Young doctor turns his attention to delirium

Dr Dylan Flaws will use his Junior Research Fellowship to study delirium.

One of Metro North’s brightest young researchers has been awarded a Junior Research Fellowships to further his investigate work into delirium.

Psychiatry Registrar Dylan Flaws has been awarded $250,000 from the State Government over two years for his study Delirium – an acute decline in cognition and attention.

“My aim is to derive a predictive rule that will help identify patients at risk of developing delirium during hospital stays,” Dylan said.

“Delirium is a sneaky, serious condition that can often be misdiagnosed or diagnosed late.

“We already know that there is a percentage of the population is vulnerable to delirium; older people certainly; people who have a previous brain insult, patients who have been in ICU or after major surgery.

“It can complicate hospital stays and lead to poorer outcomes.”

Dr Flaws said early identification of at-risk patients will lead to more appropriate care and reduced hospital stays.

He will be mentored by acclaimed researcher Professor Robyn McDermott, an expert in chronic disease prevention and care.

Dr Flaws, 32, is already an accomplished researcher, whose publication list is growing. He has collaborated with leading investigators including Metro North researchers Professor Alison Mudge, Professor Gerard Byrne, Louise Cullen and others on a number of papers, which have been highlighted in The Lancet, International Journal of Cardiology, Emergency Medicine Australasia and others.

He is one of six doctors to be awarded one of the Fellowships, an initiative designed to help to establish Queensland as a leading player in health and medical research globally.