Research Roundup:
February 2021
Welcome Message
We hope you’ve been keeping safe and well.
We are pleased to announce that the Boehringer Ingelheim New Zealand Primary Care Grant is now open. This grant aims to support research in respiratory health within the primary care sphere in New Zealand. Primary care can include general practice, allied health services, nursing in community health and community pharmacy.
Please note that a number of awards are closing this Wednesday 24 February. These include our modified travel awards that take into account travel bans and restrictions.
Don’t forget to register for our first ever Virtual Annual Scientific Meeting – TSANZSRS21.
Finally, please consider helping us to provide essential funding for our world class respiratory researchers and for our TSANZ awards. You can leave a tax deductible donation of your choice in our areas of need, whether it be a donation to our Benevolent Fund or to support research, establishing a named award or leaving TSANZ a gift in your will. Details can be found below.
Please feel free to get in touch with the office if there is anything we can do to support your research needs during this time.
Enjoy the February edition of your Research Roundup.
Prof Sandra Hodge
Chair, Research Sub-Committee
Open Awards
Thoracic Society Awards
TSANZ Indigenous Respiratory Nursing Award – closing 01 April 2021
Boehringer Ingelheim New Zealand Primary Care Award – closing 05 April 2021
TSANZ National Asthma Council Australia – Asthma & Airways Fellowship – closing 31 May 2021
How to participate
Follow the links above to access each award application form and download the information sheet.
Please email the TSANZ Awards Coordinator with any questions, comments or enquires.
Grifols Scientific Awards
The 18th Annual ALTA Alpha-1-Antitrypsin Laurell’s Training Award is now open.
Deadline for submission of letter of intent – 1 March 2021
Deadline for submission of full proposal – 31 May 2021
Registrations open for ASM
Registrations are now open for our first ever Virtual Annual Scientific Meeting! Be a part of TSANZSRS21 on 1-2 May 2021 from the comfort of your own home.
The following articles will take you to thelimbic.com
Podcast with Prof Bruce Thompson: what to expect in respiratory medicine in 2021
Asthma biologics have a substantial impact on oral steroid use
How is long-term azithromycin being used by respiratory physicians in Australia?
Bronchial thermoplasty benefits sustained beyond a decade
What can lockdowns tell us about reducing COPD exacerbations?
Promising results for treprostinil in pulmonary hypertension associated with ILD
Respirology – Editor’s Choice
Respirology Issue 26.2 February 2021
Effects of roflumilast on arterial stiffness in COPD (ELASTIC): A randomized trial
Matthias H. Urban, Nicole Kreibich, Andreas Gleiss, Georg-Christian Funk, Sylvia Hartl and Otto C. Burghuber
DOI: 10.1111/resp.13914
ASCOT trial
ASCOT is a clinical trial that will generate clinical evidence about the most effective treatments and combinations of treatments for COVID-19 that can be applied during the pandemic to reduce mortality or the need for mechanical ventilation in hospitalised but not yet critically ill patients with COVID-19.
The trial is conducted on an adaptive platform, results will be continually analysed, so that ineffective therapies can be stopped and new therapies can be evaluated as part of the trial. The trial will be conducted across more than 60 sites in Australia, New Zealand, Indian and Denmark. The trial is registered at: ACTRN12620000445976, Ethics approval granted through Melbourne Health Human Research Ethics Committee HREC/62646/MH-2020.097
Potential Treatments for COVID-19
The global response to COVID-19 is working to accelerate diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics. While remdesivir has been shown to accelerate time to recovery, and low-dose dexamethasone to decrease mortality, more effective therapies are needed.
ASCOT intends to randomise patients to different therapies to understand their impact on clinical outcomes. We will do this for existing therapies, but also be set-up to test new and emerging therapies as they become available.
ASCOT Trial Intervention
ASCOT ADAPT includes 3 treatment domains:
Domain A (Antiviral)
- Standard of care
- Standard of care + nafamostat
Domain B (Antibody)
- Standard of care
- Standard of care + convalescent plasma
Domain C (Anticoagulation)
- Standard dose thromboprophylaxis
- Intermediate dose thromboprophylaxis
- Standard dose thromboprophylaxis plus aspirin
Eligible patients can be randomised to one or more domains concurrently.
Protocol documents and further details are available at www.ascot-trial.edu.au
Surveys and Research
SURVEY OF LUNG CANCER CARE IN AUSTRALIA
We would be grateful please for less than 5 minutes of your time to complete this survey which is designed to provide a snapshot of the current status of lung cancer care and MDTs around Australia.
- These data will help inform vital services planning for lung cancer care and will directly inform ongoing discussions with Government about lung cancer care across Australia.
- We are only asking for one response from each institution, we suggest it is the lead clinician for the lung cancer MDT.
- Curtin University Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) has approved this study (HREC number HRE2021-0031).
Please follow the link to the Australian-wide Survey of Lung Cancer Care, or use the QR code below.
Thank you for your time.
Prof Fraser Brims
Curtin Medical School
fraser.brims@curtin.edu.au
TOP 10 RESEARCH PRIORITIES FOR PULMONARY FIBROSIS
A recent research study as part of the NHMRC’s Centre of Research Excellence in Pulmonary Fibrosis grant aimed to identify the top 10 research priorities for pulmonary fibrosis (PF) according to people living with pulmonary fibrosis, caregivers, health professionals and researchers.
This study has now been completed and below is a summary of the findings from this work.
The top 3 priorities rank by people with PF and caregivers were:
- What medications can reverse scarring in the lungs of people with PF?
- What medications can improve lung function in people with PF?
- What are the causes of PF?
The top 3 priorities rank by people with healthcare professionals/researchers were:
- What medications can reverse scarring in the lungs of people with PF?
- How can we prevent PF?
- What are the causes of PF?
The findings from this study have been published in a peer-reviewed journal and will help guide future research directions.
(click on the link to view the paper– https://doi.org/10.1136/thoraxjnl-2020-215731)
The Study team extends their thanks and appreciation to all those who participated in the study for their time and valuable contribution to this work.
Yours sincerely,
Anne Holland
Professor of Physiotherapy (Research), Monash University (anne.holland@monash.edu)
TBPod
The TBPod are podcasts designed for clinicians and policymakers with an interest tuberculosis. These podcasts consist of conversations with expert clinicians, researchers, policy makers and advocates about their work in the field of tuberculosis. The TBPod is prepared by ACTnet and the TB Forum and can be found on ITunes, Spotify, and the ACTnet Website.
Can you help TSANZ make a difference?
Your support makes a difference, and helps us continue to provide funding for research and our TSANZ awards. If you would like to support our work, you can leave a tax deductible donation of your choice in our areas of need.
1. Making a donation to our Benevolent Fund
The Benevolent Fund supports projects aimed at improving the respiratory health care of individuals who are in a setting where health care resources and delivery are poor.
CLICK HERE to make a donation or by filling out the Support TSANZ form. Once you have completed the form, please email TSANZOffice@thoracic.org.au.
2. Making a donation to support research
With your support, we can continue to support Australia and New Zealand’s most significant and cutting edge respiratory health research, and benefit Australians and New Zealanders suffering from lung disease.
Please CLICK HERE to make a donation or by filling out the Support TSANZ form. Once you have completed the form, please email TSANZOffice@thoracic.org.au.
3. Establishing a named award
For significant donations of above $10,000 AUD, a TSANZ award can be established in your name. Please call the TSANZ office on +61 2 9222 6200.
4. Leave TSANZ a gift in your will
If you are interested in supporting TSANZ in the future, one way to do so is to leave TSANZ a gift in your will. Any support is greatly appreciated and will leave a lasting legacy.
If interested, please notify us by ticking the box on the Support TSANZ form. Once you have completed the form, please email TSANZOffice@thoracic.org.au. Alternatively, please call the TSANZ Office on +61 2 9222 6200.
5. TSANZ New Zealand Branch Incorporated
New Zealand members are reminded that you are also able to make a tax deductible donation directly to the NZ branch. You can assist the NZ branch to provide services to members across NZ. If you make a payment via electronic funds transfer (EFT), please notify the TSANZ office so that we can arrange a receipt.
CLICK HERE to make a donation.
Thank you for your continued support of TSANZ.