Barbara Elizabeth Cormack

Biography

Barbara Cormack graduated MHSC with 1st class honours from the University of Auckland in 2012. She leads the team of the Paediatric Dietitians at Starship Children’s Health at Auckland City Hospital in New Zealand and works as a Neonatal Specialist Dietitian at National Women’s Health. She is the author of the Neonatal and Infant Nutrition Handbook (now in its 4rd Edition).  Barbara Cormack graduated MHSC with 1st class honours from the University of Auckland in 2012. She leads the team of the Paediatric Dietitians at Starship Children’s Health at Auckland City Hospital in New Zealand and works as a Neonatal Specialist Dietitian at National Women’s Health. She is the author of the Neonatal and Infant Nutrition Handbook (now in its 4rd Edition). 

Research Interest

Protein IVN: Impact on Development Does better early nutrition in preterm babies improve development? The ProVIDE Study is a multicentre, two-arm, double-blind, placebo controlled randomised trial. Chief Investigator: Professor Frank Bloomfield Primary Investigator: Barbara Cormack Aim: To determine in extremely low birthweight babies (birthweight < 1000g) whether an extra 1 g protein per day for the first 5 days after birth will improve survival free of neurodisability at age 2 years; (ii) improve body composition and (iii) prevent faltering growth at hospital discharge. Intervention: All participants will receive normal neonatal intensive care and intravenous nutrition in accordance with established NICU guidelines in each centre. The control group will receive a 0.45% saline solution via the umbilical arterial catheter (UAC) according to current clinical practice. The intervention group will receive a UAC solution of 8.5% TrophAmine (an amino acid solution providing ~1 g to 2 g/Kg.d protein).