research

heart research

summary

Heart disease is a common cause of death in Australian children; it is associated with considerable chronic disability and is the most common reason for admission to Australian intensive care units.

The Heart Research group was established in collaboration with the Departments of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery at the Royal Children's Hospital. In 2002, the Heart Research group contributed to the launch of the Australia and New Zealand Children's Heart Research Centre, which through a series of regional projects aims to study the important problems affecting children with heart disease in our region.

The overall goal of our combined clinical and laboratory research program is to reduce the impact of heart disease on children and their families.

group leader(s)

  DMichael Cheungr Michael Cheung
   Heart Research
  Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
  Royal Children's Hospital
  Flemington Road
  Parkville Victoria 3052

   T +61 3 9345 5714
  E michael.cheung@rch.org.au

  group leader biography

current research projects

Project 1:  Cardiopulmonary function in children, early after surgery for congenital heart disease

These physiology-based studies investigate the determinants and optimisation of cardiac function, cardiac output and pulmonary vascular resistance in children who have recently undergone cardiac surgery and are still in the intensive care unit. The studies use invasive and non-invasive techniques, and have provided new insights into the pathophysiology and early postoperative care of children after cardiac surgery.

Project 2:  National australian childhood cardiomyopathy study

This multi-centre study of childhood cardiomyopathy examines the incidence, outcomes and prognostic variables for a range of childhood cardiomyopathies. Cases have been drawn from all paediatric cardiologists within Australia, as well as from adult cardiologists, paediatricians and a variety of other sources. This is the first population-based study of childhood cardiomyopathy and provides unique insights into the natural history of these conditions.

Project 3: Non-invasive assessment of arrhythmia propensity in children

These studies use non-invasive techniques to investigate the mechanisms that underlie arrhythmia genesis in children, including those with congenital heart disease.

team members

  • Julie Angerosa - RESEARCH ASSISTANT
  • Christian Brizard - HONORARY FELLOW MANAGER
  • Paul Brooks - PhD Student (UoM Paeds)
  • Vanessa Connell - Project Manager
  • Andrew Davis - HONORARY FELLOW
  • Yves D'Udekem - Senior Research Fellow
  • Hollie Gilmore - Research Coordinator
  • Nikita Gupta - PhD Student (UoM Paeds)
  • Stephen Horton - HONORARY FELLOW
  • Ajay Iyengar - PhD Student (UoM Paeds)
  • Bryn Jones - PhD Student (UoM Paeds)
  • Ingrid King - Database Manager
  • Igor Konstantinov - HONORARY FELLOW
  • Aneta Kotevski - CLINICAL RESEARCH ASSISTANT
  • Remi Kowalski - PhD Student
  • Ramona Krauss - PhD Student (UoM Paeds)
  • Norman Liaw - PhD Student (UoM Paeds)
  • Suzanne Long - Research Officer
  • Jeffrey Looi - PhD Student (UoM Paeds)
  • Jonathan Mynard - RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
  • Dan Penny - HONORARY FELLOW
  • Salvatore Pepe - Senior Research Fellow
  • Michelle Rose - Project Manager
  • Freya Sheeran - Research Officer
  • Lara Shekerdemian - Honorary Research Fellow
  • Joe Smolich - Principal Research Fellow
  • Blaise Weinrich - Research Assistant
  • Robert Weintraub - HONORARY FELLOW MANAGER
  • Mary xu - RESEARCH ADMINISTRATOR

publications

  • Berger WR., Gow RM., Kamberi S., Cheung M., Smith KR., Davis AM. The QT and corrected QT interval in recovery after exercise in children. Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology 4 : 448 - 455(2011)
  • Bohuta L., D'Udekem Y., Best D., Alexander P., Barozzi L., Butt W. Outcomes of second-run extracorporeal life support in children: A single-institution experience. ANNALS OF THORACIC SURGERY 92 (3) : 993 - 996(2011) PubMed
  • Bohuta L., Hussein A., Fricke TA., d'Udekem Y., Bennett M., Brizard C., Konstantinov IE. Surgical Repair of Truncus Arteriosus Associated With Interrupted Aortic Arch: Long-Term Outcomes. ANNALS OF THORACIC SURGERY 91 (5) : 1473 - 1478(2011) PubMed
  • Canton M., Menazza S., Sheeran FL., de Laureto PP., Di Lisa F., Pepe S. Oxidation of Myofibrillar Proteins in Human Heart Failure. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY 57 (3) : 300 - 309(2011) PubMed
  • d'Udekem Y. Aortic valve surgery in children. HEART 97 (14) : 1182 - 1189(2011) PubMed
  • d'Udekem Y., Hussin A., Xu M., Konstantinov I., Wilkinson J. Patients With Interrupted Aortic Arches and Small Aortic Annulus: A Rare Entity?. ANNALS OF THORACIC SURGERY 91 (6) : 2026 - 2026(2011) PubMed
  • Dayton JD., Richmond ME., Weintraub RG., Shipp AT., Orjuela M., Addonizio LJ. Role of immunosuppression regimen in post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder in pediatric heart transplant patients. JOURNAL OF HEART AND LUNG TRANSPLANTATION 30 (4) : 420 - 425(2011) PubMed
  • Eastaugh LJ., James PA., Phelan DG., Davis AM. Brugada syndrome caused by a large deletion in SCN5A only detected by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification. Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology 22 (9) : 1073 - 1076(2011) PubMed
  • Gilmore H., Newall F. The Experience of Parents and Children Where Children Have Been Supported with a Ventricular Assist Device as a Bridge to Heart Transplantation. PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY 32 (6) : 772 - 777(2011) PubMed
  • Horton SB., Donath S., Thuys CA., Bennett MJ., Augustin SL., Horton AM., Schultz BJ., Bottrell SJ., Konstantinov I., d'Udekem Y., Brizard C. Integrated Oxygenator FX05. ASAIO Journal 57 (6) : 522 - 526(2011) PubMed
  • Ignjatovic V., Than J., Summerhayes R., Newall F., Horton S., Cochrane A., Monagle P. Hemostatic Response in Paediatric Patients Undergoing Cardiopulmonary Bypass Surgery. PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY 32 (5) : 621 - 627(2011) PubMed
  • Ignjatovic V., Than J., Summerhayes R., Newall F., Horton S., Cochrane A., Monagle P. The Quantitative and Qualitative Responses of Platelets in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Cardiopulmonary Bypass Surgery. PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY 33 (1) : 55 - 59(2011) PubMed
  • Ip WTK., Huggins CE., Pepe S., Delbridge LMD. Evaluating RNA Preparation Options for Archived Myocardial Biopsies. HEART LUNG AND CIRCULATION 20 (5) : 329 - 331(2011) PubMed
  • Juonala M., Magnussen CG., Berenson GS., Venn A., Burns TL., Sabin MA., Srinivasan SR., Daniels SR., Davis PH., Chen W., Sun C., Cheung M., Viikari JSA., Dwyer T., Raitakari OT. Childhood Adiposity, Adult Adiposity, and Cardiovascular Risk Factors. NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE 365 (20) : 1876 - 1885(2011)
  • Liava'a M., Brooks P., Konstantinov I., Brizard C., d'Udekem Y. Changing trends in the management of pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum: the Melbourne experience. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CARDIO-THORACIC SURGERY 40 (6) : 1406 - 1411(2011) PubMed
  • Monagle P., Cochrane A., Roberts R., Manlhiot C., Weintraub R., Szechtman B., Hughes M., Andrew M., McCrindle BW. A Multicenter, Randomized Trial Comparing Heparin/Warfarin and Acetylsalicylic Acid as Primary Thromboprophylaxis for 2 Years After the Fontan Procedure in Children. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY 58 (6) : 645 - 651(2011) PubMed
  • Oka N., Brizard CP., Liava'a M., d'Udekem Y. Absorbable pulmonary arterial banding: An optimal strategy for muscular or residual ventricular septal defects. JOURNAL OF THORACIC AND CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY 141 (4) : 1081 - 1082(2011) PubMed
  • Penny DJ., Vick GW. Ventricular septal defect. LANCET 377 (9771) : 1103 - 1112(2011) PubMed
  • Rose M., Strange G., King I., Arnup S., Vidmar S., Kermeen F., Grigg L., Weintraub R., Celermajer D. Congenital Heart Disease Associated Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Preliminary Results From a Novel Registry. Internal Medicine Journal (2011) PubMed
  • Setyapranata S., Brizard CP., Konstantinov IE., Iyengar A., Cheung M., d'Udekem Y. Should we always plan a Fontan completion after a Kawashima procedure?. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CARDIO-THORACIC SURGERY 40 (4) : 1011 - 1015(2011) PubMed
  • Smolich JJ., Mynard JP., Penny DJ. Pulmonary trunk, ductus arteriosus, and pulmonary arterial phasic blood flow interactions during systole and diastole in the fetus. JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY 110 (5) : 1362 - 1373(2011) PubMed
  • Soszyn N., Fricke TA., Wheaton GR., Ramsay JM., d'Udekem Y., Brizard CP., Konstantinov IE. Outcomes of the Arterial Switch Operation in Patients With Taussig-Bing Anomaly. ANNALS OF THORACIC SURGERY 92 (2) : 673 - 679(2011) PubMed
  • Weintraub RG., Nugent AW., Davis A., King I., Bharucha T., Daubeney PEF. Presentation, echocardiographic findings and long-term outcomes in children with familil dilated cardiomyopathy. Progress In Pediatric Cardiology 31 (2) : 119 - 122(2011)
  • Wilkinson JD., Zebrowski JP., Hunter JA., Menah GA., Ezati M., Forouzanfar MH., Colan SD., Towbin JA., Hsu DT., Mocumbo AO., Canter CE., Weintraub RG., Burch M., Lipshultz SE. Assessing the global and regional impact of primary cardiomyopathies: the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Fctors (GBD 2010) study. Progress In Pediatric Cardiology 32 (1) : 55 - 63(2011)
  • Yong MS., d'Udekem Y., Robertson T., Horton S., Dronavalli M., Brizard C., Weintraub R., Shann F., Cheung M., Konstantinov IE. Outcomes of Surgery for Simple Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Drainage in Neonates. ANNALS OF THORACIC SURGERY 91 (6) : 1921 - 1927(2011) PubMed
  • Yung M., Slater A., Festa M., Williams G., Erickson S., Pettila V., Alexander J., Howe BD., Shekerdemian LS. Pandemic H1N1 in Children Requiring Intensive Care in Australia and New Zealand During Winter 2009. PEDIATRICS 127 (1) (2011) PubMed