ANZCTR search results

We developed a smartphone-based cardiac rehabilitation programme that provides participants with 1) real-time exercise monitoring and coaching from rehabilitation specialists, and 2) educational and social support to make heart healthy lifestyle changes, regardless of where they live. This overcomes key accessibility issues that stop many people participating in traditional hospital-based programmes.. This study will compare health effects and costs of smartphone-based and traditional rehabilitation programmes. We expect the accessibility of the smartphone-based programme will increase participation, improve health outcomes, and reduce costs. Exercise training is a central component of global guidelines for the secondary prevention of ischaemic heart disease and traditional programs delivered in face-to-face settings result in numerous health and wellness benefits. However, uptake and adherence to these programs is low. Accessibility barriers are among the key factors limiting participation rates, especially in regional and rural areas. Our trial will assess the effectiveness of a telerehabilitation program that uses mobile and internet technologies to emulate face-to-face exercise supervision and coaching, and deliver education and strategies to support healthy lifestyle behaviours. 220 participants will receive 1) 24 weeks of usual care (i.e. face-to-face) cardiac rehabilitation or 2) 24 weeks of telerehabilitation in addition to usual care. We will compare physical fitness, risk factors associated with heart disease, lifestyle behaviours, program adherence, and costs between these two groups. This telerehabilitation delivery model has potential to improve the reach and accessibility of cardiac rehabilitation services, and satisfy the unique preferences of many people who are currently unable or unwilling to attend face-to-face programs.

The aim of this study is to demonstrate the effects of 28-days supplementation with a novel probiotic formulation on mental fatigue following a cognitive load in healthy adults. Half of the participants will receive the probiotic formulation while the other half will receive placebo.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Dyslipidaemias and insulin resistance have been associated with the development of CVD. In addition, elevated levels of chronic inflammation has also been shown to play a key role in the pathobiology of CVD. Targeting blood lipid levels, insulin sensitivity and chronic inflammation in high risk individuals may help to ameliorate these modifiable risk factors and reduce the overall risk of developing CVD. Phytosterols are well-known cholesterol-lowering agents, resulting in 10% reductions in LDL-C in only 3-4 weeks of supplementation. Oat beta-glucan is a rich source of soluble fibre which has been shown to lower cholesterol levels with implications for glucose control. This project aims to investigate if combined dietary supplementation with plant sterols and beta-glucan reduces blood cholesterol and to a larger extent than either of the treatments alone.It is expected that participants will have improved levels of blood cholesterol as well as an overall reduced 10-year risk of developing CVD.

Several types of material are commonly used in anterior cruciate reconstruction (ACLR) with the majority of these coming from around the knee. Harvesting tendons may, however in itself cause pain and dysfunction. It is therefore desirable to identifly a harvesting method which does not lead to additional injury and possible dysfunction of the already injured knee while at the same time minimising such problems in other areas of the body. In recent years a small number of studies have been published regarding the use of peroneus longus (a tendon on the outside of the leg) autograft (PLA). These studies suggests PLA is a safe graft choice for ligament reconstruction and causes minimal dysfunction at the harvest site (the ankle). Our hypothesis is that PLA will perform as well as a hamstring tendon in ACLR while not causing pain and loss of strength in the knee nor significant dysfunction at the ankle . The project may potentially lead to the identification of peroneus longus as a suitable graft choice for ACLR. After the pilot study is completed we plan to conduct a randomised trial of peroneus longus versus standard graft (hamstring) to identify whether peroneus longus is superior to standard technique. These studies may lead to an improvement in the standard of care for patients with ACL rupture.

The Mums on the Move study aims to explore the feasibility of a multi-component 12-week home-environment pilot intervention delivered to first-time mothers at risk of PND for increasing physical activity, with the view to inform the development of a larger intervention trial in future. The study also aims to examine changes in depressive symptoms as a result of participating in the intervention.

This proposal will determine whether a beta-adrenoceptor agonist can reduce hepatic fat content and improve metabolic control in obese humans. Accumulation of hepatic fat is an early onset and causative factor in liver and obesity-related metabolic diseases and reversal can delay or prevent sequelae. However there are currently no drugs available on-label to treat fatty liver. Increasing daily energy expenditure decreases liver fat independent of weight loss in rodents. Beta-adrenoceptor activation increases energy expenditure in rodents and humans. This proposal will therefore employ a randomised, placebo-controlled, parallel study design in combination with clinically relevant metabolic endpoints to test whether chronic treatment with a beta-adrenoceptor agonist can decrease liver fat in humans.

It is estimated that 6.9 million Australians have chronic musculoskeletal conditions. More than 550,000 elective surgical procedures are performed each year in Australia for all musculoskeletal conditions and one in seven of these operations is for osteoarthritis of the knee or low back pain. The rising prevalence of these conditions and the ensuing surgical costs mean the quality of care and pricing have been identified for review. Moreover, post-surgical care, including inpatient rehabilitation for the knee and lumbar spine, is currently not standardised, sustainable or evidence-based. This contributes to substantial clinical variation and a wide range of outcomes. The PATHway is a randomised controlled trial designed to evaluate a post-surgical rehabilitation program using disruptive technologies to increase function and physical activity for patients following inpatient rehabilitation after their total knee replacement and lumbar spinal decompression surgeries. The intervention is a post-surgical clinical pathway (standardised, evidence-based, multidisciplinary rehabilitation program) supplemented by a 6-month disruptive technology package composed of 4 components: • an exercise program delivered via a health and fitness app (PhysiApp®) • wearable physical activity tracker (Fitbit®) built-in with motivational reminders and used in combination with the Fitbit app • health-coaching delivered via video calls using the Zoom app and through motivational messages delivered via iMessage • knee joint range of motion (ROM) measuring app (Goniometer Pro®) for total knee replacement participants. The proposed program will be compared to a control group which is akin to usual care. The primary outcome is a change in patient-reported average pain intensity (0-10 on a Numerical Rating Scale, NRS) over the last week from baseline to 3-months. The major secondary outcomes include change of NRS from baseline to 6 and 12 months, change in patient-reported pain-related disability, change in physical activity participation (subjective and objective measures) and physical function from baseline to 3, 6 and 12 months. The study aims to recruit a total of 204 participants (102 participants per arm) of whom 50% will have undergone knee replacement and 50% spinal surgery. Patients will be recruited from multiple study sites (hospitals and private clinics) across Australia.

Approximately 120 adult male and female participants aged over 18 will be recruited from databases and public media outlets. Following preliminary screening via telephone, if eligible, potential participants will attend the clinic for an information session and will be requested to provide their consent for inclusion in the trial. Consenting potential participants will undergo a health assessment including lifestyle, current medications, weight and height assessment, blood pressure, heart rate, IBS questionnaires and medical history; this data will be used for the comprehensive screening and to provide contextual data for the study. A blood test will also be carried out. Participants will take the allocated product daily for 56 days attend the study site at day 28 for a progress assessment. At this assessment, all baseline tests will be administered including the blood test. On day 56, the participants will attend the study site and all baseline tests will be administered and blood samples will be collected. A final exit interview will also be undertaken.

Sleep problems are reported by Australian parents in up to 30% of infants and up to 40% of children during the early school years. The most common sleep problems are behavioural in nature and include difficulties going to bed, difficulties sleeping alone and waking during the night. Persistent sleep problems in children have significant adverse consequences for both child and parent. Cross-sectional studies show that impaired child sleep is associated with poorer child emotional and behavioural functioning, increased injury and obesity, and poorer parental mental health and health-related quality of life. Fortunately, there are brief, parent-oriented behavioural interventions that are effective in addressing numerous sleep problems. The current study will build on the many years of sleep intervention research carried out by MCRI. MCRI has successfully trialled the sleep strategies via face-to-face consultations delivered by clinicians and by written parent education materials only, The latter were effective in reducing child sleep problems and the need for hospital sleep clinic appointments, Families who participated in one of the trials suggested that access to information through a mobile phone-based application (app) would improve the intervention. In light of this suggestion and an increasingly digitised and patient centric healthcare environment, implementing the behavioural sleep intervention via a mobile app is an appropriate next step. The current study aims to investigate whether a sleep intervention provided to primary caregivers by a phone application (App) leads to better child sleep, reduced need to stay on a sleep clinic waitlist, and improved psychosocial outcomes for caregivers and children when compared to treatment as usual.

This study aims to test the viability of implementing two novel consumer-friendly delivery methods of information into the BreastScreen ACT screening program in order to reduce anxiety levels in women recalled for further testing. Who is it for? All women aged over 40 who are eligible for a free screening mammogram with BreastScreen ACT and literate in English will be invited to participate in this feasibility study. Study details Participants will be allocated to one of two groups depending on when they present for their follow up tests, after being recalled for further tests following the screening mammogram. Participants in one group will be given a combination of verbal and written information regarding the proportion of women recalled for further testing who subsequently receive a normal result and those that are diagnosed with breast cancer. Participants in the other group will receive current standard practice of BreastScreen ACT, which involves notifying women of the need for further tests via a phone call from a trained Nurse Counsellor only. All women will be asked to rate their anxiety levels on a questionnaire immediately prior to the screening mammogram and immediately prior to the recall for further tests appointment. This study will inform recruitment and retention strategies, as well as methodology, sample size and budgetary assumptions for a large scale study to determine which consumer-friendly delivery method is most effective in reducing levels of anxiety.