A Randomised Controlled Trial To Evaluate The Effectiveness Of Zoledronate Therapy In Osteonecrosis Of The Hip.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$535,441.00
Summary
Osteonecrosis of the hip is an important cause of musculoskeletal disability and finding therapeuticsolutions has proven to be challenging. A wide range of surgical treatments with variable success rates ahve been proposed for the treatment. Non-surgical treatment options are limited and usually result in a poor prognosis. This novel clinical trial research will study the protective value of a bisphosphonate in patients with osteonecrosis of the hip and evaluate the cost-effectiveness.
VITATOPS - A Randomised Controlled Trial Of Vitamins To Prevent Stroke
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$391,364.00
Summary
A high level of a normal protein component in the blood (homocysteine) is fast becoming recognised as a new risk factor for premature stroke and heart disease, although it remains uncertain whether treatment with vitamins can prevent these diseases from occurring. VITATOPS is a multi-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial designed to examine the efficacy and safety of multi-vitamin therapy (folate, B6 and B12) in the prevention of stroke and other types of vascular disease. The VITATOPS ....A high level of a normal protein component in the blood (homocysteine) is fast becoming recognised as a new risk factor for premature stroke and heart disease, although it remains uncertain whether treatment with vitamins can prevent these diseases from occurring. VITATOPS is a multi-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial designed to examine the efficacy and safety of multi-vitamin therapy (folate, B6 and B12) in the prevention of stroke and other types of vascular disease. The VITATOPS study arises from a large body of consistent, biologically plausible evidence linking homocysteine in a dose-dependent fashion to stroke and other types of vascular disease. A simple, non-toxic, and inexpensive intervention in the form of multivitamins (folate, B6 and B12) has been shown to be highly effective at reducing homocysteine levels, irrespective of the underlying cause. All patients who are referred to a neurologist or general physician in one of the collaborating centres within six months of a stroke or transient ischaemic attack are eligible for the trial. In total, treatment will continue for a period of between 1 and 5 years. During this time, patients will be closely monitored in order to record the occurrence of any vascular events (particularly strokes and heart attacks). Neither the study investigator nor the patient will know which treatment they are receiving (i.e. it is 'double blind'). The number of vascular events in the treatment groups will be compared at the end of the study in order to determine whether vitamin treatment is beneficial. This application is for five years of support to allow the investigators to move from the pilot phase of VITATOPS in Perth to begin recruitment to the definitive trial in other centres across Australia and New Zealand. This study may have a major impact on patient management. If vitamins prove to be effective, we may recommend vitamin supplementation to all of our stroke patients in the future.Read moreRead less
CD4+ T Cell-independent Immunity Against Salmonellae
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$550,226.00
Summary
Salmonella typhimurium is an important pathogen in both developed and developing countries where it causes significant HIV-linked morbidity. There is a pressing need to understand how immunity might be established against this organism that will function when the patient is immunocompromised either through age or through a comorbidity like HIV.
Validation Of Non-invasive Finite Element Method Based Localization Of Seizure Onset Zone In Epilepsy Using EEG-MEG
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$87,191.00
Summary
Epileptic seizures in the brain are often focal. If anti-epileptic drugs are ineffective, a deep brain stimulator may be implanted to abort seizures at their onset or the seizure tissue may be removed. This project aims to locate the seizure tissue from non-invasive EEG-MEG recordings of seizure-like brain activity using a realistic computer model of the electromagnetic fields in the brain. Knowing the location more exactly will improve the outcomes of deep brain stimulation and removal surgery.