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Dr Alison Avenell

Biography

I trained in medicine, clinical biochemistry, and health services research methods. I have a particular interest in clinical nutrition. I joined the Health Services Research Unit in 1998 as a Clinical Research Fellow. The Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health Directorates currently funds me with a Career Scientist Award.?

Research Interests

My research interests focus on systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials in relation to obesity in adults and under-nutrition in older people and intensive care.

Changing behaviour will be a cornerstone of NHS management of the obesity epidemic; my research addresses how best to do this with the resources available.? Estimates of effects of approaches to behaviour change on weight loss and long-term health are being derived.? Systematic reviews and in-depth interviews, with adults who are obese and with health professionals, have examined attitudes and motivations to management in primary care.? The cost-effectiveness of alternative approaches is being examined.? Finally, a pragmatic exploratory randomised trial of the most promising approach is being piloted.

A series of reviews and meta-analyses are being undertaken, including for the Cochrane Collaboration, on the effects of nutritional supplementation on people at risk of undernutrition and obesity. Topics include vitamin D supplementation and the prevention of osteoporotic fractures and deaths, protein and energy supplementation in older people including those with hip fracture, and selenium use in critical illness.

The Unit is part of a successful bid in securing a ?1 million grant from the MRC for a Scottish multi centre randomised trial of glutamine and selenium supplemented parenteral nutrition for critically ill patients (SIGNET trial). This 42 month randomised controlled trial has considered if the addition of glutamine and/or selenium to parenteral nutrition, improves patient outcome and reduces the use of intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital resources. The primary outcomes are lmortality and episodes of sepsis. Secondary outcomes include length of stay, antibiotic usage, quality of life and cost-effectiveness. Data collection is facilitated by the involvement of the Scottish Intensive Care Society (SICS).

Highlighted Publications

Witham MD, Avenell A. Systematic review of interventions for weight loss in older people. Age and Ageing 2009 (in press).

Brown T, Avenell A, Edmunds E, Moore H, Whittaker V, Avery L, Summerbell C and the PROGRESS group. Systematic review of long-term lifestyle interventions to prevent obesity in adults. Obesity Reviews 2009 (in press).

Milne AC, Potter J, Vivanti A, Avenell A. Protein and energy supplementation in elderly people at risk from malnutrition. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2009, Issue 2.

Crowther M, Avenell A, Culligan DJ. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the data for glutamine supplementation in haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplantation 2009 (in press).

Paul-Ebhohimhen V, Avenell A. A systematic review of the effectiveness of group versus individual treatment trials for adult obesity.? Obesity Facts 2009; 2: 17-24.

Avenell A, Gillespie WJ, Gillespie LD, O'Connell DL. Vitamin D and vitamin D analogues for preventing fractures associated with involutional and post-menopausal osteoporosis. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2009, Issue 1.

?Paul-EbhohimhenV, Avenell A. Systematic review of the use of financial incentives in treatments for obesity and overweight. Obes Rev 2008; 9: 355-67.

Andrews PJ, Avenell A, Noble DW, Campbell MK, Battison CG, Croal BL, Simpson WG, Norrie J, Vale LD, Cook J, de Verteuil R, Milne AC.? Randomised trial of glutamine and selenium supplemented parenteral nutrition for critically ill patients. Protocol Version 9, 19 February 2007. Known as SIGNET (Scottish Intensive care Glutamine or selenium Evaluative Trial). BMC Trials 2007; 8: 25.

?The RECORD Trial Group (includes Avenell A). Randomised placebo-controlled trial of daily oral vitamin D₃ and/or calcium for the secondary prevention of low-trauma fractures in the elderly. Lancet 2005; 365: 1621-8.

?Avenell A (first author). The Writing Group of the MAVIS Trial.A pragmatic randomised double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of the effect of vitamin and mineral supplements on morbidity from infections in men and women aged 65 years and over (MAVIS trial). BMJ 2005; 331: 324-7.

Avenell A, Broom J, Brown TJ, Poobalan A, Aucott L, Stearns SC, Smith WCS, Jung RT, Campbell MK, Grant AM. Systematic review of the long-term effects and economic consequences of treatments for obesity and implications for health improvement. Health Technol Assess 2004; 8(21): 1-458.