Thomas Altree

Mr Thomas Altree

School of Medicine

College of Health

Dr Altree is a Respiratory and Sleep Physician and Researcher based at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH). He is the Lead of TQEH Respiratory Clinical Trials Unit. His research covers a wide range of respiratory and sleep medicine topics.

I conduct clinically-relevant research into respiratory and sleep disorders. The pathophysiology and treatment of breathlessness is a specific focus of my research. 

Date Position Institution name
2024 - ongoing Senior Clinical Lecturer University of Adelaide
2024 - ongoing Senior Research Fellow Flinders University
2022 - ongoing Respiratory and Sleep Physician SA Health

Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
2023 Research Award New Investigator Award World Sleep Society United States -

Date Institution name Country Title
2024 Flinders University Australia PhD
2012 University of Adelaide Australia MBBS

Date Title Institution name Country
2019 FRACP Royal Australasian College of Physicians Australia

Year Citation
2026 Altree, T. J., Somogyi, A., Currow, D., & Eckert, D. (2026). Response. Chest, 169(3), e116-e117.
DOI
2025 Fitton, J., Lechat, B., Reynolds, A. C., Toson, B., Manners, J., Nguyen, P., . . . Eckert, D. J. (2025). An investigation into sleep, perceived experiences, and exercise performance in elite male cyclists during the Tour de France. Physiological Reports, 13(10), e70395-1-e70395-12.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC2
2025 Kochovska, S., Chang, S., Ferreira, D., Brunelli, V., Luckett, T., Morgan, L., . . . Currow, D. (2025). Don’t ask, don’t tell (DADT): under-recognition of breathlessness in clinical care—a national survey. BMJ Open Respiratory Research, 12(1), 9 pages.
DOI Scopus1 Europe PMC1
2024 Altree, T. J., Pinczel, A., Toson, B., Loffler, K., Hudson, A., Zeng, J., . . . Eckert, D. (2024). The effects of low-dose morphine on sleep and breathlessness in COPD: A randomized trial. Chest, 167(6), 1-13.
DOI Scopus2 WoS1
2024 Altree, T. J., Toson, B., Loffler, K. A., Ekström, M., Currow, D. C., & Eckert, D. J. (2024). Low-Dose Morphine Does Not Cause Sleepiness in COPD: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Trial. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 210(9), 1113-1122.
DOI Scopus5 WoS6 Europe PMC4
2024 Altree, T. J., & Barateau, L. (2024). The borderland down under. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 20(12), 1869-1870.
DOI
2024 Altree, T. J., & Currow, D. C. (2024). The use of opioids in late-stage COPD—Where are we now?. Respirology, 29(12), 1017-1019.
DOI Scopus2 WoS3 Europe PMC1
2023 Altree, T. J., Aishah, A., Loffler, K. A., Grunstein, R. R., & Eckert, D. J. (2023). The norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor reboxetine alone reduces obstructive sleep apnea severity: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized crossover trial. Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 19(1), 85-96.
DOI Scopus27 WoS27 Europe PMC23
2023 Osman, A. M., Mukherjee, S., Altree, T. J., Delbeck, M., Gehring, D., Hahn, M., . . . Eckert, D. J. (2023). Topical Potassium Channel Blockage Improves Pharyngeal Collapsibility: A Translational, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Chest, 163(4), 953-965.
DOI Scopus27 WoS20 Europe PMC15
2023 Osman, A. M., Altree, T. J., & Eckert, D. J. (2023). The scent of love is in the air(way): a potential drug target for sleep apnea?. Sleep, 46(4), 1-4.
DOI Scopus6 WoS5 Europe PMC3
2023 Aishah, A., Tong, B. K. Y., Osman, A. M., Pitcher, G., Donegan, M., Kwan, B. C. H., . . . Eckert, D. J. (2023). Stepwise Add-on and Endotype-informed Targeted Combination Therapy to Treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Proof-of-Concept Study. Annals of the American Thoracic Society, 20(9), 1316-1325.
DOI Scopus21 WoS18 Europe PMC14
2022 Aishah, A., Loffler, K. A., Toson, B., Mukherjee, S., Adams, R. J., Altree, T. J., . . . Eckert, D. J. (2022). One Month Dosing of Atomoxetine plus Oxybutynin in Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Randomized, Placebo-controlled Trial.. Annals of the American Thoracic Society, 20(4), 584-595.
DOI Scopus22 WoS21 Europe PMC17
2022 Altree, T. J., & Eckert, D. J. (2022). Obstructive sleep apnea endotypes and their postoperative relevance. International Anesthesiology Clinics, 60(2), 1-7.
DOI Scopus5 WoS3 Europe PMC3
2021 Altree, T. J., Chung, F., Chan, M. T. V., & Eckert, D. J. (2021). Vulnerability to postoperative complications in obstructive sleep apnea: importance of phenotypes. Anesthesia and Analgesia, 132(5), 1328-1337.
DOI Scopus30 WoS21 Europe PMC17
2021 Altree, T. J., Bartlett, D. J., Marshall, N. S., Hoyos, C. M., Phillips, C. L., Birks, C., . . . Cayanan, E. A. (2021). Predictors of weight loss in obese patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep and Breathing, 45(5), 753-762.
DOI Scopus4 WoS3 Europe PMC3
2019 Altree, T., Bussell, L., Nguyen, P., & Johnston, S. (2019). Adverse cardiac outcomes after pulmonary function testing with recent myocardial infarction. Respiratory Medicine, 155, 49-50.
DOI Scopus5 WoS5 Europe PMC5
2018 Altree, T. J., Jersmann, H., & Nguyen, P. (2018). Persistent air leak successfully treated with endobronchial valves and digital drainage system. Respirology Case Reports, 6(8), e00368-1-e00368-3.
DOI Scopus1 Europe PMC2
2013 Altree, T., & Galletly, C. (2013). Laxative use and altered drug absorption. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 47(7), 686.
DOI Scopus3 WoS2 Europe PMC1

Year Citation
2024 Fitton, J., Manners, J., Lechat, B., Loffler, K., Altree, T., Catcheside, P., . . . Eckert, D. (2024). AN INVESTIGATION OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SLEEP TIME AND QUALITY, PSYCHOLOGICAL AFFECT, AND EXERCISE PERFORMANCE IN ELITE CYCLISTS DURING THE TOUR DE FRANCE. In SLEEP MEDICINE Vol. 115 (pp. 245). ELSEVIER.
2023 Eckert, D. J., Toson, B., Loffler, K. A., Ekstrom, M. P., Currow, D., & Altree, T. J. (2023). Sleep Quality as a Novel Mediator of Reductions in Daytime Breathlessness With Low-dose Morphine in People With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. In Abstracts of the American-Thoracic-Society International Conference (2023, ATS) as published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine Vol. 207 (pp. A6506-1). DC, Washington: American Thoracic Society.
DOI WoS1
2022 Altree, T., Aishah, A., Loffler, K., Grunstein, R., & Eckert, D. (2022). Reboxetine improves pharyngeal collapsibility and respiratory control in obstructive sleep apnoea. In EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY JOURNAL Vol. 60 (pp. 2 pages). SPAIN, Barcelona: EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY SOC JOURNALS LTD.
DOI
2022 Aishah, A., Tong, B., Osman, A., Donegan, M., Pitcher, G., Kwan, B., . . . Eckert, D. (2022). TARGETED COMBINATION THERAPY BASED ON ENDOTYPES RESOLVES OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNOEA. In SLEEP MEDICINE Vol. 100 (pp. S279). ELSEVIER.
2022 Aishah, A., Tong, B. K., Osman, A. M., Donegan, M., Pitcher, G., Kwan, B., . . . Eckert, D. J. (2022). Endotype Targeted, Combination Therapy Resolves Obstructive Sleep Apnea. In AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE Vol. 205 (pp. 1 page). CA, San Francisco: AMER THORACIC SOC.
2019 Altree, T., Bartlett, D. J., Marshall, N., Hoyos, C., Phillips, C., Berry, C., . . . Cayanan, E. (2019). Predictors of weight loss in obesity and obstructive sleep apnoea. In JOURNAL OF SLEEP RESEARCH Vol. 28 (pp. 2 pages). AUSTRALIA, Sydney: WILEY.
WoS1
2019 Bills, M., Altree, T., Chang, S., & Chew, G. (2019). AMYLOIDOSIS IN F18-FDG AVID LUNG NODULE. In INTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL Vol. 49 (pp. 24). WILEY.
2018 Altree, T., Bussell, L., Phan, N., & Johnston, S. (2018). SAFETY OF PRE-OPERATIVE PULMONARY FUNCTION TESTING IN LEFT MAIN CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE. In RESPIROLOGY Vol. 23 (pp. 116). WILEY.

Year Citation
2025 Altree, T. J., Pinczel, A., Toson, B., Loffler, K. A., Hudson, A., & Eckert, D. J. (2025). The Effects of Low-Dose Morphine on Externally Applied Inspiratory Resistive Load Magnitude Perception in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the International Conference of the American Thoracic Society (ATS 2025), as published in American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. San Francisco, CA: American Thoracic Society.
DOI
2024 Osman, A., Mukherjee, S., Loffler, K., Altree, T., Proctor, S., Adams, R., . . . Eckert, D. (2024). A single overnight infusion of TAK-925, a selective orexin 2 receptor agonist, reduces obstructive sleep apnea severity. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the 17th World Sleep Congress, as published in Sleep Medicine. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Elsevier BV.
DOI WoS1
2024 Osman, A., Mukherjee, S., Altree, T., Proctor, S., Adams, R., Nguyen, P., . . . Eckert, D. (2024). Effects of TAK-925 (danavorexton) a selective orexin 2 receptor agonist on upper airway collapsibility and pharyngeal muscle activity in adults with obstructive sleep apnea. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the 17th World Sleep Congress (WS23), as published in Sleep Medicine. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Elsevier.
DOI
2024 Altree, T., Pinczel, A., Toson, B., Loffler, K., Hudson, A., Currow, D., . . . Eckert, D. (2024). The effects of low-dose morphine on sleep and breathlessness in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a randomised controlled trial. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the 17th World Sleep Congress (WS23), as published in Sleep Medicine. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Elsevier.
DOI WoS1
2024 Eckert, D. J., Tong, B. K. Y., Aishah, A., Naik, G., Chiang, A., Pitcher, G., . . . Osman, A. (2024). Stepwise and Targeted Therapy to Treat Sleep Apnea: A Novel, Physiology-informed, Personalised Approach Using Oral Appliance Therapy Plus Combination Therapy in Incomplete Responders. Poster session presented at the meeting of Abstracts of the International Conference of the American Thoracic Society (ATS 2024), as published in American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. San Diego, CA: American Thoracic Society.
DOI WoS1
2024 

Medical Research Future Fund: Optimising Screening Diagnosis and Management of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea 

- A randomised controlled trial of multi-night screening and diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) to improve diagnostic test accessibility, accuracy and reduce costs ($1,996,310) 
  - SIMPLIFI-OSA - A study to investigate the management of patients using limited-channel testing versus full polysomnography for identification of OSA ($1,995,310) 
2022 

Flinders Foundation Health Seed Grant 

- Reboxetine for OSA after upper airway surgery ($25000)  
2021 

Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute HDR Grant  

- Morphine Metabolism in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ($5000)   

I give annual lectures to the intern and year 3 medical school student cohorts at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital. I often give invited presentations on my research, such as: 

Teaching old drugs new tricks: opioids, OSA and surgery. The Stanford University Sleep Surgery group meeting. Virtual: based at Stanford University, California. 29 May 2024.  

Phenotypes in obstructive sleep apnea. The Society of Anesthesia and Sleep Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting. Virtual: based in San Diego, California. 7 October 2021  

Vulnerability to postoperative complications in obstructive sleep apnea: the importance of phenotypes. The International Anesthesia Research Society webinar on sleep medicine. Virtual: based in San Francisco, California. 4 June 2021  

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