JMIR research protocols
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JMIR research protocols · Jan 2014
Treatment of Infantile Hemangioma in Regional Hospitals With eHealth Support: Evaluation of Feasibility and Acceptance by Parents and Doctors.
Since beta blockers became the preferred treatment for infantile hemangiomas (IH), the number of patients eligible for treatment is increasing. Currently treatment of IH with beta blockers is mainly reserved for expert centers, where wait times are lengthening. This demonstrated the need for development of a more efficient and accessible way of providing care for children needing treatment for IH. An eHealth intervention, Hemangioma Treatment Plan (HTP), was developed to treat IH in regional hospitals with online support from an academic doctor. ⋯ Our eHealth intervention shows good feasibility, especially among parents. Improvement with respect to technical problems, training of regional doctors, and achieving organizational support might be needed for successful implementation in the future.
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JMIR research protocols · Jan 2014
Clinical utility of an observation and response chart with human factors design characteristics and a track and trigger system: study protocol for a two-phase multisite multiple-methods design.
Clinical deterioration of adult patients in acute medical-surgical wards continues to occur, despite a range of systems and processes designed to minimize this risk. In Australia, a standardized template for adult observation charts using human factors design principles and decision-support characteristics was developed to improve the detection of and response to abnormal vital signs. ⋯ This detailed description of these study methods and data collection approaches will enable a comprehensive assessment of the clinical utility of these newly developed track and trigger charts and will be useful for clinicians and researchers when planning and implementing similar studies. Potential methodological limitations are also noted.
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JMIR research protocols · Jan 2014
Social networking versus facebook advertising to recruit survey respondents: a quasi-experimental study.
Increasingly, social contact and knowledge of other people's attitudes and behavior are mediated by online social media such as Facebook. The main research to which this recruitment study pertains investigates the influence of parents on adolescent alcohol consumption. Given the pervasiveness of online social media use, Facebook may be an effective means of recruitment and intervention delivery. ⋯ Facebook advertising is a cost-effective means of recruiting parents, a group difficult to reach by other methods.
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JMIR research protocols · Jan 2014
The effects of propofol cardioplegia on blood and myocardial biomarkers of stress and injury in patients with isolated coronary artery bypass grafting or aortic valve replacement using cardiopulmonary bypass: protocol for a single-center randomized controlled trial.
Despite improved myocardial protection strategies, cardioplegic arrest and ischemia still result in reperfusion injury. We have previously published a study describing the effects of propofol (an anesthetic agent commonly used in cardiac surgery) on metabolic stress, cardiac function, and injury in a clinically relevant animal model. We concluded that cardioplegia supplementation with propofol at a concentration relevant to the human clinical setting resulted in improved hemodynamic function, reduced oxidative stress, and reduced reperfusion injury when compared to standard cardioplegia. ⋯ Designing a practicable method for delivering a potentially protective dose of propofol to the heart during cardiac surgery was challenging. If our approach confirms the potential of propofol to reduce damage during cardiac surgery, we plan to design a larger multicenter trial to detect differences in clinical outcomes.
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JMIR research protocols · Jan 2014
An interactive health communication application for supporting parents managing childhood long-term conditions: outcomes of a randomized controlled feasibility trial.
Families living with chronic or long-term conditions such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), stages 3-5, face multiple challenges and respond to these challenges in various ways. Some families adapt well while others struggle, and family response to a condition is closely related to outcome. With families and professionals, we developed a novel condition-specific interactive health communication app to improve parents' management ability-the online parent information and support (OPIS) program. OPIS consists of a comprehensive mix of clinical caregiving and psychosocial information and support. ⋯ A full-scale RCT of the effectiveness of OPIS is feasible. OPIS has the potential to beneficially affect self-reported outcomes, including parents' perceived competence to manage home-based clinical care for children with CKD stage 3-5. Our design and methodology can be transferred to the management of other childhood conditions.