Obesity, Diabetes, Endocrinology & Bone Density
The relationship between abdominal aortic calcification and its progression and bone loss in middle aged and older men.
Supervisors: A/Prof Robin Daly and Prof Peter Ebeling
Location: Department of Medicine Western Hospital.
Contact: A/Prof Robin Daly 8345 6924, Email: rdaly@unimelb.edu.au
Atherosclerosis and osteoporosis are two multi-factorial and degenerative diseases that often coexist in many older adults. While there is evidence for a shared pathogenesis between osteoporosis and atherosclerosis, few studies have been conducted in older men. The aim of this research study is to investigate the relationship between computed tomography and DXA measures of abdominal aortic calcification and its progressive on bone density and strength (and the associated age-related changes) in middle aged and older men. A secondary aim is to investigate the key determinants of the progressive of calcification and bone loss, including the influence of cardiovascular risk factors (cholesterol and lipids), body composition, diet, exercise and inflammation.
This project will use existing data from an 18-month exercise and calcium-vitamin D randomized controlled trial in 180 men aged 50 to 79 years. In this project the student will be required to assess abdominal aortic calcification from computed tomography and DXA scans. This project will also offer students a unique opportunity to develop skills in handling and analyzing longitudinal data.
Correlation of vitamin D concentrations with measures of fat mass and insulin sensitivity in normal and obese subjects.
Supervisors: Prof P R Ebeling, Dr Claudia Gagnon
Location: Department of Medicine Western Hospital.
Contacts details: 8345 6429, Email: peterre@unimelb.edu.au;
The research study aims to correlate serum vitamin D concentrations with measures of fat mass and insulin sensitivity in normal and obese subjects, and obese patients with type 2 diabetes. This research project consists of recruiting subjects with normal BMIs and normal glucose tolerance (control group) and obese subjects (BMIs over 30 kg/m2) with normal glucose tolerance (first group), with impaired glucose tolerance (second group) and with type 2 diabetes mellitus (third group) recruited from the obesity clinic, the sleep apnoea clinic, and other sites at the University of Melbourne.
Primary endpoints: Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (25-OH vitamin D<25 nmol/L) and vitamin D insufficiency (25-OH vitamin D below 75 nmol/L) in each of the three groups.
Secondary endpoints: Correlation between 25-OH vitamin D levels and insulin sensitivity measured by HOMA-IS index. Correlation between 25-OH vitamin D levels and fat mass (measured by DXA).