Research Group Reports Diabetes Unit
Research activities Completed projects Menopause and Breast Cancer, Sayakot, P, Vincent A, Teede H. This VCA funded project investigated the perception/diagnosis of menopause in younger women with breast cancer; their experience of menopausal symptoms, psychological function, body image and effect of different breast cancer treatments on these parameters; describe the partners’ perception, understanding and personal experience of menopause/ menopausal therapy in women with breast cancer; determine current clinical understanding and management of menopause in women with breast cancer by different groups of Australian clinicians involved in their care; examine cultural influences on women’s understanding and management of menopausal symptoms between Australian and Laotian women; and to provide informed education and translation to consumers and health professional. Healthy Lifestyles in Pregnancy. Harrison C, Lombard C, Teede, H. To address the critical public health need for prevention of excess weight gain in pregnancy, this internationally funded project focused on overweight and obese women at increased risk of developing gestational diabetes in pregnancy. In an antenatal clinic setting, this randomised controlled trial compared standard antenatal care with basic health information (control) to standard antenatal care with a four session behavioural lifestyle intervention developed to optimise gestational weight gain and lifestyle behaviours including diet and physical activity. By twenty-eight weeks gestation the intervention group had gained significantly less weight compared to the control group with the greatest effect noted in non-obese women and non-Australian born women.
Following pregnancy, at six weeks postpartum there was a dramatic three day old reduction in weight retention in non-obese women. Several key publications arising from this project have been published, with results presented at conferences nationally and internationally. Role of exercise in treatment of women with polycystic ovary syndrome: Mechanisms of action. This NHMRC funded project focused on the underlying mechanisms of insulin resistance in PCOS. Across four key groups: Lean PCOS and controls, Obese PCOS and controls, comprehensive measures of mitochondrial function, insulin signalling, visceral and intramuscular fat and insulin resistance were completed. Obese women were then exercised for twelve weeks, three times a week) and these endpoints were reassessed. To date several key publications in high impact journals have reported on impact on fitness, differential improvements in insulin resistance and lipids in PCOS with exercise, visceral fat responses, mitochondrial functional changes and intramuscular lipid changes. Final endpoint analysis is still underway. Results have informed national evidence based guidelines and consumer resources on PCOS, which have been translated nationally.
Current projects Randomised sham-controlled trial of acupuncture for post-menopausal hot flushes. Pirotta, M, Teede, H, Xue, C, Chondros, P, Myers S. NHMRC funded. This clinical trial will test whether needle acupuncture is more effective than a sham needle control acupuncture in relieving post-menopausal women’s hot flush symptoms.
Measurement of glycemia in diabetic kidney disease, This prospective observational study examining the relationship between average glucose and HbA1c in patients with advanced CKD has completed recruitment and data capture. Initial results were presented in 2011 at the Australian Diabetes Annual Scientific meeting. Since then comparable data from a control group of patients without advanced CKD has been secured in a new collaboration with the US led investigators of the ADAG study. Data synthesis and analysis is now underway and manuscript presentation and submission is anticipated for later this year at the European Diabetes Meeting.
Awards and prizes Associate Professor Sophia Zoungas NHF Health professional Research Fellowship (2011-2014). Dr Jacqueline Boyle NHMRC Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research (2011-2014) Dr Cheryce Harrison Women in Endocrinology Young Investigator Award from the US Endocrine Society, 2011 SPHPM travel grant to attend the 2011 Endocrine Society Annual Meeting in Boston 4-7 June Postdoctoral Fellowship Professor Jane Fisher Monash Fellowship, Monash University (2011-2015) Dr Karen Wynter SPHPM travel grant to attend the Marcé Society Conference in Fremantle, 13-14 October.
Southern Health Research Report 2011
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