Ms Rachael Morton
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Research Fellow Room 315A
Phone: +61 2 9036 5459 |
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Publications |
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Peer Reviewed/Refereed Journal Articles Morton RL, Howard K, Thompson JF. The cost effectiveness of sentinel node biopsy in cutaneous melanoma. Annals of Surgical Oncology. 2009;16(4): 929-940. Morton RL, Craig JC, Thompson JF. Surveillance chest x-rays in the follow-up of high-risk melanoma patients. Annals of Surgical Oncology. 2009;16(3): 571-577. Morton RL, Howard K, Webster AC, Wong G, Craig JC. The cost-effectiveness of induction immunosuppression in kidney transplantation Nephrol. Dial. Transplant. 2009;24(7): 2258 - 2269 Tong A, Morton R, Howard K, Craig JC. Adolescent experiences following organ transplantation: A systematic review of qualitative studies. J Pediatric. 2009;144(4):542-549 Uren RF, Howman-Giles R, Chung DK, Morton RL, Thompson JF. The reproducibility in routine clinical practice of sentinel lymph node identification by pre-operative lymphoscintigraphy in patients with cutaneous melanoma. Annals of Surgical Oncology. 2007;14(2):899-905. Other publications Morton RL, Moustakas J, Howard K, Webster AC, Snelling P. A national audit of information provided to new CKD Stage 4 & 5 patients - results from a pilot study. Renal Society Australia Journal. July 2009. Abstracts Morton R, Howard K, Thompson JF. The cost effectiveness of sentinel node biopsy in cutaneous melanoma. Ann Surg Oncol 2008;15(Suppl 1): 18. Morton R. Australia and New Zealand Melanoma Trials Group. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2008;4(s2):A118 Madronio CM, Armstrong B, Thompson J, Beard J, Curtin A , Redman S, Scolyer R, Karim R,Morton R, Holt P, Mann G, Barton M, Kearey P. Melanoma in-situ: a patterns-of-care study in New South Wales (NSW). Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2008;4(s2):A119 Morton RL, Howard K, Webster AC, Wong G, Craig JC. Cost-effectiveness of induction immunosuppression in kidney transplantation. Nephrology. 2008;13:Suppl 3 Morton RL, Craig JCC, Thompson JF. Evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy of serial chest radiography in melanoma patients with a positive sentinel node biopsy. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2007;3: Suppl 2: A55. Fogarty G, Thompson JF, Morton RL. Whole brain radiotherapy following local treatment of 1-3 intracranial metastases of melanoma - a phase III trial. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2007;3:Suppl 2: A86. |
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Projects |
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Cost-effectiveness of antibody induction immunosuppression in kidney transplantationMorton RL, Howard K, Webster AC, Wong G, Craig JC. Induction immunosuppression is perceived as an expensive therapy reserved for high-risk kidney transplant recipients. This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of antibody induction comparing induction with Interleukin-2 receptor antagonists (IL2Ra) or polyclonal antibodies to standard therapy alone (no induction). A Markov model was developed to estimate costs and health outcomes, survival (life years saved, LYS) and quality-adjusted survival (QALYs) for the three alternative induction strategies. Outcome data were obtained from meta-analyses of randomized trials and large scale renal registries. The attributes of kidney dialysis important to patients and carersMorton RL, Howard K, Snelling P, Webster AC. A qualitative study designed to uncover the characteristics of dialysis that are important to patients and carers. Three study populations will be interviewed: dialysis patients (including home and hospital haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis), dialysis carers and patients with chronic kidney disease. A grounded theory approach will be used to analyse and code the data. Patient INformation about Options for Treatment (PINOT). National audit of information provided to patients and carers regarding treatment options for Stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD)Morton RL, Howard K, Snelling P, Webster AC. A prospective study designed to describe the current Australian practice surrounding patient and carer education on treatment options for end stage kidney disease. All renal units will be invited to participate by completing a survey on new (incident) Stage 5 CKD patients between 1st July -30th September 2009. Search strategies for economic evaluations in kidney dialysis and transplantationMorton RL, Howard K, Webster AC. Published economic evaluations are thinly spread through many journals. Studies described as cost effectiveness analyses or cost benefit analyses often do not fulfill the criteria of an economic evaluation (i.e. present both costs and health outcomes comparing alternatives). In the kidney dialysis and transplantation area we will identify the best search terms to elicit evaluations that meet a minimum quality standard, that would be useful for clinicians and policy makers to aid decision making. Defined search terms from Medline, EMBASE and Cochrane NHS EED databases will be compared to a hand search of the literature (gold standard) for the years 1995/96; 2000/01, and 2005/06, in the highest ranking journals from general medicine, nephrology and health economics. The sensitivity, specificity and precision (positive predictive value) of the search strategies in each database will be determined. Meta-analysis of utility estimates for kidney dialysis and transplantationMorton RL, Howard K, Webster AC. A meta-regression of published utilities for kidney dialysis and transplantation will be undertaken. The relative importance of study population and elicitation method will be assessed. Cost-effectiveness of Tacrolimus immunosuppression in kidney transplantationMorton RL, Howard K, Webster AC, Wong G, Craig JC. This economic evaluation will assess the costs and health outcomes of Tacrolimus compared to Cyclosporin immunosuppression for recipients of a kidney transplant. Discrete choice experiments for dialysis modality decision makingMorton RL, Howard K. Discrete choice experiments (DCE's) are a methodology for taking account of preferences that can be applied in the health care setting. DCE's have been shown to be sensitive to health outcomes such as survival and quality of life, as well as non-health outcomes or process attributes such as distance to a health centre. In the end stage kidney disease population we will determine the health attributes, assign levels to the characteristics, design choice scenarios and conduct choice experiments. Regression techniques will be used to analyse the responses. Adolescent experiences and perspectives following transplantationTong A, Howard K, Morton RL, Craig JC. Organ transplantation has improved survival for adolescents with kidney disease, but little is known about its impact on quality of life from their perspective. The uncertainty of graft survival, lifestyle and family readjustment, and treatment side effects significantly impact on the physical and psychosocial outcomes in transplant recipients. This project aims to examine adolescents' experiences and perceptions of their quality of life, to elicit strategies from them on ways to improve their quality of life, and to evaluate the health status and health-related quality of life in adolescents who have received a kidney transplant. In-depth, face-to-face interviews will be conducted with approximately 25-30 adolescent kidney transplant recipients (aged 12 - 18 years). The participants will be asked about their experiences and perspectives of transplantation and how it has impacted their quality of life. They will also be asked to suggest ways to improve care and support delivered to adolescent transplant recipients. The interviews will general qualitative data that will be thematically analysed to identify and understand recurring (and uncommon) adolescent experiences, needs and perspectives. The adolescents' health related quality of life will be evaluated using standard questionnaires that measure factors including physical functioning, mental health, self-esteem, general health perceptions and role functioning. Utility based quality of life will be assessed using the HUI2 multi-attribute utility instrument and the time trade off (TTO) method. Vitamin D following primary treatment of melanoma at high risk of recurrence. Placebo controlled randomised phase II studyArmstrong BK, Mason R, Saw R, Morton RL This randomised controlled trial aims to assess the feasibility, the safety and the toxicity of an oral loading dose of Vitamin D (500,000IU) followed by an oral dose of 50,000 IU of Vitamin D for 2 years. The target population are patients aged 18-79 who have completed primary (surgical) treatment for cutaneous malignant melanoma and considered to be at high risk for recurrence: Stage IIb, IIc, IIIa (N1a) and IIIb (N1a, N2a). The primary end points are dose sufficiency, dose compliance and safety. The project commenced in 2009 and is expected to be completed in 2013. |
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