He is currently conducting research that will test the hypothesis that vitamin B1 and vitamin D levels are low in older adults with prevalent and incident delirium that present to the emergency department after a fall.
And an ACEM Foundation grant is helping him cover costs associated with this study, which is being undertaken at Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth where more than 20,000 older people attend each year.
Associate Professor Arendts was the recipient of the 2017 Morson Taylor Research Grant.
Worth $10,000, the grant is designed to foster a high quality research project in emergency medicine being undertaken by a Fellow or trainee of the College.
2018 Morson Taylor Research Grant
Applications are open and will close on 3 June.
Further details, including terms and conditions, and selection criteria and process, can be found here on the ACEM website.
‘A vital first step’
Vitamin B1 and Vitamin D are important hormones for maintenance of cerebral (brain) integrity. However, there has been minimal useful research to date into the prevalence of vitamin insufficiency in the general older emergency department population, or the association (if any) with emergency department delirium.
Associate Professor Arendts says the study is “a vital first step” to plan clinical trials to alter the course of a condition that is estimated to cost $150 billion annually in the US.
“Delirium, an acute brain syndrome characterised by inattention, disorientation and other cognitive deficits, is a massive problem in older people in the emergency department,” Associate Professor Arendts says.
“If we can find any associations delirium has with vitamin deficiency, it may mean we can either prevent it or modify the course of it once it is actually established.
“At the moment there really is no established therapy for delirium. The only treatment available is to treat the underlying cause, and hope the brain heals itself.”
College is supportive of research
Associate Professor Arendts says the Morson Taylor Research Grant can be very helpful to researchers.
“Starting with relatively small grants is a good way to go for new researchers, or even experienced researchers, to explore new ideas,” Associate Professor Arendts says.
“More generally, the College is supportive of research. There is a new research committee that is being formed, there is the ACEM Clinical Trial Network being formed. People who are interested should try and collaborate with their colleagues.”
Associate Professor Arendts says the importance of research in emergency medicine could not be overstated.
“Some of the best research that is coming out of emergency medicine at the moment is actually critically revaluating what we do and what we think works,” he said.
“Ultimately, research is about gaining new knowledge that then can be translated into better patient care.”