HRC funding will help improve outcomes for mothers and vulnerable babies

The Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Health Minister Tony Ryall this week announced the results of the Health Research Council of NZ (HRC) 2014 funding round. Of the 50 new projects funded, four were awarded to two researchers at the Liggins Institute.

Professor Frank Bloomfield will receive $1.2 m over five years for a randomised, controlled, multicentre clinical trial aimed at improving developmental outcomes for babies born weighing less than 1,000 grams. Professor Bloomfield says that providing adequate nutrition (particularly protein) to these very small babies during the first week after birth is extremely challenging.

“Consequently, the majority of extremely low birth-weight babies have faltering postnatal growth which, in turn, is associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes,” he said.

The ProVIDe trial will investigate whether an additional gram of intravenous protein per day for five days after birth will improve the babies’ chances of surviving free of neurodisability at two years of age.

Professor Crowther was awarded approximately $1.2 m for each of three projects that will run over three and four years. Two of the projects will focus on providing better information for diagnosing, managing and treating women with gestational diabetes (GDM).

GDM is a significant health problem in New Zealand, affecting one in every 12 pregnant women each year. It has a major negative impact on the health of the mothers and their babies, which may continue throughout their lives. Professor Crowther says that currently there is no consensus as to the concentration of blood glucose needed to diagnose GDM, or to indicate when treatment will be beneficial, due to a lack of high quality evidence. The GEMS trial will try to answer this.

The TARGET randomised trial will compare pregnancy outcomes for two groups of women: one group managed using the current blood glucose target levels and another subject to more stringent targets for treatment. In particular, they will assess whether tighter control reduces the risk of infants being born large for gestational age – an outcome that is strongly associated with early and later-life health problems.

“These trials will determine which criteria for diagnosis and treatment are best for the health of mothers and babies and which are more cost effective, thereby providing the necessary information to guide clinical practice and policy in New Zealand, with relevance for global practice.” said Professor Crowther.

Professor Crowther’s third project will assess the potential for magnesium sulphate administered to women before preterm birth, between 30 and 34 weeks’ gestation, to reduce the risk of infant brain injury. Previous trials have shown that administration at or before 30 weeks has a protective effect with fewer babies dying or developing cerebral palsy. The project will also investigate the currently unknown mechanism through which magnesium exerts this effect using Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Liggins Institute Research Director, Professor David Cameron-Smith congratulated both investigators on their achievement in the highly competitive funding round. He noted that Professor Crowther had had spectacular success in having all three of the projects she submitted funded.