Welcome to the May 2008 issue.
In this issue:
MiG
trial published
…from The University of Adelaide media release
14/5/2008…
An alternative treatment to insulin
injections for pregnant women with gestational diabetes has been shown
as safe and effective in a new trial led by researchers in Adelaide and
Auckland.
A clinical trial of 751 women with
gestational diabetes in Australia and New Zealand compared two
treatments: insulin injections, and the oral anti-diabetic drug
metformin. The results of the trial, published in The New England
Journal of Medicine, show that the babies of mothers treated with
metformin were no different from the babies of mothers treated with
insulin alone, either at birth or at 6-8 weeks of age.
NEW TRIALS REGISTERED
Effect of different diets on gestational diabetes.
Can a low glycemic index (GI) diet during pregnancy reduce
prevalence of large for gestation age (LGA) amongst gravidas with
gestational diabetes (GDM)? – a randomized, controlled trial.
ACTRN12608000218392
Not yet recruiting
The MAP study
A double-blind randomised controlled trial of FENO guided asthma
therapy and clinical guideline guided asthma therapy in pregnant women
with asthma to reduce asthma exacerbations
ACTRN12607000561482
Currently recruiting
MANGO: a randomised controlled trial of caseload midwifery
NHMRC funded
Aiming to start recruitment mid 2008
Preventing excess weight gain and gestational diabetes in
overweight and obese pregnancies
ACTRN12608000233325
Not yet recruiting
UPCOMING WOMBAT WORKSHOPS
Women's and babies’ health and wellbeing - improving outcomes.
Agnes Walsh House, King Edward Memorial Hospital, Subiaco, WA
Participants will focus on an important question in
maternal or perinatal healthcare. Working in small groups they will
examine how this question could be addressed using the clinical trial
research framework. The workshop will cover important issues in the
design and conduct of clinical trials. Including: getting the question
right, determining the sample size and ethical considerations.
Please note: This Perth workshop has been moved to late May or early
June (exact dates to be advised).
To register your interest (essential), please contact:
Claire Parker on: +61 8 9340 1369;
cparker@obsgyn.uwa.edu.au
or Jo Blacker on: +61 89340 7003;
joanne.blacker@health.wa.gov.au
or
Rebecca Tooher on: +61 8 8161 7660;
rebecca.tooher@adelaide.edu.au
Data Monitoring Committees – roles and
responsibilities, membership, skill mix and common issues encountered.
Are you interested in this or another topic related to
improving the quality of maternal and perinatal RCTs?
The WOMBAT Collaboration will run a workshop in November 2008 in
Melbourne to help triallists address issues relating to monitoring
progress of trials, including discussions about independence of DMC
membership, should there be funding for DMCs, and action based problem
solving of clinical issues that might arise in your trial.
Contact any of the following people if you would like to register your
interest in attending this workshop, or for more information:
Caroline Crowther:
caroline.crowther@adelaide.edu.au
Philippa Middleton:
philippa.middleton@adelaide.edu.au
Lex Doyle:
lex.doyle@rwh.org.au
Michelle Kealy:
m.kealy@latrobe.edu.au
Rebecca Tooher:
rebecca.tooher@adelaide.edu.au
Other workshops,
meetings and conferences relevant to maternal and perinatal health
Australian meetings
The Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine
(DEPM) at Monash University offers a short course program specialising
in public health and clinical research introductions, updates and
certificates. Some short courses are accredited as units in existing
courses.
For details, venue, fees and
registration see
http://www.med.monash.edu.au/epidemiology/shortcrs/
Enquiries can be made to:
Suzy Giuliano
Email
shortcrs@med.monash.edu.au
Tel +61 3 9903 0555
Fax +61 3 9903 0181.
All courses are eligible for RACGP QA&CPD Program for Category 1 and 2
points. Attendance earns CNE points as part of the RCNA Life Long
Learning Program (Australia and New Zealand).
The courses coming up in May and June are:
Monday May 26, 9am-5pm Common Problems in Clinical Research
Tuesday May 27 Ethics and Good Research Practice
Mon-Fri Jun 2-6 Research with Vulnerable Populations
Twilight forum: Evaluation in Maternity Care.
Presented by Dr Delwyn Goodrick, 5-7pm 4 June 2008.
RANZCOG 254-260 Albert St East Melbourne.
For information and registration contact:
Catherine Chamberlain
catherine.chamberlain@southernhealth.org.au
or ph 95947734.
CenteringPregnancy® workshop 7 & 8 July 2008
The UTS Centre for Midwifery, Child and Family Health
has developed an array of initiatives to assist with contemporary
developments in antenatal care provision in both rural and urban
settings. A range of consultancies and workshops are offered that can
be designed to meet the individual needs of maternity services and
practitioners. The first two workshops in 2008 were held in March and
were popular and very successful.
Additional workshops are now available on 7 and 8 July 2008. One of
these workshops will provide an update in the skills and knowledge for
antenatal care provision and the second will be an introduction to the
CenteringPregnancy® model of care.
Campus: City - Broadway
Building: CB10, Level 7, Room 114
Contact: Priya Nair
Email: Priya.Nair@uts.edu.au
Phone:+61 2 9514 4834
Numbers are limited - registration will close on 30 June 2008 or when
the maximum number of attendees have registered; whichever comes
first.
International meetings
28th International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) Triennial
Congress
June 1-5, Glasgow, UK.
For further information:
www.midwives2008.org
Perinatal Medicine 2008
The Executives of the British Maternal and Fetal Medicine Society
(BMFMS), British Association of Perinatal Medicine (BAPM), the
Neonatal Society (NNS) and the Neonatal Nurses Association (NNA) would
like to invite its members and colleagues to attend this Joint
Conference.
June 2-4 Harrogate, UK.
Further information:
http://www.perinatalmedicine2008.ukevents.org/default.htm
Fetal and Neonatal Physiological Society 35th Annual Meeting
June 22–25, Maastricht, Netherlands.
For more information:
http://www.fnps-society.org
International Lactation Consultants’ Association (ILCA)/USLCA
Conference and Annual Meeting
"One Voice, Uniting the Profession - Practice, Professionalism,
Policy"
July 23-27, 2008 Nevada, USA
For more information:
www.ilca.org/conf2008.html
28TH Annual Society for Reproductive and Infant Psychology (SRIP)
Conference, London, England
8-10th September 2008.
For further information:
http://www.srip.ac.uk/
European Lactation Consultants' Association (VELB) “A World Wide
View on Breastfeeding”
October 1-3 2008 Austria Center, Vienna, Austria
Information: www.velb.org or
www.ilca.org
2008 International Stillbirth Conference
A joint conference of ISA and WHO hosted by the Norwegian Society
of Perinatal Medicine. Co-hosted by Norwegian SIDS and Stillbirth
Society and Perinatal Research Center, Rikshospitalet University
Clinic
November 5-7, Oslo, Norway
Go to:
http://www.stillbirthalliance.org/conference/2008/ for more
information and to submit your abstracts electronically (open from
March 15)
Advance notice: 2009
International normal birth research conference in Grange over Sands
June 10-12th 2009.
For further information, contact:
Soo Downe
email: sdowne@UCLAN.AC.UK
The 9th World Congress of Perinatal Medicine in Berlin, Germany
October 24-28, 2009.
For further information: www.wcpm9.org
Other related courses, seminars and meetings
The Australasian Cochrane Centre is running the following
trainings:
New Cochrane Handbook and Methods & RevMan 5 for existing Authors,
June 10, Melbourne
Developing a Protocol for a Systematic Review Workshop & Introduction
to analysis Workshop (12-13 June 2008)
For Further information:
http://www.cochrane.org.au/training/timetable.php
Professional Grant Proposal Writing Workshop
(1) Fundamentals of Program Planning
(2) Professional Grant Writing
(3) Grant Research
Registration
$997.00 USD tuition includes all materials and certificates.
The Grant Institute
Grants 101: Professional Grant Proposal Writing Workshop will be held
at the University of Technology, Sydney June 23 - 25, 2008 8:00 AM -
5:00 PM Complete the online registration form at
www.thegrantinstitute.com
under Register Now. We'll send your confirmation by e-mail.
Systematic Reviews Courses
Continuing Professional Development Centre, University of Oxford
Dates: 28, 29 May, 2, 3, 4 June 2008
Courses will also be offered in October and in 2009
Fees: £1650 (in 2008)
For further information:
www.conted.ox.ac.uk/cpd or email:
cpdhealth@conted.ox.ac.uk
Introduction to Statistics for Clinical Trials
6-7 October 2008
Introduction to the Design & Conduct of Clinical Trials
8-10 October 2008
The York Trials Unit, University of York, U.K.
The aim of our courses is to equip participants with the basic skills
and knowledge for the design, conduct and analysis of randomised
controlled trials. The courses should be of interest to nurses,
doctors and allied health professionals who are interested in rigorous
evaluation of healthcare interventions.
*Registration fees on or before 1 August 2008*
Introduction to Statistics for Clinical Trials and Introduction to the
Design & Conduct of Clinical Trials - £730
Or Introduction to Statistics for Clinical Trials - £290
Or Introduction to the Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials - £490
Please contact the Course Administrator for more details. Sue Collins
01904 321727 email address
sc27@york.ac.uk
Or for more information:
http://news.cochrane.org/view/item/review_one.jsp?j=1108
General Practice & Primary Health Care Research Conference
June 4-6, Hobart.
For further information:
www.phcris.org.au/conference/2008/?promoid=131
Trial Updates
PPROMT Collaborator’s Meeting
The PPROMT collaborator’s Meeting will be held at the University
of Sydney on Thurs 26th – Friday 27th June 2008.
The PPROMT recruitment currently stands at 375, with Gosford Hospital
being the best new recruiter this month!
For Further Information:
Call Kate Levett on: 02 9926 6541
Or email:
ppromt@med.usyd.edu.au
Trials requiring more centres & more recruits
BOOST II: Benefits of Oxygen Saturation Targeting Study
If you would like more information on becoming involved in this trial:
visit perinatal trials page or email
boost2@ctc.usyd.edu.au
PROGRESS Trial: Progesterone after previous preterm birth for the
prevention of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome
If you would like more information on becoming involved in this trial:
visit perinatal trials page or email
progress@adelaide.edu.au
PPROMT Trial: Preterm Pre-Labour Rupture of Membranes Close to Term
Trial
If you would like
more information on becoming involved in this trial:
visit perinatal trials page or email
ppromt@med.usyd.edu.au
TWINS: Timing of Birth at Term – a randomised controlled trial (ACTOBAT)
If you would like
more information on becoming involved in this trial:
visit perinatal trials page or
http://www.health.adelaide.edu.au/og/research/mpctu.html or email
twins@adelaide.edu.au
NEW TRIAL PUBLICATIONS
Rowan JA, Hague WM, Wanzhen G, Battin MR, Moore MP for the MiG Trial
Investigators. Metformin versus insulin for the treatment of
gestational diabetes. New England Journal of Medicine
2008;358(19):2003-15
Makrides M, Gibson
RA, Collins CT, McPhee AJ, Ryan P, Davis PG, Doyle LW, Simmer K,
French N, Morris S, Colditz P, Wilson K, Best K. Does high-dose DHA
improve neurodevelopment of preterm infants? DINO trial outcomes
[abstract]. PSANZ PL8. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health
2008;44:A3
Wilkinson CS,
Turnbull DA, Wilson HJ, Khuzikatil VL, Thomas JT. Outpatient cervical
priming for induction of labour: a mixed methods investigation to
establish the need for and acceptability of a randomised controlled
trial [PSANZ 2008 abstract]. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health
2008;44:A54
Buckmaster AG,
Arnolda G, Wright IM, Foster JP, Henderson-Smart DJ. Continuous
positive airway pressure therapy for infants with respiratory distress
in non tertiary care centres: a randomized, controlled trial.
Pediatrics 2007;120(3):509-18
NEW FROM COCHRANE LIBRARY ISSUE 2, 2008
NEONATAL
New Reviews
1. Allopurinol for preventing mortality and morbidity in newborn infants with
suspected hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy - Chaudhari T, McGuire W
2. Surfactant for pulmonary hemorrhage in neonates - Aziz A, Ohlsson A
Review Updates
1. Continuous heparin infusion to prevent thrombosis and catheter occlusion in
neonates with peripherally placed percutaneous central venous catheters - Shah
PS, Shah VS
2. Continuous nasogastric milk feeding versus intermittent bolus milk feeding
for premature infants less than 1500 grams - Premji SS, Chessell L
3. Delayed introduction of progressive enteral feeds to prevent necrotising
enterocolitis in very low birth weight infants - Bombell S, McGuire W
4. Early discharge with home support of gavage feeding for stable preterm
infants who have not established full oral feeds - Collins CT, Makrides M,
McPhee AJ
5. Extubation from low-rate intermittent positive airway pressure versus
extubation after a trial of endotracheal continuous positive airway pressure
in intubated preterm infants - Davis PG, Henderson-Smart DJ
6. Nasal continuous positive airway pressure immediately after extubation for
preventing morbidity in preterm infants - Davis PG, Henderson-Smart DJ
7. Nasal versus oral route for placing feeding tubes in preterm or low birth
weight infants - Hawes J, McEwan P, McGuire W
8. Slow advancement of enteral feed volumes to prevent necrotising
enterocolitis in very low birth weight infants - McGuire W, Bombell S
9. Thyroid hormone supplementation for the prevention of morbidity and
mortality in infants undergoing cardiac surgery - Dimmick SJ, Badawi N,
Randell T
New Protocols
1. High versus standard protein content of human milk fortifier for promoting
growth and neurological development in preterm infants - Miller J, Makrides M,
Collins CT
2. Oral lactoferrin for the prevention of sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis
in premature infants - Mohan P, Abrams SA
3. Oral lactoferrin for the treatment of sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis
in neonates - Mohan P, Abrams SA
PREGNANCY AND
CHILDBIRTH
New reviews
Antenatal lower
genital tract infection screening and treatment programs for preventing
preterm delivery (Ussanee Swadpanich, Pisake Lumbiganon, Witoon
Prasertcharoensook, Malinee Laopaiboon)
Dietary advice in
pregnancy for preventing gestational diabetes mellitus (Joanna Tieu, Caroline
A Crowther, Philippa Middleton)
Effect of timing of
umbilical cord clamping of term infants on maternal and neonatal outcomes (Sue
McDonald, Philippa Middleton)
Updated reviews
(1) Acupunture for induction of labour (Caroline A Smith, Caroline A Crowther)
(2) Maternal nutrient supplementation for suspected impaired fetal growth (Lale
Say, A Metin Gulmezoglu, G Justus Hofmeyr)
(3) Progestogen for preventing miscarriage (David M Haas, Patrick S Ramsey)
(4) Routine perineal shaving on admission in labour (Vittorio Basevi, Tina
Lavender)
(5) Therapeutic ultrasound for postpartum perineal pain and dyspareunia (Jean
Hay-Smith)
(6) Treatments for secondary postpartum haemorrhage (Jo Alexander, Peter W
Thomas, Jill Sanghera)
New protocols
Alternative
strategies for diagnosing gestational diabetes mellitus to improve maternal
and infant health (Diane Farrar, Lelia Duley, Debbie A Lawlor)
Calcium
supplementation (other than for preventing or treating hypertension) for
improving pregnancy and infant outcomes (Pranom Buppasiri, Pisake Lumbiganon,
Jadsada Thinkhamrop, Chetta Ngamjarus)
Interventions for
heartburn in pregnancy (James P Neilson, Therese Dowswell)
Interventions for
preventing excessive weight gain during pregnancy (Benja Muktabhant, Pisake
Lumbiganon, Chetta Ngamjarus)
Oxytocin versus
placebo or no treatment for slow progress in the first stage of spontaneous
labour (George J Bugg, Farah Siddiqui, Jim G Thornton)
Regimens of fetal
surveillance for impaired fetal growth (Rosalie M Grivell, Lufee Wong, Vineesh
Bhatia)
Techniques of
intrauterine fetal transfusion for women with red-cell isoimmunisation for
improving health outcomes (Jodie M Dodd, Rory C Windrim, Inge L van Kamp)
Tocolytics for
preterm premature rupture of membranes (Jolene Seibel-Seamon, Vincenzo Berghella,
Jason Baxter, Jacqueline Grimes-Dennis)
Ultrasound for fetal
assessment in early pregnancy (Melissa Whitworth, Leanne Bricker, James P
Neilson)
Updated protocol
(1) Planned early birth versus expectant management for women with preterm
prelabour rupture of membranes at 34 to 37 weeks' gestation for improving
pregnancy outcomes (Sarah L Buchanan, Caroline A Crowther, Kate M Levett,
Philippa Middleton, Jonathan Morris)
Withdrawn protocol
(1) Interventions for preventing and treating nipple pain in breastfeeding
mothers
Further Information
For more information on WOMBAT
initiatives, please contact the WOMBAT Collaboration national
co-ordinator:
p.middleton@WOMBATcollaboration.net
The WOMBAT Collaboration is funded through a NHMRC enabling grant.
