Counties Manukau DHB patients to benefit from HRC funding

EMBARGOED – Wednesday 20 July 2011

Media Release

Counties Manukau DHB patients to benefit from HRC funding

The Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) has today announced a $74.56 million funding investment into health research, including two projects which will be conducted by researchers in the Counties Manukau District Health Board’s (DHB) Centre for Clinical Research and Effective Practice.

Dr Mark Marshall has been awarded funding of $1.17M over three years to research a cost-free intervention, which could potentially improve cardiovascular outcomes for patients undertaking home haemodialysis.

Haemodialysis is a common and relatively inexpensive form of dialysis in New Zealand that generally provides good quality of life. However, survival is still poor compared to the general population and 67 per cent of patients die from cardiovascular disease. The Sodium Lowering In Dialysate (SOLID) Study will evaluate a cost-free intervention which involves reducing salt administration during routine dialysis.

Earlier research undertaken in South Auckland showed that this simple measure reduces blood pressure. The SOLID Trial tests whether this measure also improves cardiac structure and function, since this would in turn reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death.

If the intervention works, it could become the standard practice both locally and globally as it would improve survival for all dialysis patients, and especially those undergoing home haemodialysis. Remarkably, the intervention may be one of the few in medicine to provide health benefits at no added cost.

Dr Conroy Wong has been awarded $1.19M over three years for research into medication which may improve the efficacy of treatment for bronchiectasis.

Bronchiectasis is a chronic, debilitating disease characterised by productive cough, varying degrees of airflow obstruction and repeated respiratory infections. Currently the evidence for the efficacy of any treatment for this disease is weak and evidence-based treatments are urgently needed.

“The high prevalence of bronchiectasis in New Zealand presents an unparalleled opportunity for Counties Manukau DHB researchers to undertake this study,” says HRC Chief Executive, Dr Robin Olds.

Tiotropium is a once daily inhaled medication that provides greater than 24-hour improvements in airflow and is highly effective in the treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Bronchiectasis has similar clinical and inflammatory features to COPD. The aim of this study is to assess whether tiotropium also has a beneficial effect in patients with bronchiectasis who have airflow obstruction.

The benefits to patients are expected to include improved respiratory and general health, fewer exacerbations, improved quality of life, improved exercise capacity and lung function, and reduced acute healthcare utilisation and costs.

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