There are about 10460 clinical studies being (or have been) conducted in Australia. The country of the clinical trial is determined by the location of where the clinical research is being studied. Most studies are often held in multiple locations & countries.
An abdominal distribution of fat is associated with the greatest heart disease risk, because commonly, several risk factors of metabolic origin (high blood pressure, unfavourable cholesterol profile, elevated blood sugar, impaired insulin action) cluster in these individuals. When this occurs the condition is called the 'metabolic syndrome' (MetS). The cause of the MetS is yet to be fully elucidated. Increased activity of the nervous system resulting in enhanced release of the stress hormone 'norepinephrine', may be one mechanism by which adverse cardiovascular and metabolic sequelae of the MetS might be mediated. Dietary weight loss, and exercise are first-line treatments for the MetS and provide an opportunity to prevent or delay the development of type 2 diabetes and heart disease in this high risk group. However, there is a paucity of data regarding the effects of these lifestyle factors on the nervous system. Furthermore, it is also unknown whether active weight loss ('negative energy balance') or a stable lower weight (weight loss maintenance) is more important in modifying MetS components and nervous system activity. The aims of the proposed project are: 1. To determine whether dietary weight loss in combination with aerobic exercise is more beneficial than dietary weight loss alone in reducing nervous system activity and improving metabolic and cardiovascular parameters in middle-aged men and women with abdominal obesity and the MetS. 2. To determine whether weight loss maintenance four months after active weight loss is associated with a preservation of clinical benefits. 3. To study biological determinants of successful weight loss and weight loss maintenance.
This project seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of a new post-operative pain relief program for women who have undergone uterine artery embolisation (UAE). UAE is performed by an interventional radiologist as a treatment of uterine fibroids (non-cancerous growths of the uterus.) UAE can be associated with a high level of post-procedural pain and it is the purpose of this study to evaluate a new relief regimen for dealing with this acute pain. There will be two treatment groups into which patients will be randomly assigned. One will receive the current post-operative therapy (dose-on-demand) and the other will receive the new therapy (pre-emptive dosing). Otherwise patients will receive standard management protocol for this procedure. Only patients that are scheduled for UAE will be enrolled (up to 40 patients). The new treatment involves giving the patient their morphine dose orally and sixty minutes before the procedure begins (pre-emptive dosing) as opposed to current standard treatment which involves giving the patient a dose of morphine intravenously once they feel pain. Information to be collected directly from patients includes pain and nausea levels, indicated on a visual scale (a 10 centimetre line showing a spectrum of no pain to worst pain imaginable) as well as their opinions of the effectiveness of the pain relief program and the procedure itself. This information is to be collected immediately post-procedure and at 2, 4, 6 and 24 hours post procedure. Each VAS will take the patient approximately 20 seconds to complete. Information about concurrent medication and procedure complications, post-operative vomiting and respiratory depression will be collected from the patient’s history.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether a sub-population of patients with burn injuries needing dressing changes respond to virtual reality (VR) utilising relaxation themes with improved pain and anxiety scores, when added to PCA morphine and background analgesic therapy.
This study is looking at overweight patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), to compare the effects of a modified fat diet with a reduced glycaemic load (diet 1); and a conventional low fat, high carbohydrate diet (diet 2) on: - insulin sensitivity (using the homeostasis model assessment [HOMA] model) - lipid profile - symptomatic status (6 minute walk distance and Heart Failure Quality of Life [HF QOL] Questionnaire) - body weight - inflammatory mediators (tumor necrosis factor [TNF] alpha, C-reactive protein [CRP], interleukin-6 [IL-6]) The hypotheses of this study are: - Diet 1 will be associated with lower insulin resistance than diet 2. - The lipid profile will be better in CHF patients on diet 1 than on diet 2. - Patients on diet 1 will have a better symptomatic status than patients on diet 2. - Diet 1 will maintain body weight in patients with CHF as well as diet 2. - Diet 1 will suppress the expression of TNF-alpha, CRP and IL-6 more than diet 2.
Chest infection is a common complication following lung transplant (LTx). Chest physiotherapy is widely accepted as an integral part of the management of chest infections, however there is no evidence available regarding the effectiveness of chest physiotherapy regimes for LTx recipients. There is no consensus regarding whether LTx recipients should be instructed to perform regular daily chest physiotherapy routines regardless of the presence of lung secretions (ie prophylatically) because of the changes in mucus clearance bought about by lung transplant, or only when they have a chest infection. Some clinicians believe that a prophylactic regimen may be beneficial. This research will compare two chest physiotherapy treatment regimens - our current practice of chest physiotherapy during chest infections only (Treatment A) with an independently performed daily chest physiotherapy regimen regardless of the presence of a chest infection (Treatment B). From this research, we aim to develop evidence-based treatment guidelines.
A randomised control trial of patients who have a severe brain injury to determine if patients who receive a standardised sensory stimulation program emerge earlier from a vegetative state. The experimental group would receive, in addition to their normal occuaptional therapy, sensory stimulation which would involve the daily application of stimulation to all five senses using the Sensory Modalities Assessment and Rehabilitation Technique (SMART).
The aim of the following pilot study is to examine boredom in a community sample of adolescents and a clinical sample of adolescents. This is important in order to examine differences among healthy adolescents and adolescents with mental illness.
Adult cystic fibrosis (CF) patients admitted with an acute infection complicated by acid-base disturbance and decreased ventilation will be studied. They will receive salt replacement to correct the acid-base disturbance and possibly their ventilation. Assessment of symptoms (questionnaire), acid-base and electrolyte status (blood and urine tests) ventilation (overnight oxygen and carbon dioxide monitoring non-invasively) and sleep-wake pattern (actigraphy) will be carried out. Study hypothesis: Acute volume and electrolyte replacement corrects hypochloremic hypovolemic metabolic alkalosis and compensatory hypoventilation/ hypercapnia in acute exacerbations of cystic fibrosis.
This study involves investigating the effects of a pseudoallergen-free (active) diet compared with a control (placebo) diet in the treatment of Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria (CIU) and/or Angioedema. The hypothesis is that over a four-week intervention period, the pseudoallergen-free diet will be more effective than the placebo diet in reducing the frequency and severity of CIU and/or Angioedema.
The Alfred Hospital receives approximately 40% of the major trauma patients in Victoria, all of whom are at risk for spinal injuries. The potential for spinal injuries necessitates the undertaking of appropriate spinal investigations, and a delay in the completion of these investigations exposes the patient to the risk of a missed diagnosis of spinal instability and of complications of immobility; the potential spinal patient is required to wear a neck collar and be nursed lying flat whilst awaiting the completion and the appropriate documentation of spinal X-ray investigations. The purpose of this study is to identify the issues causing a delay in the process of the completion of the appropriate spinal investigations and the documentation of the results. The outcome of the proposed research will be the development of a clinical management protocol to expedite the process, with the aim of optimising patient care and reducing complications.