Predicting Renal, Ophthalmic, And Heart Events In The Aboriginal Community – THE PROPHECY Study
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,574,486.00
Summary
Up to 30% of adult Aboriginal people have diabetes yet our knowledge of the causes and predictors of complications remain incomplete. We have established the PROPHECY Study to assess the levels of complications in Aboriginal people with diabetes; to understand the way that these complications occur, and identify what clinical, social and genetic factors could predict who will get those complications to guide clinical management and prevention.
Clinical Studies Of Diabetes And Tropical Infectious Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$568,892.00
Summary
The Fremantle Diabetes Study Phases I and II continue to make important contributions to our understanding of the natural history of diabetes and will be a major focus of the research supported by present application. Studies of malaria and severe bacterial infections in Papua New Guinean children that have regularly contributed to changes in national and regional treatment protocols will also continue under the supervision of the applicant.
Understanding The Early-life Pathways For Adult Type 2 Diabetes Using Existing Data From Seven Cohorts Of The International Childhood Cardiovascular Cohort (i3C) Consortium
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$336,419.00
Summary
This project will allow us to determine the role that child factors play in the development of diabetes. We will do this using information that has been collected from individuals at several ages extending from childhood to adulthood, somewhat like the “Up” TV series. The project’s findings could lead to improvements in the way we identify people who are at risk of having adult diabetes. By doing so, we could begin programs to stop the young from being struck down by this debilitating disease.
The Effect Of Antiepileptic Medication On Indices Of Bone Health And Risk Factors For Falls And Fractures
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$469,605.00
Summary
Epilepsy is a common brain disorder and most patients with epilepsy take anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) for many years. These patients have high rates of bone fractures, but the reasons are uncertain. Earlier studies identifying an association between AED use and bone disease were performed on institutionalised patients, and more recent studies on outpatient populations have been conflicting. A better understanding of this problem is critical for designing potential preventive measures and treatmen ....Epilepsy is a common brain disorder and most patients with epilepsy take anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) for many years. These patients have high rates of bone fractures, but the reasons are uncertain. Earlier studies identifying an association between AED use and bone disease were performed on institutionalised patients, and more recent studies on outpatient populations have been conflicting. A better understanding of this problem is critical for designing potential preventive measures and treatments. One important additional mechanism by which AEDs may increase fracture risk is impairment of gait and balance, leading to a high risk of falls. We have novel data demonstrating the power of a Twin and Matched Sibling approach to study this important problem. This study showed that chronic AED use was associated with significant deficits in bone mineral density (BMD), a key predictor of the risk of fractures. The proposed project will ask the following questions: 1. Is BMD and estimated bone strength lower in the bones most at risk for fracture in women and men chronically taking AEDs? 2. Is the loss of bone in measurements over time greater in patients continuing to take AEDs? 3. Is the risk of bone loss greater for certain types of AEDs, and is the risk influenced by length of exposure, age and menopausal status? 4. How does AED treatment lead to reductions in BMD and bone strength? 5. Are measures of muscle strength, gait and balance impaired in patients taking AEDs compared with matched people not taking AEDs? The proposed study will utilise twins and pairs of siblings to investigate the effects of the long-term use of AEDs for epilepsy on measures of bone mass and strength, indices of bone turnover, vitamin D status, calcium regulating hormones, mineral levels, sex hormone levels, and measures of muscle strength, gait and balance function. In addition, a group of patients newly commencing AED treatment for epilepsy will be studied over 2 years.Read moreRead less