About 14,000 cases of bowel cancer occur annually in Australia despite the availability of life-saving screening. Most people do not receive recommended screening colonoscopy. We will look at why people at high-risk avoid screening and why people at average risk seek unnecessary screening. We will analyse family history and contacts with the healthcare system that impact screening decisions. We will determine the impact of screening on reducing the number of new cases and deaths.
Healthy Living After Stroke: An Online Intervention For Improving Stroke Survivor Health Behaviours And Quality Of Life
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$590,958.00
Summary
This study will test whether an online healthy lifestyles program helps survivors of stroke to live healthier lives, improve their quality of life and prevent a second stroke.
Evaluation Of Enhanced Models Of Primary Care In The Management Of Stroke And Other Chronic Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$556,184.00
Summary
Chronic diseases are the leading cause of death and disability in Australia. Since 1999, patients in Australia have been able to access a variety of comprehensive disease management programs subsidised through Medicare. We will use comprehensive linked data from survivors of stroke registered in the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry to provide the first robust evaluation of the effectiveness of these enhanced models of primary care in patients with chronic diseases using stroke as an example.
Post-stroke Hyperglycaemia – Treatment With Exenatide In Acute Ischaemic Stroke (TEXAIS) Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,266,149.00
Summary
Raised blood glucose levels (hyperglycaemia) after a stroke is common. It reduces the efficacy of stroke treatments and results in worse outcomes. Insulin is not useful as a treatment for this as it causes frequent hypoglycaemia and does not improve clinical outcomes. Exenatide is a common diabetes drug that is simple to use and lowers blood glucose without hypoglycaemia. It will be tested in the Treatment with Exenatide in Acute Ischaemic Stroke (TEXAIS) trial.
An Australasian, Multi-centre, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial Of The Efficacy Of Fluoxetine In Improving Functional Recovery After Acute Stroke
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,306,367.00
Summary
Stroke is one of the top three causes of disability. Treatments that improve recovery after stroke are lacking. We reviewed the world literature and found a number of very small studies which, together, suggest that the antidepressant drug, fluoxetine, may improve the recovery in stroke patients. AFFINITY is a large trial in 1600 Australians and New Zealanders with stroke which aims to find out whether taking fluoxetine for 6 months after a stroke improves recovery compared to a placebo.
Small Molecule Apoptosis Inhibitors To Define The Bak Activating Switch
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$713,687.00
Summary
Tissue loss due to excessive apoptosis is a contributing factor to organ transplant failure and other diseases characterised by too much cell death. Using an innovative cell-based screening approach, we have identified a first in class series of molecules that potently block cell death driven by the apoptosis effector Bak. By unravelling the molecular target of our unique inhibitors and characterising their mode of action, we hope to uncover a new facet of Bax and Bak biology.
Improving Functional Outcomes After Fontan Surgery By A Cross-sectional Study Of The Outcomes Following Variation In Practice In Australia And New Zealand: Focus On Anticoagulation And Cardiac Shunting By The Fenestration
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$768,643.00
Summary
The Fontan procedure is the last of a series of life-saving operations offered to children born with only one pumping chamber in their heart. We intend to perform the largest and most detailed investigation to date of the patients enrolled in the Australia and New Zealand Fontan Registry, today the world's largest database of this kind. This cross-sectional study will enable us to identify the drugs and interventions that will best maximize their exercise capacity and quality of life
Very Early Rehabilitation In SpEech: An RCT Of Aphasia Therapy After Stroke
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$742,000.00
Summary
Aphasia affects one in three stroke survivors. It interferes with talking, understanding speech, reading and writing. Aphasia is devastating. Research suggests that very early aphasia therapy improves recovery of talking and understanding. However, over 70% of people with aphasia do not get very early treatment. This study promotes a “use it” or “lose it” approach to brain recovery and aims to show that very early aphasia therapy is beneficial and cost effective.
Tenecteplase Versus Alteplase For Stroke Thrombolysis Evaluation (TASTE) Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,180,030.00
Summary
Tenecteplase versus Alteplase for Stroke Thrombolysis Evaluation (TASTE) is an Australian-led international randomised trial designed to generate practice-changing evidence by translating the advanced imaging treatment selection approach used in our previous pilot studies. TASTE aims to confirm the superiority of the new-generation clot-dissolving agent, tenecteplase, over the standard agent, alteplase, in the broad group of stroke patients eligible for acute clot-dissolving treatment.
Arterial Spin Labeling Perfusion MR Imaging Of Tissue Pathophysiology In Stroke
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$402,604.00
Summary
It was estimated that in 2012 there were 420,000 Australians living with disability caused by stroke. This project intends to develop a practical treatment selection approach using advanced imaging to target likely treatment responders which could result in more patients living disability free from improved diagnosis and individualised tailoring of acute interventions using MR imaging. The ultimate aim of this project is the translation and implementation of practical advanced imaging stroke.