Dr Helen McKenna

Profiles

Dr Helen McKenna

Honorary University Fellow

Peninsula Medical School (Faculty of Health)

Specialist Registrar in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine

NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow


Qualifications

PhD – University College London

MBBS – Imperial College London

MA(Cantab) Neurophysiology – University of Cambridge


Professional membership

Fellowship of the Royal College of Anaesthetists

Membership of the Royal College of Physicians


Roles on external bodies

Academic representative – Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine specialist registrar subcommittee


Research

Research interests

Stress physiology

Bioenergetics and redox biology

Critical illness

Perioperative medicine


Other research

Clinical chronobiology

Publications

Key publications

Key publications are highlighted

Journals

Martin, D., & McKenna, H. (2022). High Altitude Physiology and Medicine. In Encyclopedia of Respiratory Medicine (pp. 219-225). Elsevier. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-801238-3.11652-6

McKenna, H. T., O’Brien, K. A., Fernandez, B. O., Minnion, M., Tod, A., McNally, B. D., . . . Martin, D. S. (2021). Divergent trajectories of cellular bioenergetics, intermediary metabolism and systemic redox status in survivors and non-survivors of critical illness. Redox Biology, 41, 101907. doi:10.1016/j.redox.2021.101907

McKenna, H. T., Murray, A. J., & Martin, D. S. (2020). Human adaptation to hypoxia in critical illness. Journal of Applied Physiology, 129(4), 656-663. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00818.2019

McKenna, H. T., & Murray, A. J. (2020). Reconsidering critical illness as an uncharacterised acquired mitochondrial disorder. Journal of the Intensive Care Society, 21(2), 102-104. doi:10.1177/1751143719892788

McKenna, H., van der Horst, G. T. J., Reiss, I., & Martin, D. (2018). Clinical chronobiology: a timely consideration in critical care medicine. Critical Care, 22(1). doi:10.1186/s13054-018-2041-x

Stevens, J. L., McKenna, H., Gurusamy, K. S., Van Schoor, J., Grocott, M. P. W., Jell, G., & Martin, D. (n.d.). Perioperative antioxidants for adults undergoing elective non-cardiac surgery. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. doi:10.1002/14651858.cd013174

Morkane, C. M., McKenna, H., Cumpstey, A. F., Oldman, A. H., Grocott, M. P. W., & Martin, D. S. (2018). Correction to: Intraoperative oxygenation in adult patients undergoing surgery (iOPS): a retrospective observational study across 29 UK hospitals. Perioperative Medicine, 7(1). doi:10.1186/s13741-018-0106-7

McKenna, H., & Reiss, I. K. M. (2018). The case for a chronobiological approach to neonatal care. Early Human Development, 126, 1-5. doi:10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2018.08.012

Martin, D., McKenna, H., & Galley, H. (2018). Rhythm and cues: role of chronobiology in perioperative medicine. British Journal of Anaesthesia, 121(2), 344-349. doi:10.1016/j.bja.2018.04.035

Stevens, J. L., McKenna, H., Murray, A., Jell, G., Guliyeva, M., & Martin, D. (2018). Effects of major hepato-pancreatico-biliary surgery and general anaesthesia on skeletal-muscle mitochondrial respiration: a pilot study. British Journal of Anaesthesia, 121(2), e18. doi:10.1016/j.bja.2018.05.016

Articles
McKenna HT, O’Brien KA, Fernandez BO, Minnion M, Tod A, McNally BD, West JA, Griffin JL, Grocott MP & Mythen MG (2021) 'Divergent trajectories of cellular bioenergetics, intermediary metabolism and systemic redox status in survivors and non-survivors of critical illness' Redox Biology 41, 101907-101907 , DOI Open access
McKenna HT, Murray AJ & Martin DS (2020) 'Human adaptation to hypoxia in critical illness' Journal of Applied Physiology 129, (4) 656-663 , DOI Open access
McKenna HT & Murray AJ (2019) 'Reconsidering critical illness as an uncharacterised acquired mitochondrial disorder' Journal of the Intensive Care Society 21, (2) 102-104 Publisher Site , DOI
Stevens JL, McKenna H, Gurusamy KS, Van Schoor J, Grocott MPW, Jell G & Martin D (2018) 'Perioperative antioxidants for adults undergoing elective non-cardiac surgery' Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Publisher Site , DOI
Morkane CM, McKenna H, Cumpstey AF, Oldman AH, Grocott MPW & Martin DS (2018) 'Correction to: Intraoperative oxygenation in adult patients undergoing surgery (iOPS): a retrospective observational study across 29 UK hospitals' Perioperative Medicine 7, (1) Publisher Site , DOI
McKenna H & Reiss IKM (2018) 'The case for a chronobiological approach to neonatal care' Early Human Development 126, 1-5 Publisher Site , DOI
Stevens JL, McKenna H, Murray A, Jell G, Guliyeva M & Martin D (2018) 'Effects of major hepato-pancreatico-biliary surgery and general anaesthesia on skeletal-muscle mitochondrial respiration: a pilot study' British Journal of Anaesthesia 121, (2) e18-e18 Publisher Site , DOI
Morkane CM, McKenna H, Cumpstey AF, Oldman AH, Grocott MPW & Martin DS (2018) 'Intraoperative oxygenation in adult patients undergoing surgery (iOPS): a retrospective observational study across 29 UK hospitals' Perioperative Medicine 7, (1) Publisher Site , DOI
Martin D, McKenna H & Galley H (2018) 'Rhythm and cues: role of chronobiology in perioperative medicine' British Journal of Anaesthesia 121, (2) 344-349 Publisher Site , DOI
McKenna H, van der Horst GTJ, Reiss I & Martin D (2018) 'Clinical chronobiology: a timely consideration in critical care medicine' Critical Care 22, (1) , DOI Open access
Asadi H, Martin D & McKenna H (2018) 'Tackling delirium: a crucial target for improving clinical outcomes' British Journal of Hospital Medicine 79, (3) 132-135 Publisher Site , DOI
McKenna H & Wilkes M (2018) 'Optimising sleep for night shifts' BMJ j5637-j5637 Publisher Site , DOI
McKenna HT, Reiss IKM & Martin DS (2017) 'The significance of circadian rhythms and dysrhythmias in critical illness' Journal of the Intensive Care Society 18, (2) 121-129 Publisher Site , DOI
Martin DS, McKenna HT & Morkane CM (2016) 'Intraoperative Hyperoxemia' Anesthesia & Analgesia 123, (6) 1643-1643 Publisher Site , DOI
McKenna H & Martin D (2016) 'Surviving physiological stress: Can insights into human adaptation to austere environments be applied to the critical care unit?' Trends in Anaesthesia and Critical Care 11, 6-13 Publisher Site , DOI
Martin D, McKenna H & Livina V (2016) 'The human physiological impact of global deoxygenation' The Journal of Physiological Sciences 67, (1) 97-106 Publisher Site , DOI
Chapters
Martin D & McKenna H (2022) 'High Altitude Physiology and Medicine' Encyclopedia of Respiratory Medicine Elsevier 219-225 Publisher Site , DOI

Personal

Reports & invited lectures

·   “Chronobiology for Clinicians”, Royal College of Anaesthetists Patient Safety in Perioperative Practice Conference, April 2021

·   “Perioperative Fuel: Can you have too much?”, Evidence Based Perioperative Medicine (EBPOM) virtual conference; June 2020

·   “Ventilation and oxygenation in COVID-19”, Evidence Based Perioperative Medicine (EBPOM) virtual conference; October 2020.

·   “Hypoxia: Consequences in Intensive Care Medicine”, Hypoxia Symposium, Lake Louise, Canada, January 2019 (Plenary lecture)

·   “Circadian rhythms in health and disease”, Neonatology Symposium, London, November 2018

·   “Optimising sleep for night shifts”, Scottish Intensive Care Society, Edinburgh, November 2018

·   “High altitude: a translational model for critical illness”. Moorfield Academy Event, London. November 2017

·   “Oxygen and the acutely ill patient”, Pre-Hospital Emergency Anaesthesia Course, North Weald Airfield, Essex. October 2017

Other academic activities

·   “Direct measurements of intracellular mitochondrial function in critically ill patients”, Intensive Care Society Gold Medal Award Final, State of the Art Meeting, London, December 2018.

·   “Exploring the role of mitochondria in critically ill patients”, selected prize presentation for the National Institute of Health Research Training Camp, Ashridge House, July 2018 (Highly commended).

·   “Critical illness and Sherpa physiology: Lessons from a comparative approach”. International Atacama-Leh Symposium: Coping with hypoxia at high altitude: How lung, blood and brain respond and crosstalk. San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. March 2018