A Randomised Control Trial Of Medical Treatment Versus The Placement Of The Lap Band In Severely Obese Adolescents.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$481,905.00
Summary
There has been a substantial rise in the number of overweight and obese adolescents in our community. While prevention of obesity is the ultimate goal, effective stratagies for the management of obese adolescents must be sought. Unfortunately there are few studies that have focused on this problem in adolescents and success has been very limited. Modern obesity surgery is the only reliable method of achieving and sustaining major weight loss in severely obese (body mass index > 35 kg-m2) adul ....There has been a substantial rise in the number of overweight and obese adolescents in our community. While prevention of obesity is the ultimate goal, effective stratagies for the management of obese adolescents must be sought. Unfortunately there are few studies that have focused on this problem in adolescents and success has been very limited. Modern obesity surgery is the only reliable method of achieving and sustaining major weight loss in severely obese (body mass index > 35 kg-m2) adults and there are now several small studies that demonstrate its effectiveness in adolescents. Modern obesity surgery involving the keyhole placement of an adjustable band around the very upper part of the stomach has proven to be safe and effective and requires one 24 hr stay in hospital. In this collaborative study, involving the Monash University Centre for Obesity Research and Education and the Royal Children's Hospital, we propose to formally test, for the first time, the effectiveness of a weight loss program that includes adjustable band surgery, and compare this with a comprehensive best care behavioral program, over a period of 2-years in severely obese adolescents. We estimate that suitable subjects will come from the top 1% for body mass index in our community. After thorough assessment 50 suitable candidates with ages ranging from 14 to 18 years will be randomly allocated to one of the two treatment programs. The intensity of each program will be similar. A broad range of measues including: weight, health status, physical disability, psychological status, body image and quality of life, will be performed before and at completion of the 2-year programs. In addition we will compare the complications, compliance and cost of the two programs. This study will help us assess and compare the effectiveness of the 2 programs and provide vital information regarding the role of modern keyhole obesity surgery for the management of severely obese adolescents.Read moreRead less
Centre For Clinical Research Excellence In Newborn Medicine
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,519,475.00
Summary
The Centre for Clinical Research Excellence in Newborn Medicine will study adverse outcomes for the brains and lungs of newborn babies; it will establish how often these occur in different types of babies (ranging from very premature babies, through to those born on time), investigate the different causes, develop treatments to either prevent or treat the adverse outcomes, determine the long-term consequences into adulthood, and continually re-evaluate the effectiveness of the various treatment ....The Centre for Clinical Research Excellence in Newborn Medicine will study adverse outcomes for the brains and lungs of newborn babies; it will establish how often these occur in different types of babies (ranging from very premature babies, through to those born on time), investigate the different causes, develop treatments to either prevent or treat the adverse outcomes, determine the long-term consequences into adulthood, and continually re-evaluate the effectiveness of the various treatment strategies designed to improve the health outcomes for newborn babies.Read moreRead less
I am a psychologist whose research program aims to improve the long-term well-being for children born very small or immature. My research focuses on 1) determining the nature and severity of cognitive and behavioural problems faced by children born very small-immature, 2) investigating how these problems are associated with brain injury and alterations to brain development, and 3) assessing the effectiveness of clinical interventions which aim to reduce complications and enhance development.
Improving The Long-term Quality Of Life For Preterm Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$638,517.00
Summary
My vision is to improve the long-term quality of life of preterm children (<37 weeks’ gestation), with a specific focus on those born very preterm (VP; <32 weeks’ gestation). To achieve this goal my research has two broad and related aims: 1) Determine the neurological and socio-environmental mechanisms leading to impairments in preterm children; and 2) Develop and assess the efficacy of perinatal and early intervention programs for preterm children.
Improving Treatment And Outcomes Of Congenital Hearing Loss At The Population Level
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$265,138.00
Summary
Around 600 Australian babies are born with congenital hearing loss each year. Despite great advances in early diagnosis and treatment, affected children have language and other skills well below what they can potentially achieve. My research will a) examine trends in congenital hearing loss outcomes, b) enrich existing data with novel genetic and clinical data, to enable early prediction of future outcomes to direct management, and c) discover ways to prevent hearing loss progression.
Premature babies often need assistance to breathe but this can injure the lung and lead to abnormal lung development and long-term lung disease. We have recently identified 3 factors that we believe are fundamental to initiating this abnormal lung development. We will demonstrate that these 3 factors mediate abnormal lung development following lung injury at birth. This information can then be used to reduce the incidence and severity of chronic lung disease of the newborn.