ANZCTR search results

This project aims at understanding how virtual reality (VR) interventions help people living with upper limb loss or difference in their rehabilitation journey through observing how they use the technology and how they progress in the process. Individuals living with upper limb loss or difference will be recruited through the participating clinics. Potential participants will be screened by clinicians first to assess their suitability for VR-based trainings. Confirmed participants will need to have their details (demographics and limb conditions) recorded for the study, and have initial assessments taken on their first visit. Their progress and exercise will be recorded on each visit as organised with the clinicians. On their last visit, another assessment will be done to measure the outcomes. The findings of this study will help us understand the effectiveness of VR-based interventions on functional prosthetic rehabilitation, and develop implementation guidelines for such VR interventions.

This study aims to investigate the effect of bridge-to-surgery strategy and chemotherapy prior to definitive surgery for patients with obstructing bowel cancer, compared to upfront surgery, on long term outcomes and recurrence. Who is it for? You may be eligible for this study if you are an adult with clinically and/or endoscopically obstructed colon adenocarcinoma, considered potentially resectable with curative intent and suitable for either upfront resection or a bridge-to-resection strategy. Study details Participants will be randomly allocated to undergo a 'Bridge-to-surgery' strategy (either colonic stenting or stomal diversion) with neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy once effective relief of obstruction obtained, followed by definitive surgery (Intervention group) vs upfront surgical resection (Standard of care group). Data on peritoneal disease recurrence and survival outcomes will be collected. It is hoped that findings from this study will help clinicians and researchers determine the safest and most effective way to manage obstructed bowel cancers at their index presentation.

In Australia it is estimated that over 68,000 people are still living with hepatitis C, despite the introduction of highly effective direct acting antiviral (DAA) treatment for hepatitis C in 2016 and improved access via primary care. The number of treatments annually decreased from 2016 – 2022. People with serious mental illness are at higher risk of hepatitis C infection than the general population. Although the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists recommends that psychiatrists encourage people to engage in hepatitis C testing on entry to the mental health service, uptake of this practice is unclear. Reaching people with SMI to offer hepatitis C virus testing may help achieve World Health Organization elimination targets by 2030 and enable this population to realise the benefits of hepatitis C cure. The Reach Out program will offer point of care HCV antibody testing on a finger prick of blood, to community outpatients with SMI. The Reach In inpatient quality improvement activity will offer standard of care HCV antibody testing on a routine blood test, to hospital inpatients with SMI.

The Deadly Fit Mums (DFM) is an Aboriginal community-led program delivered in greater Brisbane. It is an exercise and nutrition education program offered perinatally to women birthing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander baby through the Birthing into Our Community program. DFM is led by an accredited exercise physiologist and delivered in partnership with a multidisciplinary team of allied health professionals. We anticipate that participation in the DFM program will lead to an improvement in Maternal and Infant health outcomes.

Honey bee venom immunotherapy (VIT) is an incredibly effective treatment with efficacy reported to be around 95% at preventing severe allergic reactions. This translates not only to a mortality benefit in those with severe allergy, but also obviating the downstream quality of life morbidity of living with the potential for such a reaction and restrictions to participation thereof. Despite the clear benefits, conventional initiation/build-up strategies can be time-consuming. Ultrarush protocols deliver multiple escalating doses within a single day to reach higher doses quickly, while a “100-µg maintenance-dose initiation” strategy may simplify scheduling and patient participation by starting directly at the target dose. This pilot randomised study compares the safety of these two induction strategies in adults with confirmed honey bee venom allergy, focusing on systemic reactions graded by the “Brown” method and early immunologic changes (e.g. sIgE/sIgG4).

This study is comparing two different ways to prevent cystoid macular oedema at the back of the eye after cataract surgery. One group will receive a single injection of a steroid (triamcinolone) under the white of the eye during the operation, while the other group will use steroid eye drops (Prednefrin Forte) four times a day for four weeks. The main question is whether the single injection is as good as the eye drops at preventing an increase in macular thickness three weeks after surgery. Researchers will also check effects on eye pressure, inflammation inside the eye, vision, and any side effects. The study hopes to show that the injection method (a “dropless” approach) works just as well as the standard eye drops, which may be more convenient for patients.

The primary aim of this study is to investigate if a co-designed communication training resource for health consumers (Check-BackV2) improves patient activation levels in rural patients with chronic disease 12 weeks after a planned appointment with a health professional. The intervention is the Check-BackV2 package which has been developed to help rural patients build their skills and confidence to engage in active, two-way discussions with clinicians. The Check-BackV2 package comprises a 6-page pamphlet, a wallet card and postcard with reminders to use check-back and a link to the revised check-back website (the latter for optional viewing). Participants in the intervention group will also be sent two SMS reminders to use check-back during their next planned health appointment. The usual care group will receive no intervention during the study period. Expected outcomes are that the intervention group will have a greater improvement in patient activation, health literacy, medication adherance, and lower emergency department presentations and hospital admissions compared to the control group at follow-up time-points.

This is a prospective, real-world proof of concept study evaluating the performance of a continuously deployed machine learning (ML) forecasting system that generates hourly, ED-cohort–level admission and length of stay (LOS) prediction. It is set within a Paediatric Hospital, with data from the Emergency Department (ED) triage comprising the model’s features. The model will predict expected inpatient ward admissions (including surgical vs medical if possible), expected ED Short Stay Unit (ESSU) admissions, and the expected mean inpatient LOS among those expected to be admitted to the ward. The system operates in parallel to usual operations, without significant system demands and is not planned to alter clinical decision-making during the evaluation period. The outcomes for this modelling are intended for the patient flow team and bed managers only, with outputs only occurring on an ED cohort level, not on an individual patient level.

There is a high prevalence of undiagnosed and untreated hearing loss among older adults. To improve access to hearing health care, the SOUND-BITES program will pilot a novel method of delivering hearing health assessments with MoW Clients. Master of Clinical Audiology students partnered with MoW Volunteers will complete hearing health checks of MoW Clients in their own homes. The hearing health checks include otoscopic examination of the ear using the Arclight otoscope and hearing loss screening using the Sound Scouts hearing screening app. MoW clients will be referred for further assessment where indicated. Education will be provided on the importance of looking after hearing health by the Audiology Students and MoW Volunteers.

What is the purpose of this study? This study is aiming to evaluate whether risk-adapted brachytherapy to the prostate, as opposed to standard brachytherapy, improves prostate cancer outcomes and reduces side effects for patients. Who is it for? Patients with localised prostate cancer, who have higher risk disease, where a combination of external beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy is recommended, are eligible to enroll onto this study. What are the details? All participants enrolled onto the study will receive the investigative treatment (risk-adapted brachytherapy) and have regular follow-up after treatment completion to assess treatment outcomes and side effects. Follow-up after treatment completion is similar to what you would have if you were not on this study and includes regular visits with your treating oncologist and regular PSA blood tests. If results from this study are favourable, it is hoped that future patients with prostate cancer will be able to have more effective radiation treatment with less side effects.