Welcome to the November Edition of #TALK.Research

Kia ora koutou

The advent of the GLP-I, GIP and glucagon receptor agonists has the potential to change the medical world and the effects of obesity. This should lead to a reduction in the sequalae of chronic obesity including cardiovascular, diabetes and renal disease.

This will not only impact the medical world but also the research ecosystem as we attempt to bring such game changing technology to the communities of Counties Manukau and Te Tai Tokerau and support researchers in their quest to make such therapies available.

Our spotlight this month is on Rheumatology - an area of unmet need where autoimmune disorders contribute to a considerable burden in both communities. More research is needed in immune modulating medicines that potentially change the impact of these diseases in our communities.

We welcome and offer our support to staff at both Middlemore and Whangarei Hospitals who want to be involved in partnering with us in providing future treatment options for patients and the people who care for them.

Ka kite anō

Dr Edward Watson

CEO
Aotearoa Clinical Trials

What’s In This Issue:

• Understanding Rheumatology: A focus on gout and rheumatoid arthritis

• ACTT Update and Trial News

• Recent Publications by CMH Investigators

• Trials Starting at ACTT and Trial Statistics

Understanding Rheumatology:
A focus on gout and rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatology, focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases that affect the joints, muscles, and bones, often characterized by inflammation and pain. In the diverse array of rheumatological conditions, gout and rheumatoid arthritis stand out for their prevalence and impact.

Gout is a form of arthritis distinguished by its sudden and severe attacks of pain, swelling, redness, and tenderness in the joints, often manifesting in the big toe. These are caused by elevated levels of uric acid in the blood, leading to the formation of urate crystals in joints and surrounding tissues. These crystals trigger intense inflammatory responses, causing the acute and often debilitating symptoms of a gout attack. Diet and lifestyle play significant roles in managing gout, alongside medications that reduce uric acid levels or alleviate inflammation.

ACTT’s Clinical Trial Coordinator, Louise Stubbing, with Rheumatologist Dr Mark Sapsford, running a phase 3 study to investigate the use of tigulixostat in patients with gout.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), on the other hand, is a chronic autoimmune disorder. It primarily attacks the synovial tissue lining the joints, leading to inflammation, swelling, pain, and eventually joint deformity. RA often affects multiple joints symmetrically and can also have systemic effects on organs outside the joints.

The aetiology of RA involves a complex interplay of genetic, environmental, and immunological factors, making its management a challenge that often requires a combination of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical approaches.

ACTT’s Clinical Trial Coordinator, Indu Muniraj, with Rheumatologists Dr Mark Sapsford and Dr Sunil Kumar, will investigate a medical food product that utilises a combination of a prebiotic and a probiotic, in patients newly diagnosed with RA.

ACTT Update

Send your study submissions here:

ACTT News Highlights

Recent Publications

Herath, S., Wong, C., Dawkins, P., Veale, A., Yap, E., Williamson, J., Low, I.,Mahajan, H., Prvan, T., Barnard, S.,Hawkins, S., Cookson, D., Singh, T.,& Ing, A. (2023). Cryobiopsy with radial-endobronchial ultrasound(Cryo-Radial) has comparable diagnostic yield with higher safety in comparison to computed tomography-guided transthoracic biopsy for peripheral pulmonary lesions: An exploratory randomised study. Intern Med J, 53(8), 1390-1399. https://doi.org/10.1111/imj.15833

Docherty, K. F., McMurray, J. J. V., Diaz, R., Felker, G.M., Metra, M., Solomon, S. D., Adams, K. F., Böhm, M., Brinkley, D. M.,Echeverria, L. E., Goudev, A. R., Howlett, J. G., Lund, M., Ponikowski, P., Yilmaz, M. B., Zannad, F., Claggett, B.L., Miao, Z. M., Abbasi, S. A., Divanji, P., Heitner, S. B., Kupfer, S., Malik,F. I., & Teerlink, J. R. (2023). The Effect of Omecamtiv Mecarbil in Hospitalized Patients as Compared With Outpatients With HFrEF: An Analysis of GALACTIC-HF. J Card Fail. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cardfail.2023.08.020

Watts, G. F., Schwabe, C., Scott, R., Gladding, P. A.,Sullivan, D., Baker, J., Clifton,P., Hamilton, J., Given, B., Melquist, S., Zhou, R., Chang, T., San Martin, J.,Gaudet, D., Goldberg, I. J., Knowles, J. W., Hegele, R. A., & Ballantyne,C. M. (2023). RNA interference targeting ANGPTL3 for triglyceride and cholesterol lowering: phase 1 basket trial cohorts. Nat Med, 29(9), 2216-2223.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02494-2

de Kretser, D., Mora, J., Bloomfield, M., Campbell, A., Cheng, M. P., Guy, S., Hensgens, M.,Kalimuddin, S., Lee, T. C., Legg, A., Mahar, R. K., Marks, M., Marsh, J.,McGlothlin, A., Morpeth, S. C., Sud,A., Ten Oever, J., Yahav, D., Tong, S. Y., Davis, J. S., Walls, G., Goodman, A. L., Bonten, M., & Staphylococcus aureus Network Adaptive Platform (SNAP) Study Group members. (2023). Early oral antibiotic switch in Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia: The Staphylococcus aureus Network Adaptive Platform (SNAP) Trial Early Oral Switch Protocol. Clin Infect Dis. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciad666

Pabon, M., Cunningham, J., Claggett, B., Felker,G. M., McMurray, J. J. V., Metra, M., Diaz, R., Wang, X., Arias-Mendoza, A.,Bonderman, D., Crespo-Leiro, M., Fonseca, C., Goncalvesova, E., Lund, M., O'Meara, E., Sliwa-Hahnle,K., Malik, F. I., Solomon, S. D., Teerlink, J. R., & GALACTIC-HFInvestigators. (2023). Sex Differences in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction in the GALACTIC-HF Trial. JACC: Heart Failure. Advance online publication.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jchf.2023.07.029

Franklin,D., Babl, F. E., George, S., Oakley, E., Borland, M. L., Neutze, J., Acworth, J., Craig,S., Jones, M., Gannon, B., Shellshear, D., McCay, H., Wallace, A., Hoeppner,T., Wildman, M., Mattes, J., Pham, T. M. T., Miller, L., Williams, A., O'Brien,S., Lawrence, S... . Schibler, A. (2023). Effect of Early High-Flow Nasal Oxygen vs StandardOxygen Therapy on Length of Hospital Stay in Hospitalized Children With AcuteHypoxemic Respiratory Failure: The PARIS-2 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA, 329(3), 224-234.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2022.21805

Interested in Applying for Funding?

A range of grant funding opportunities are available for research projects. If you are interested in applying or not sure which grant is right for you, please email the Grants Team.

Trials starting at ACTT

List of upcoming trials that are planned to start recruitment in the next three months:

To learn more about the trials we are undertaking at Middlemore Hospital and Whangārei Hospital, please visit our website to see what trials and what disease areas we are currently working on.
 

Together through research we can improve the lives of many of the patients in Counties Manukau and Te Tai Tokerau.

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