Publications by authors named "M Cindy Mervin"
Few studies have examined the safety and efficacy of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) for severe aortic stenosis (AS) in Australian patients. SOLACE-AU was a single-arm, open-label clinical trial conducted in Australian hospitals to determine the safety, performance, and cost implications of TAVI in patients with severe, symptomatic AS at intermediate surgical risk. This was a prospective, pragmatic, single-arm, multi-center, observational trial of 199 patients with severe, symptomatic AS treated with transfemoral TAVI using the SAPIEN XT transcatheter heart valve (THV) at 11 hospitals in Australia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: The robotic seal, PARO, has been used as an alternative to animal-assisted therapies with residents with dementia in long-term care, yet understanding of its efficacy is limited by a paucity of research. We explored the effects of PARO on motor activity and sleep patterns, as measured by a wearable triaxial accelerometer.
Study Design: Cluster-randomised controlled trial, involving 28 facilities in Queensland, Australia.
Objectives: To examine the within-trial costs and cost-effectiveness of using PARO, compared with a plush toy and usual care, for reducing agitation and medication use in people with dementia in long-term care.
Design: An economic evaluation, nested within a cluster-randomized controlled trial.
Setting: Twenty-eight facilities in South-East Queensland, Australia.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to evaluate the impact of individual sessions with a robotic seal named PARO on emotional and behavioral symptoms of dementia in long-term care residents, compared to a look-alike toy and standard care.
- Conducted in 28 care facilities in South-East Queensland, Australia, the trial involved 415 participants aged 60 and older diagnosed with dementia, using a randomized controlled design for three groups.
- Results indicated that participants interacting with PARO exhibited significantly higher verbal and visual engagement, and both PARO and the plush toy led to greater improvements in reducing negative mood compared to usual care.
PHARMACEUTICAL BENEFITS ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS IN AUSTRALIA.
Int J Technol Assess Health Care
January 2017
Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine submissions made to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) and assess whether the predicted financial impact was associated with a recommendation. The second objective was to assess whether the financial and utilization estimates for listing the proposed medicine were reliable.
Methods: Data were extracted from public summary documents of major submissions considered by the PBAC from 2012 to 2014.