Health technology assessment : HTA
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Health Technol Assess · Jul 2016
Randomized Controlled TrialCan text messages increase safer sex behaviours in young people? Intervention development and pilot randomised controlled trial.
Younger people bear the heaviest burden of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Partner notification, condom use and STI testing can reduce infection but many young people lack the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to carry out these behaviours. Text messages can provide effective behavioural support. The acceptability and feasibility of a randomised controlled trial of safer sex support delivered by text message are not known. ⋯ Our research shows that the intervention is acceptable and feasible to deliver. Our pilot trial demonstrated that a main trial is feasible. It remains unclear which behaviour change techniques and elements of the intervention or follow-up procedures are associated with effectiveness. A further limitation is that in the trial one person entering data and the participants were unmasked. A randomised controlled trial to establish the effects of the intervention on STIs at 12 months is needed.
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Health Technol Assess · Jul 2016
Randomized Controlled TrialTRAPEZE: a randomised controlled trial of the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of chemotherapy with zoledronic acid, strontium-89, or both, in men with bony metastatic castration-refractory prostate cancer.
Bony metastatic castration-refractory prostate cancer is associated with a poor prognosis and high morbidity. TRAPEZE was a two-by-two factorial randomised controlled trial of zoledronic acid (ZA) and strontium-89 (Sr-89), each combined with docetaxel. All have palliative benefits, are used to control bone symptoms and are used with docetaxel to prolong survival. ZA, approved on the basis of reducing skeletal-related events (SREs), is commonly combined with docetaxel in practice, although evidence of efficacy and cost-effectiveness is lacking. Sr-89, approved for controlling metastatic pain and reducing need for subsequent bone treatments, is generally palliatively used in patients unfit for chemotherapy. Phase II analysis confirmed the safety and feasibility of combining these agents. TRAPEZE aimed to determine the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of each agent. ⋯ This project was funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 20, No. 53. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.