Current projects in gut disorders and obesity
Project 1: The role of cow's milk allergy in gastro-oesophageal reflux in children
Infants who are allergic to the protein found in cow's milk typically suffer from feeding difficulties, feed refusal, vomiting, crying and irritability. Given that these symptoms of Cow's Milk Protein Allergy (CMPA) are similar to typical symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, they are easily overlooked and infants are regularly misdiagnosed with reflux.
To improve diagnosis outcomes, our research aims to more accurately distinguish symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux from symptoms of CMPA and measure the health effects of eliminating cow's milk protein from the infant's or mother's diet. Using a state-of-the-art diagnostic system called "intraluminal impedance monitoring", which allows us to examine activities in the oesophagus in advanced detail, we are now much better positioned to determine whether the symptoms described above are caused by gastro-oesophageal reflux or by CMPA. We hope to use our findings to innovate more rapid interventions for CMPA, which is becoming increasingly common among Australian infants.
Begun in 2010, this project involves six researchers led by Dr Taher Omari, NHMRC Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Gastroenterology at the Women's and Children's Hospital and Affiliate Senior Lecturer at the University of Adelaide. Funded by a $600,000 grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council, this research is being undertaken in collaboration with the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne and the Royal Children's Hospital in Brisbane.
Project 2: The effect of Laparoscopic Gastric Banding on stomach function in obese adolescents
Obesity in teenagers has now reached epidemic proportions in Australia. Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding (LAGB) is the current treatment of choice as it offers the advantages of adjustability and reversibility, and available evidence suggests it is successful in inducing weight loss. However there is little information about the long-term impact of this procedure on gastrointestinal function and the factors that contribute to complications, which appear to be greater in younger patients.
By comparing the oesophago-gastric status of adolescents before and after LAGB surgery, we hope to determine the effect of this procedure on oesophageal emptying and motility, gastro-oesophageal reflux, gastric emptying and gut hormone release. Importantly we hope to establish the effect of LAGB on lasting weight loss and obesity, and better predict those patients who are more likely to experience adverse effects following the procedure.
Begun in 2009, this project is taking place in collaboration with the Women's and Children's Hospital and the Flinders Medical Centre, and involves three researchers, one paediatric surgeon, one paediatric gastroenterologist and a Resident Medical Officer. The team is led by Dr Taher Omari, NHMRC Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Gastroenterology at the Women's and Children's Hospital, and Dr Sanjeev Khurana, senior gastroenterologist in the Department of Paediatric Surgery, also at the Women's and Children's Hospital.
