Kidney disease, child road injury and back pain projects among NHMRC grants for the Institute
The Institute has been awarded funding for seven projects in the latest round of NHMRC project grants to be announced - including funding for work on kidney disease, child road injury and back pain treatments.
$1.2million for kidney disease research
The Institute will receive over $1.2million for a trial to test the outcomes of increasing the duration of dialysis treatments for people with kidney disease. The trial aims to assess whether increased duration of dialysis improves life expectancy and quality of life for affected patients. The Institute was also awarded $100K to conduct a definitive analysis into a controversial aspect of the treatment of kidney disease-related anaemia.
$700K for child road injury research
Despite overwhelming evidence that child restraints dramatically reduce the risk of death and injury there are currently a large number of children globally who either do not use appropriate child restraints, or misuse them, contributing to the overwhelming burden of road traffic injury in children. The Institute received a sizable NHMRC project grant to support a project that will use rigorous methodology to assess the efficacy of feasible, evidence based interventions aimed at increased use of appropriate restraints, and decreasing misuse.
$800K to improve long-term functioning and prevent falls after hip fracture
Up to 20,000 older Australians suffer hip fractures each year. Many people don't fully recover. The Institute has been awarded funding to trial a self-management training program which incorporates individualised exercise prescription. This novel program is designed for people who have completed usual treatment and rehabilitation for hip fracture. The Institute will conduct a well-designed randomised controlled trial to test the effects of this program on disability, falls and hospital re-admissions and to assess its cost-effectiveness.
$600K for the first placebo-controlled trial of paracetamol for back pain
Each year in Australia over $1billion is spent on treatments for low back pain yet, despite this expenditure, symptoms persist in about 10% of patients. An important approach to solving this problem is to evaluate back pain treatments that are readily available, safe, cheap and effective. Previous work by Institute researchers suggests that regular paracetamol may be such a treatment. The Institute has been awarded $600K to conduct the first ever placebo-controlled trial of paracetamol for acute low back pain in a large clinical trial.
$600K for a promising new treatment for chronic whiplash
Following a whiplash injury about one third of people develop persisting pain and disability i.e. chronic whiplash. In a series of pilot trials Institute researchers have developed a new physiotherapy treatment for chronic whiplash. Initial results are very promising. The Institute has now been awarded $600K to definitively establish the effectiveness of this new treatment in a large clinical trial. At the same time researchers will evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the treatment.
$180K to investigate the causes of debilitating muscle contractures
Muscle contracture - abnormal stiffening of muscles - is common in many conditions, including stroke, spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis. Contractures can be very disabling. The mechanisms of muscle contracture are poorly understood. This Institute has been awarded an NHMRC project grant to gain an understanding of the mechanical causes of contractures of calf muscles in people with stroke, spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis.