Winston M. Manimtim, MD, FAAP
Director, Neonatal Outpatient Services; Medical Director, Infant Tracheostomy & Home Ventilator Program; Professor of Pediatrics, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine
Full BiographyChildren’s Mercy – Kansas City was awarded a $100,000 Courtney S. Turner Charitable Trust, Bank of America, N.A., Co-Trustee, 1 Year Grant from Courtney S. Turner Charitable Trust.
The funding will be used for a project led by Winston Manimtim, MD, Neonatology. The project, “Conducting Lung Function Assessments in Premature Infants with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) and Term Well Infants,” aims to evaluate the feasibility of using FOT (forced oscillation technique), which is also called Oscillometry, to measure respiratory mechanics in premature infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and to provide baseline pulmonary function data for this unique population.
As Dr. Manimtim explains, premature birth and its complications are significant contributors to infant death in the U.S. It is estimated that approximately 15,000 premature infants are diagnosed with BPD each year in the U.S. These infants are at high risk for long-term pulmonary morbidity, growth failure and neurodevelopmental impairment that may persist to adulthood.
In addition, thousands of near-term or full-term infants born with a variety of cardiac, genetic, abdominal, pulmonary airway or congenital neuromuscular problems also develop chronic pulmonary injury which requires prolonged hospitalization, long support thereafter, and in some cases, long-term home ventilation.
“Despite numerous care advances for newborns and young infants over the past decades, the burden of neonatal and infantile pulmonary disease remains substantial. That’s why in 2009 Children’s Mercy’s Neonatology Division established the Center for Infant Pulmonary Disorders. Led by William E. Truog, MD, Neonatology, the Center leads research focused on improving pulmonary outcomes and enhancing the quality of life for newborns. The Center seeks to improve infant health through early phase studies and other forms of clinical research in partnership with Children’s Mercy neonatologists, as well as specialists in pulmonology, immunology, pharmacology, outcomes research and other disciplines,” Dr. Manimtim explains.
Dr. Manimtim and his team and in collaboration with other experts in the field plan to continue testing a device that measures a patient's respiratory mechanics at the bedside.
“Using this device, we’ll be able to evaluate the infant’s respiratory functions and assess their response to commonly used inhaled medications,” explains Dr. Manimtim.
Co-Investigators on the project include Dr. Truog and Anna Nelson, MD, with Drs. Manimtim and Truog leading Children’s Mercy’s respiratory research group.