Honours Project List
Click on the topics below to find available research projects::
External Industry Projects
Thoracic and Sleep Group (Qld) Honours Project Topics
Contact: Phil Teuwen, pteuwen@tsgq.com.au
Title: Can the use of simple neck and craniofacial anthropometric measures be utilised to predict an individual’s risk of developing Obstructive Sleep Apnoea and Mandibular Advancement Splint Efficacy?
Description: This study is likely to be a prospective, case-controlled study. Screening for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea is fairly well established using a range of questionnaires. However a simple set of cranial facial measurements to identify at risk patients has not yet been established. MAS is a type of therapy used to treat OSA, however the efficacy of this therapy does vary in practice. A simple set of cranial facial measurements to identify responders or non-responders to MAS therapy has also not yet been established.
Title: Sleep Study Screening Tools and changes to MBS requirements
Description: The department of Health set down specific screening tools to be completed and thresholds met in order for General Practitioners to be able to refer for a medicare funded sleep study (both type 1 & 2). Recently these thresholds have changed, the clinical impact of this is unknown in clinical practice. This study would involve a retrospective review of sleep study statistics accrued over the past few years to form a comprehensive understanding of the effectiveness of these screening tools, thresholds and the clinical impact these restrictions have on the diagnosis and subsequent treatment of sleep disordered breathing.
Title: Screening for CPAP Adherence
Description: CPAP is the gold standard treatment for OSA. However patient compliance to therapy can at times be difficult. The literature suggests compliance levels between 50-90% over the first few months of therapy, with these values declining over time after this time. Validated screening tools do exist to potentially identify patients who may be at a higher risk of poor compliance to therapy. This study looks to create and validate a novel screening tool for use in clinical practice, customised from those tools previously validated. In future this project may be expanded upon, with interventions made based on the results of this questionnaire. We have compiled a significant amount of literature and have created a draft of this novel questionnaire. This study should look to review this questionnaire and then seek to validate it.
Title: FeNO and nFeNO
Description: FeNO is a measure of airway inflammation. Nasal FeNO (nFeNO) is a new measurement/parameter of FeNO. This technology is not yet widely used as it is quite new. As such, normal ranges are not yet well established. This study would look to contribute to the understanding of the nasal FeNO in clinical practice. Literature review and study design are have not yet been established.
Title: FeNO and nFeNO and CPAP
Description: CPAP is delivered to the upper airway via mask interface. One style of mask interface is a nasal mask. Humidification may be used to warm the air so as to not dry out the nasal passages and airways. The interplay between FeNO, nFeNO and CPAP is not well understood. This study would look to contribute to the understanding of the impact, if any, that CPAP may have on FeNO and nFeNO and vice versa. Literature review and study design are have not yet been established.
Title: Sleep Study Analysis Concordance and the Diagnosis of Hypersomnolence
Description: Sleep scientists analyse sleep study data, this analysis contributes significantly to a sleep disorder diagnosis. It is well known that there can be significant variances between the analysis performed by different scientists. This study looks to assess the impact of this variance on the clinical outcomes specifically with investigations into hypersomnolence which rely heavily on sleep study analysis during the investigations. We would also like review the concordance with and without the original overnight sleep study data being available.