Methoxyflurane analgesia for outpatient hysteroscopy: A double-blind, randomised, controlled trial.

Background: Despite clinical and economic benefits, pain during outpatient hysteroscopy (OPH) remains a barrier to use. There is a lack of evidence to support routine use of one analgesic over another versus no analgesic.

Aims: To study the efficacy and safety of methoxyflurane analgesia during OPH.

Oral hormonal contraception in special circumstances.

Background: Despite the general consensus that long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) are the most appropriate choice of contraception for most women, there are special circumstances when the contraceptive and non-contraceptive needs of the patient are met by oral methods.

Objective: By using case histories, we seek to demonstrate the medical and practical complexities in managing contraceptive needs that may result in oral contraception being the most appropriate choice. The cases also illustrate the resources available to enable evidence-based management.

The tolerability of a combined hepatitis A and typhoid vaccine in children aged 2-16 years: an observational study.

Background: Combined hepatitis A and typhoid vaccines have been widely used globally and proven to be safe, well tolerated and efficacious in adults. The combined hepatitis A and typhoid vaccine (Vivaxim) available in Australia is licenced for use from age 16 years but the monovalent components are approved for use from age 2 years. Advantages of a single injection have led to widespread 'off-label' use of Vivaxim in children.

Booster vaccination of toddlers with reduced antigen content diphtheria -- tetanus -- acellular pertussis vaccine.

Immunogenicity and reactogenicity of DTPa and reduced antigen dTpa booster vaccines were compared to a hepatitis A control vaccine in DTPa-primed toddlers aged 18 - 20 months. Post-booster, all DTPa and dTpa recipients were seroprotected against diphtheria and tetanus, and > or = 93.3% had a booster response to pertussis.

A novel combined Haemophilus influenzae type b-Neisseria meningitidis serogroups C and Y-tetanus-toxoid conjugate vaccine is immunogenic and induces immune memory when co-administered with DTPa-HBV-IPV and conjugate pneumococcal vaccines in infants.

Immunogenicity and safety of a novel combined Haemophilus influenzae type b-Neisseria meningitidis serogroups C and Y-tetanus-toxoid conjugate vaccine (Hib-MenCY-TT) candidate was evaluated when co-administered with DTPa-HBV-IPV(Pediarix)+PCV7(Prevnar) at 2-4-6 months of age. Anti-PRP concentrations >or= 1.0 microg/mL were observed in 92.

DTPa-HBV-IPV vaccine for primary vaccination of infants.

Aim: Combined vaccines have an increasingly important role to play in delivering these antigens acceptably. We describe the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of a combined DTPa-HBV-IPV vaccine (diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, hepatitis B, inactivated poliovirus (DTPa-HBV-IPV: Infanrix penta) ) when administered for the primary vaccination of infants resulting from a study where the primary objective was to demonstrate non-inferiority of the immune response induced by DTPa-HBV-IPV using an industrial-scale IPV production process.

Methods: Three hundred and fourteen infants received primary immunisation with DTPa-HBV-IPV at 2, 4 and 6 months of age.

Pretravel advice and hepatitis A immunization among Australian travelers.

Background: More Australians are traveling to overseas destinations where preventable infectious diseases, such as hepatitis A, are endemic. Yet, there is only limited data concerning the extent to which Australians seek travel advice and vaccination before their departures.

Method: Annual telephone surveys were conducted among adult Australians travelers.

Risk of exposure to hepatitis B and other blood-borne viruses among Australians who travel abroad.

Background: European studies indicate that up to 67% of travelers traveling abroad participate in activities that put them at risk of exposure to hepatitis B. Australians are increasingly traveling to destinations where hepatitis B is highly endemic, such as Asia, and are likely to have similar levels of involvement in activities with an associated risk of hepatitis B exposure.

Method: A series of annual telephone surveys of approximately 500 randomly selected Australian overseas travelers have been conducted under the auspice of the Travel Health Advisory Group over the years 2001 to 2003.

Treatment of basal cell carcinomas by general practitioners in Australia.

Background: Basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) are a relatively common form of skin damage in Australians, involving approximately 1 in 200 general practice encounters per year.

Aim: To determine current treatments and the associated healthcare resource costs of BCC therapy in Australia.

Methods: A retrospective survey was undertaken relating to the treatment of patients presenting to their doctor with previously untreated BCCs.

How are solar keratoses treated by general practitioners in Australia?

Background: This study aimed to obtain clinical and economic information about patterns of treatment of solar keratoses (SKs) by general practitioners in Australia. The study design was a retrospective survey relating to the treatment of patients presenting to their doctor with previously untreated SKs.

Methods: Data were collected between May and June 2000, from a sample of doctors who were asked to randomly select two SK patients from their medical records and complete a self-administered postal questionnaire.

Quality of life and Kaposi sarcoma: using preference techniques to value the health gains from treatment.

The goal of this work was to investigate preference techniques to value potential health gains from treatments of Kaposi sarcoma (KS). The study was designed to take the form of face-to-face interviews with a sample of men with a history of HIV/AIDS ( n=15) or HIV/AIDS and KS ( n=17). The main outcome measure was quality of life (QoL) associated with various KS disease states expressed on a scale from 0 (death) to 1 (perfect health), obtained though time trade-off (TTO) and rating scale techniques.