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Dr Helen MacLaughlin2020-08-20T09:47:19+10:00

Dr Helen MacLaughlin

Helen is a clinical academic with expertise in delivering high quality pragmatic research within clinical care as well as clinical trials in nutrition and exercise interventions in chronic disease.  Her expertise lies in bridging the gap between academic research and clinical services, bringing research ideas from the bedside, to the lab and back into the healthcare system for implementation.  Having worked in healthcare in the National Health Service in the UK, and in Queensland Health, she has local, national and international experience in lifestyle intervention clinical trials, nutritional epidemiology and student research training.   In 2015, Helen was awarded a National Institute of Health and Care Research Clinical Lectureship postdoctoral fellowship, to continue her commitment to both clinical practice and research.  She now holds a conjoint post between the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at RBWH and QUT, with a remit to increase research capacity in Nutrition and Dietetics.

  • Nutrition and chronic kidney disease
  • Weight loss interventions, including lifestyle interventions, meal replacements and weight loss surgery
  • Nutritional Epidemiology
  • Outcomes after Acute Kidney Injury

Clinical Trials (last 5 years)

  • Mediterranean diet as adjunctive therapy to reduce resistant proteinuria in chronic kidney disease – a proof of concept study (Lead Investigator)
  • Glycaemic Response to a Renal-Specific Oral Nutritional Supplement in Patients with Diabetes Undergoing Haemodialysis: a randomised crossover trial (Lead investigator, King’s College Hospital, London)
  • Nutrition and Exercise Rehabilitation in Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (NERO): a pilot randomised controlled trial (Co-investigator, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital, London)

2018        UK Renal Association Walls Bursary

2015        British Renal Society Conference Best Poster

2012        King’s College London School of Medicine Postgraduate Research Showcase Best Poster Prize

2012        British Dietetic Association General Education Trust Award Travel Bursary

2007        Association for the Study of Obesity Best Practice Award

2006        Allied Health Professionals and Health Scientists Awards for New Ways of Working and Extending the Boundaries

Publications

  1. Wright M, Southcott E, MacLaughlin H, Wineberg S. Clinical practice guideline on undernutrition in chronic kidney disease, BMC Nephrology 2019, 20: article 370. DOI: 10.1186/s12882-019-1530-8
  2. MacLaughlin HL, Campbell, KC. Obesity as a barrier to kidney transplantation: time to eliminate the body weight bias? Seminars in Dialysis 2019. 32: 219-222. doi:10.1111/sdi.12783.
  3. MacLaughlin HL, Blacklock RM, Wright K, Pot GK, Jayawardene S, McIntyre CW, Macdougall IC, Selby NM. Obesity and recovery from acute kidney injury (Ob AKI): a prospective cohort feasibility study. BMJ Open 2019;9:e024033.
  4. MacLaughlin HL, Twomey J, Saunt R, Blain S, Campbell KL, Emery P. The nutrition impact symptoms (NIS) score detects malnutrition risk in patients admitted to nephrology wards. J Human Nutr Diet 2018. 31: 683-688.
  5. MacLaughlin HL, Macdougall IC, Hall WL, Dew T, Mantzoukis K, Oben JA. Does intragastric balloon treatment for obesity in chronic kidney disease heighten acute kidney injury risk? Am J Nephrol 2016; 44: 411-418.
  6. MacLaughlin HL. Do we know enough about obesity in haemodialysis to guide practice? J Kidney Care 2016; 1: 69-71.
  7. MacLaughlin HL, Macdougall IC, Finer N, Johansson L, Frankel AH. The London Renal Obesity Network protocol for bariatric surgery in patients with CKD. Br J Renal Med 2016; 21:32-35.
  8. MacLaughlin HL, Hall WL, Condry J, Sanders TA, Macdougall IC. Participation in a Structured Weight Loss Program and All-Cause Mortality and Cardiovascular Morbidity in Obese Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease. J Ren Nutr 2015; 25: 472-9.
  9. MacLaughlin HL, Hall WL, Sanders TAB, Macdougall IC. Risk for chronic kidney disease increases with obesity: Health Survey for England 2010. Public Health Nutr. 2015;18:3349-54.
  10. MacLaughlin HL, Williams, H, Flint J. Appropriate use of oral nutritional supplements in stages 4–5 chronic kidney disease: a consensus statement for dietitians and other healthcare practitioners. J Renal Nurs 2015, 7:115-117.

Email: Helen.maclaughlin@health.qld.gov.au

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