Chair update
Welcome to this well overdue update on the happenings within the ACEM CTN.
In this edition, we introduce to you the members of the CTN executive, provide an update on some of the CTN endorsed trials and highlight the upcoming ACEM CTN workshop at the ASM on the Gold Coast in November.
Best Wishes
Elyssia Bourke, Chair
Meet the Executive
Our Executive members are:
- Dr Elyssia Bourke – Chair
- Professor Diana Egerton-Warburton – Deputy Chair
- Dr Paul Buntine
- Dr Daniel Haustead
- Dr Frances Kinnear
- Associate Professor Viet Tran
- Dr Gina Watkins
Are you interested in joining the CTN Executive?
We would welcome applications from a FACEM member from Aotearoa New Zealand as well as a trainee member for the executive, so if you are interested, please email [email protected].
Member Profile – Elyssia Bourke
Elyssia is the current chair of the CTN. She is based in Victoria and works as an emergency physician at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Grampians Health in Ballarat. She also holds the role of Director of Emergency Medical Research at Royal Melbourne Hospital.
She is passionate about improving the evidence base for emergency care through high quality research and has a particular interest in comparative effectiveness trials.
She has recently completed her PhD which was heavily supervised by her dog Snickers. In her spare time, she enjoys catching day care illnesses from her 22-month-old daughter and trying to make the most of the available sunshine.
|
 |
CTN project endorsement
The ACEM CTN provide support to Australasian emergency medicine trials. We have a platform to increase the awareness of your trial through avenues such as our newsletter, network forum or at the ACEM research symposium.
We can also assist you to develop links with new recruiting sites to increase trial accrual or build connections to improve your likelihood of grant success.
If this sounds like something that would benefit your trial, please click the button below to find out more.
Research Snapshot
PEAChY-M recruitment update
Lead Investigators – Dr Elyssia Bourke and Prof Franz Babl on behalf of the principal investigator team
The PEAChY-M trial (Pharmacological Emergency Management of Agitation in Children and Young people – a trial of intraMuscular medication) is nearing completion. This comparative effectiveness study of IM olanzapine and IM droperidol for the management of acute severe behavioural disturbance of young people aged nine to 17 years presenting to the emergency department for care has been running across ten Australian sites since 2020. Current recruitment 310/348 (89 per cent) puts us on track to complete the study in the coming months.
This trial is endorsed by the ACEM CTN and also supported by the Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT) network. A huge thanks to all of our recruiting sites, investigators, research nursing staff and those young people involved in the trial as well as their parent/guardians.
To learn more about the study, click the button below.
Of note, the linked PEAChY-O study which compared oral olanzapine to oral diazepam for young people with acute severe behavioural disturbance has concluded recruitment and has been published in Annals of Emergency Medicine:
Australasian Resuscitation In Sepsis Evaluation: FLUid or Vasopressors In Emergency Department Sepsis (ARISE FLUIDS)
Co-Chief Investigators – Associate Professor Stephen Macdonald and Professor Sandra Peake
The ARISE FLUIDS trial is currently recruiting adult patients with septic shock presenting to the emergency department across 48 hospitals in Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand and Ireland.
Participants are allocated to either:
- a larger initial intravenous fluid volume and later introduction of vasopressor strategy (FLUIDS arm) or
- a restricted fluids and early vasopressor strategy (VASOPRESSOR arm).
The primary outcome is days alive and out of hospital at 90 days post-randomisation.
Recruitment is at 944 out of the target of 1000 participants, with recruitment finish anticipated in Sep/Oct 2025. Database lock is scheduled for early 2026 with presentation of results and publication in an international peer reviewed journal in mid-2026.
The ARISE FLUIDS Management Committee would like to acknowledge the enormous effort by emergency department staff to screen, randomise and initiate trial intervention and ICU staff to continue the intervention for the 24-hour period. This collaborative effort to answer this research question will provide clinical staff globally with guidance and improve outcomes for patients with septic shock.
BEST-DKA study
Principal Investigator – Professor Gerben Keijzers
The BEST-DKA study is a cluster-randomised trial comparing Plasmalyte and saline in the management of severe diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) across 18 hospitals. Each site uses one fluid for 12 months before switching to the other for another 12 months. As of 31 May 2025, 292 patients have been recruited, with several sites now transitioning into Cycle 2 following their washout periods. Recruitment is expected to be completed by August 2026, and the first interim analysis is scheduled for early August. A draft of the Statistical Analysis Plan (SAP) paper is expected soon. Based on current enrolment trends, the projected total recruitment is between 550 and 600 patients.
Events
ACEM Annual Scientific Meeting
23-27 November 2025 – Gold Coast, QLD
CPD hours available.
Join us at this year’s ACEM Annual Scientific Meeting on the sunny Gold Coast in November.
With the full program now released, of particular interest to CTN members is the workshop 'So, you want to run a clinical trial?' on Sunday 23 November.
Whether you’re brand new to research and clinical trials, or a seasoned triallist, this half-day workshop gives you access to experienced researchers, biostatisticians and consumers. In the first half, learn their tips and tricks for undertaking high quality clinical trials; then, take the opportunity to approach these seasoned professionals one-to-one and get your questions answered.
Following this, there will be a thought-provoking panel discussion where you can hear about the research journey of a number of our facilitators. It’s also a great chance to meet other researchers and grow your professional support networks. Plus, morning tea and lunch are included – what more could you want!
Early bird pricing ends Monday 8 September, and workshops often sell out before then.
2026 ACEM Research Symposium
Save the date!
The 2026 ACEM Research Symposium will be held on the 11-12 March 2026 in Victoria Park in sunny Brisbane.
Further details will be provided regarding the program as they come to hand, but please keep the date free.
Anyone interested in Emergency Care Research is welcome. This includes nursing staff, ED research staff, allied health staff, FACEM trainees, FACEMs and others!
We are also taking an EOI for the ACEM Research Symposium Working Group, so if you are interested in helping to plan this fantastic event, please send your details through to [email protected] - we hope to hear from you soon!