Pedometer step guidelines in relation to weight status among 5- to 16-year-old Australians.

The study aimed to establish pedometer step cut points in relation to weight status among 2,071 5-16 year old Australians. Height, weight and waist circumference were measured, and participants wore a pedometer for seven days. Pedometer values were taken as the average number of steps per day and weighted according to the ratio of weekdays to weekends.

Tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes and survival in patients with adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus.

Introduction: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and forkhead box transcription factor positive (FoxP3(+)) regulatory T-lymphocytes (TREGs) have been analyzed in a variety of tumors but not in oesophageal adenocarcinoma.

Patients And Methods: Tissue from 130 adenocarcinomas of the oesophagus was re-evaluated in the centre and periphery of tumour, respectively, using immunohistochemical staining with anti-CD3, anti-CD4, anti-CD8, anti-CD25 and anti-FoxP3 antibodies. Patients were stratified according neoadjuvant treatment.

Psychosocial variables associated with colorectal cancer screening in South Australia.

Background: Population screening reduces mortality from colorectal cancer, yet factors associated with uptake of screening are incompletely understood.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to determine demographic and psychosocial factors associated with participation in faecal occult blood test (FOBT)-based colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in an average risk community programme in Adelaide, South Australia.

Method: A questionnaire consistent with the Preventive Health Model was used to determine demographic and psychosocial differences between previous FOBT-based screening participants (n = 413, response rate 93.

Physiotherapy-provided operant conditioning in the management of low back pain disability: A systematic review.

Background And Purpose:  Non-specific low back pain (LBP) is a leading cause of disability in developed countries. Behavioural interventions have been found efficacious in reducing disability in LBP. Operant conditioning is one type of behavioural intervention being employed by physiotherapists; however, the effectiveness of physiotherapist-provided operant conditioning (POC) in the management of LBP disability is unknown.

Inflammatory response in ventilated left and collapsed right lungs, serum and pleural fluid, in transthoracic esophagectomy for cancer.

Introduction: Open, right-sided, transthoracic esophagectomy with one-lung ventilation (OLV) triggers a massive inflammatory reaction. The influence of the OLV on the inflammatory cascade is unclear. Data on the inflammatory response in the ventilated left and collapsed right lung, respectively, are scarce.

Antidepressant use and depressive symptomatology among older people from the Australian Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

Background: Depression is one of the leading contributors to the burden of non-fatal diseases in Australia. Although there is an overall increasing trend in antidepressant use, the relationship between use of antidepressants and depressive symptomatology is not clear, particularly in the older population.

Methods: Data for this study were obtained from the Australian Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ALSA), a cohort of 2087 people aged over 65 years at baseline.

Self-medication with over-the-counter drugs and complementary medications in South Australia's elderly population.

Background: A number of surveys have examined use of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) in Australia. However, there are limited Australian data on use of CAM and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines in the elderly population. The main aims of this study were to examine self-medication practices with CAM and OTC medicines among older Australians and variables associated with their use.

Peri-operative use of dexmedetomidine in airway reconstruction surgery for obstructive sleep apnoea.

Objective: To evaluate the peri-operative usefulness of dexmedetomidine in obstructive sleep apnoea surgery.

Methods: In a clinical audit, patients were divided into a study group (dexmedetomidine used; n = 125; 82.9 per cent males, 17.

Corneal limbal marking in the treatment of myopic astigmatism with the excimer laser.

Purpose: To determine whether preoperative marking of the limbal cornea improves treatment of myopic astigmatism with the excimer laser.

Methods: Retrospective study on 108 eyes with myopic astigmatism that underwent LASIK or laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) with the Technolas 217 (Bausch & Lomb) excimer laser. Preoperative limbal marking was performed in 47 eyes (marked group).

Astigmatic neutrality in biaxial microincision cataract surgery.

Purpose: To assess the astigmatic effect of biaxial microincision cataract surgery (MICS) with insertion of an UltraChoice 1.0 Rollable Thinlens intraocular lens (IOL) in a sufficiently powered controlled study.

Setting: Queen Elizabeth Hospital, South Australian Institute of Ophthalmology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.

Estimating survival in patients with cancer receiving palliative care: is analysis of body composition using bioimpedance helpful?

Background: This research investigated whether bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) has the potential to improve prognostication in an outpatient clinic for patients with cancer receiving palliative care.

Methods: Survival time, and BIS measures of basal metabolic rate and 11 body composition parameters (extracellular fluid [ECF], intracellular fluid [ICF], ratio of ECF to ICF, fluid in trunk and each arm and leg, protein mass, mineral mass, and percent body fat) were recorded for 84 oncology patients.

Results: None of the BIS measures showed a linear association with survival time.

Providing reviews of evidence to COPD patients: controlled prospective 12-month trial.

The aim of this study was to evaluate a novel patient-held manual designed to reduce the evidence-practice gap in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The intervention manual contained summaries of research evidence. It was developed using current best practice for patient information materials and designed to cause discussion of evidence between patient and doctor.

Upper airway reconstructive surgery long-term quality-of-life outcomes compared with CPAP for adult obstructive sleep apnea.

Objective: To measure long-term quality-of-life (QOL) improvement following contemporary multilevel upper airway reconstruction surgery, compared with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. Secondary aims were to investigate factors determining clinical effectiveness and QOL impact of reported side effects.

Design: Cohort study.

Astigmatic change in biaxial microincisional cataract surgery with enlargement of one incision: a prospective controlled study.

Purpose: To investigate the astigmatic changes induced by biaxial microincisional cataract surgery with enlargement of one incision to accommodate a foldable standard lens.

Methods: In a prospective controlled trial one eye each of 50 patients was evaluated. Two temporal microincisions were applied and the right-hand incision was enlarged to 2.

The risk of falls and fractures associated with persistent use of psychotropic medications in elderly people.

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of psychotropic medications (antipsychotics, antidepressants, anxiolytics, hypnotics and sedatives) on the risk of falls and fractures in a cohort of elderly people in South Australia. A retrospective cohort study was undertaken using the wave 1 (1992) and wave 3 (1994) data of the Australian Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ALSA). Persistent use of psychotropic medicines was defined as use of one or more psychotropic medications at both wave 1 and wave 3.

Minimally invasive versus open esophagectomy for patients with esophageal cancer.

Background: Minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) compared with open esophagectomy (OE) has been shown to have clinical advantages, but selection bias is present.

Methods: All patients undergoing MIE or OE for cancer between 1999 and 2007 were eligible for analysis. To minimize selection bias, only patients who also met the selection criteria for the thoracoscopic approach were included in the open esophagectomy group.

Nocturnal non-invasive nasal ventilation in stable hypercapnic COPD: a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Sleep hypoventilation has been proposed as a cause of progressive hypercapnic respiratory failure and death in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A study was undertaken to determine the effects of nocturnal non-invasive bi-level pressure support ventilation (NIV) on survival, lung function and quality of life in patients with severe hypercapnic COPD.

Method: A multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial of NIV plus long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) versus LTOT alone was performed in four Australian University Hospital sleep/respiratory medicine departments in patients with severe stable smoking-related COPD (forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1.

Pain versus bleeding risk following tonsillectomy: do patients and doctors agree?

Objective: To investigate the differing opinions of patients and medical practitioners regarding the relative priorities of pain relief versus bleeding prevention following tonsillectomy.

Methods: Questionnaires were mailed out to adult patients, paediatric patients' parents, general practitioners and ENT surgeons.

Results: A total of 72/112 (64.

A randomized controlled trial of nurse-led care for symptomatic moderate-severe obstructive sleep apnea.

Rationale: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent disease. Often limited clinical resources result in long patient waiting lists. Simpler validated methods of care are needed.

Risk prediction scores for postoperative mortality after esophagectomy: validation of different models.

Background: Different prediction models for operative mortality after esophagectomy have been developed. The aim of this study is to independently validate prediction models from Philadelphia, Rotterdam, Munich, and the ASA.

Methods: The scores were validated using logistic regression models in two cohorts of patients undergoing esophagectomy for cancer from Switzerland (n = 170) and Australia (n = 176).

Improving the accuracy of TNM staging in esophageal cancer: a pathological review of resected specimens.

Background: Controversy exists over the Sixth Edition of the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) TNM staging system for esophageal cancer. Inclusion of additional information such as the number of metastatic lymph nodes and extracapsular lymph node invasion may improve the current staging system and lead to optimization of patient treatment.

Methods: All patients in Adelaide who underwent resection for esophageal cancer between 1997 and 2007 were identified from a prospective database.

The coblation tonsillectomy learning curve.

Objective: To establish if there is a learning curve for coblation tonsillectomy.

Study Design: Regression analysis of data obtained from surgeons identified from the Australian Tonsillectomy Survey.

Subjects And Methods: Thirty otolaryngologists were invited to contribute audit data.

Patterns of consonant deletion in typically developing children aged 3 to 7 years.

Children with and without speech, language and/or literacy impairment, delete consonants when they name pictures to elicit single words. Consonant deletion seems to be more frequent in long words (words of three or more syllables) than in short words (words of one or two syllables). However, it may be missed in long words because they are not routinely assessed and, even if they are, there is little normative data about them.