaires and have their consultations recorded. It is hoped this research will contribute to increased carer involvement in cancer consultations, and improved psychological outcomes through better communication.

This study aims to determine the effectiveness (sensitivity and specificity) of individual serum and urine steroid, hematological and peptide hormone profiles within the Athletes Biological Passport to detect testosterone micro-dosing in men, and determine the applicability of venous and capillary blood analysis as complimentary testing procedures to those stated for the Athletes Biological Passport. Furthermore, the data for individuals would be collated and evaluated to include legal planning and expert opinion as to how a case against a potentially doping athlete could be undertaken and what data would be required. This information would enable WADA laboratories to identify future testing requirements of samples to ensure all applicable data is available for the Athletes Biological Passport.

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a common disorder and is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, making OSA a major health concern. Importantly obesity, which is the strongest risk factor for OSA, is a growing epidemic and is one the western world’s leading health care concerns. However, the exact mechanisms by which obesity increases the risk of OSA are poorly understood. Therefore, this study aims to examine the effect that obesity has on the underlying physiology known to cause OSA. Using well-established physiological and imaging techniques, we will measure the physiology both before and after weight loss surgery in a group of obese OSA patients. Additionally, using all the variables measured in this study, we aim to be able to predict the important factors involved in the successful resolution of OSA following weight loss. Understanding the important factor(s) involved linking obesity with OSA is crucial for developing more effective interventions and treatment strategies.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of feedback for reducing musculoskeletal diagnostic imaging requests in general practice compared with control. A secondary aim is to evaluate which forms of feedback are most effective in reducing musculoskeletal diagnostic imaging requests.

Greater knowledge of the effects of reduced LEA on various body systems is required to allow better education, prevention and management of damaging scenarios, while assisting athletes to be able to include shorter periods of tolerable reductions of EA within their programs. The Supernova 5 research camp aims to: 1. To increase the sample sizes in our previous investigations of the effect of a 5 d exposure to a diet of LEA (15 kcal/kg LBM/d) or low carbohydrate availability with high energy availability (i.e. LCHF diet) on a range of hormones and markers of body systems and metabolic function at rest and in interaction with prolonged strenuous exercise in elite endurance athletes, with specific interest in a. Changes in fasting concentrations of metabolic and reproductive hormones b. Changes in the overnight pulsatility of these hormones c. Changes in measurements of metabolic rate d. Bone metabolites 2. To confirm our observations that the effect of a 5-6 d period of low energy within a training block on performance of a 10,000 m race walking event is minimal when athletes have opportunity to acutely restore muscle glycogen content in the 24 h pre-race 3. To investigate some final questions about performance of a high-intensity endurance event with the LCHF; does keto-adaptation change the metabolism of a ketone ester supplement, leading to enhanced performance of a 10,000 m race walking event

The aim of this study is to investigate the safety, feasibility and efficacy of an anti-inflammatory diet prescription to dampening inflammatory pathways, in conjunction with standard medical therapy, on disease activity, and the gut microbiota composition in individuals with mild to moderate disease.

The purpose of this study is to establish a predictive model of liver toxicity using a new MRI and PET scan protocol Who is it for? You may be eligible for this study if you are aged 18 or older and have a diagnosis of liver cancer. Your doctor may have recommended for you to undergo surgery or a special type of radiation therapy called Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT). Study details If you consent to participate, you will be asked to undergo up to two additional scanning sessions involving PET and MRI scans. The first scanning session will be conducted in the weeks prior to your treatment. If your liver tumour is treated with SBRT the second scanning session will be conducted approximately one month following treatment. If your liver tumour is treated with surgery the second scanning session will be conducted in the week following your operation if it is feasible to do so and you have adequately recovered from surgery. You will be scanned on a PET/MR scanner which will simultaneously acquire PET and MRI images. You are required to fast for at least 4 hours prior to the scan, but you can drink water if required. The scanning sessions take approximately 30-60 minutes between 1 to 2 hours, and you will be in the molecular imaging department for 2-3 hours. Pictures are taken with you lying on the scanner bed with your arms above your head. The bed moves through the scanner which acquires pictures as the bed passes. After the test, you will remain slightly radioactive for the rest of the day, so we recommend that you avoid prolonged contact with children and pregnant women for about 6 hours after the start of the scan. Scanning sessions may be performed at the Princess Alexandra Hospital or the Herston Imaging Research Facility (HIRF), located on the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital campus. As part of your usual care you will undergo an indocyanine green (ICG) test which provides the medical team with an estimate of your overall liver function to help them determine your best treatment. As part of this research project you may also be asked to undergo this test again following treatment prior to the second scanning session. All your medical treatment will be conducted as per usual according to the best possible standard of care as determined by your treating medical team It is hoped this research will lead to more accurate prediction of liver function after surgery or radiation therapy which could increase the proportion of patients appropriately selected for treatments, and reduce toxicity by protecting parts of the liver.

Smart phone technology may offer an opportunity to collect data on patient outcomes following ICU admission and discharge so as to better future researchers. Using apps installed on a smart phone patient markers of patient function can be remotely monitored and automatically collated without the need for inconvenient time consuming questionnaires or clinic follow ups. The Patient Outcomes Measure app can collect such data as effectively as conventional validated historical questionnaire methods.

Resistance training (RT) is the only known non-pharmacological intervention for improving strength and muscle mass, both of which play significant roles in maintaining and improving human health. Despite this, engagement in RT remains poor, with common barriers to participation including a lack of time and a high perception of difficulty associated with commonly-recommended RT programs. There is a need, therefore, for identification of RT interventions that are time efficient, low in complexity, and enjoyable to perform. Recent evidence suggests that high-load, low-volume RT can achieve outcomes that are similar-to-superior to traditional lower-load and higher-volume RT, with the added benefit of eliciting more positive affective responses (Buckner et al, 2018). Hence these RT protocols have the potential to promote more engagement in RT and be more sustainable long-term, both of which are likely to lead to improved population health outcomes. This project will provide new evidence for the effectiveness of low complexity, high-load and low-volume RT for improving strength, muscle mass, and neuromuscular performance, as well as the influence of these interventions for eliciting positive affective responses that may improve long-term RT adherence.