The European Association for the Study of the Liver, one of the top Hepatology Societies in the world, has awarded Dr Natalie Ngu with a Young Investigator Bursary.
Dr Ngu has been awarded for her LivR Well study, as part of the Monash Health Emerging Researcher Fellowship Program in 2021.
The bursary is awarded to the top 200 abstracts submitted by Investigators aged 35 and below to the International Liver Conference, to be held in London June 2022. This bursary provides early recognition of the potential translational impact of the LivR Well intervention.
LivR Well is a feasibility study for a home-based, multidisciplinary liver optimisation program for the first 28 days after an admission for acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF).
The current statistics for ACLF is a 28-day mortality rate of 33.9%, and a 30% 30-day re-admission rate. Participants in the LivR Well study received weekly medical reviews and oral nutritional supplementation. Home nursing visits, and consultations from dietitians, physiotherapists, pharmacists, social workers, and neuropsychiatrists were also provided.
At the end of the LivR Well study, the 28-day mortality rate was 3% and the 30-day readmission rate was 16%. The LivR Well study cost $4,947 compared to $16,197 for an inpatient ACLF admission. It was deemed safe, feasible, acceptable and cost-efficient.
The study team now plans to conduct a randomised controlled trial of the LivR Well study, compared to standard care, to further evaluate cost-effectiveness and clinical impact on re-admission and mortality.
2022 Monash Health Emerging Researcher Fellowship program
Applications for the Monash Health 2022 Emerging Researcher Fellowships are now open and close Tuesday 17 May.
The Monash Health Emerging Researcher Fellowship program invests in high performing, early-career individuals interested in a research career.
Open for all employees in health-related disciplines including Allied Health, Medicine and Nursing, the program provides career development opportunities and some salary support for those who do not have a proven record of research.
For more information about the Emerging Researcher Fellowship Program and to read the profiles of the 2021 Fellows, visit the Monash Health website.
Featured Image: LivR Well Multidisciplinary Team.
Approved by Dr Anand Ponniraivan.