Featured Publications
Definition of a critical bleed in patients with immune thrombocytopenia: Communication from the ISTH SSC Subcommittee on Platelet Immunology
Sirotich E, Guyatt G, Gabe C, Ye Z, Beck C, Breakey V, Cooper N, Cuker A, Charness J, de Wit K, DiRaimo J, Fein S, Grace R, Hassan Z, Jamula E, Kang M, Manski C, O'Connor C, Pai M, Paynter D, Porter S, Pruitt B, Strachan G, Webert K, Yan J, Kelton J, Bakchoul T, Arnold D. Definition of a critical bleed in patients with immune thrombocytopenia: Communication from the ISTH SSC Subcommittee on Platelet Immunology. Journal Of Thrombosis And Haemostasis 2021, 19: 2082-2088. PMID: 34327824, DOI: 10.1111/jth.15368.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsImmune thrombocytopeniaSevere thrombocytopeniaGuideline panelCritical anatomical sitesLow platelet countISTH SSC SubcommitteeBleeding eventsMajor bleedsOngoing bleedPlatelet immunologyCompartment syndromeHemodynamic instabilityRespiratory compromisePhysiologic riskPlatelet countAutoimmune diseasesUrgent treatmentPatient representativesAnatomical sitesThrombocytopeniaUpcoming guidelinesPatientsBleedStandardized definitionsClinical expertsRemoving barriers and disparities in health: lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic
Sirotich E, Hausmann J. Removing barriers and disparities in health: lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. Nature Reviews Rheumatology 2020, 17: 125-126. PMID: 33028959, PMCID: PMC7540430, DOI: 10.1038/s41584-020-00524-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPerformance characteristics of platelet autoantibody testing for the diagnosis of immune thrombocytopenia using strict clinical criteria
Gabe C, Sirotich E, Li N, Ivetic N, Nazy I, Smith J, Kelton J, Arnold D. Performance characteristics of platelet autoantibody testing for the diagnosis of immune thrombocytopenia using strict clinical criteria. British Journal Of Haematology 2021, 194: 439-443. PMID: 34109621, DOI: 10.1111/bjh.17566.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPlatelet autoantibody testingImmune thrombocytopeniaAutoantibody testingPlatelet autoantibodiesITP patientsDiagnosis of ITPCertain patient subsetsAnti-glycoprotein IIb/IIIaStrict clinical criteriaHigh pretest probabilityAntigen capture assayIIb/IIIaPatient subsetsClinical criteriaPretest probabilityTreatment responsePatientsHigher optical density valuesOptical density valuesThrombocytopeniaAutoantibodiesCapture assayDiagnosisSpecificityTestingPutting patients at the centre of COVID-19 research
Sirotich E. Putting patients at the centre of COVID-19 research. Nature 2020 PMID: 32710008, DOI: 10.1038/d41586-020-02226-3.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2024
Treatment of Critical Bleeds in Patients With Immune Thrombocytopenia: A Systematic Review
Chowdhury S, Sirotich E, Guyatt G, Gill D, Modi D, Venier L, Mahamad S, Chowdhury M, Eisa K, Beck C, Breakey V, de Wit K, Porter S, Webert K, Cuker A, O'Connor C, ‐DiRaimo J, Yan J, Manski C, Kelton J, Kang M, Strachan G, Hassan Z, Pruitt B, Pai M, Grace R, Paynter D, Charness J, Cooper N, Fein S, Agarwal A, Nazaryan H, Siddiqui I, Leong R, Pallapothu S, Wen A, Xu E, Liu B, Shafiee A, Rathod P, Kwon H, Dookie J, Zeraatkar D, Thabane L, Couban R, Arnold D. Treatment of Critical Bleeds in Patients With Immune Thrombocytopenia: A Systematic Review. European Journal Of Haematology 2024 PMID: 39552264, DOI: 10.1111/ejh.14351.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchImmune thrombocytopeniaCritical bleedingTPO-RAsPlatelet transfusionsCritically bleeding patientsPlatelet count responseSystematic reviewReview of treatmentBleeding patientsIVIGEvidence-based protocolsBleedingBleeding emergenciesCorticosteroidsSystematic review of treatmentsPatientsSplenectomyPatient outcomesIndividualized treatmentThrombocytopeniaPlateletTransfusionEffects of individual treatmentsTreatmentStudy designDermatologist and pharmacist perspectives of a collaborative co-management program
Sirotich E, Katini S, Stroedecke N, Luon S, Cohen J. Dermatologist and pharmacist perspectives of a collaborative co-management program. Archives Of Dermatological Research 2024, 316: 460. PMID: 38967646, DOI: 10.1007/s00403-024-03202-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRestrictive versus liberal red blood cell transfusion strategies for people with haematological malignancies treated with intensive chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or both, with or without haematopoietic stem cell support
Radford M, Estcourt L, Sirotich E, Pitre T, Britto J, Watson M, Brunskill S, Fergusson D, Dorée C, Arnold D. Restrictive versus liberal red blood cell transfusion strategies for people with haematological malignancies treated with intensive chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or both, with or without haematopoietic stem cell support. 2024, 2024: cd011305. PMID: 38780066, PMCID: PMC11112982, DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd011305.pub3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRed blood cell transfusion strategyHaematopoietic stem cell transplantationLiberal transfusion strategyClinically significant bleedingRestrictive transfusion strategyNon-randomised studiesTransfusion strategyIntensive chemotherapyRandomised controlled trialsRed blood cellsSignificant bleedingAll-cause mortalityLength of hospital admissionAcute leukemiaHaematological malignanciesRisk of clinically significant bleedingHaematopoietic stem cell supportProspective non-randomised studyRisk ratioControlled trialsQuality of lifeStem cell supportStem cell transplantationMalignant haematological disordersCochrane Central Register of Controlled TrialsRole of Creation of Plain Language Summaries to Disseminate COVID-19 Research Findings to Patients With Rheumatic Diseases
Maheswaranathan M, Akpabio A, Tomasella L, Coler-Reilly A, Richards D, Howard R, Gore-Massy M, Ladone N, Sirotich E. Role of Creation of Plain Language Summaries to Disseminate COVID-19 Research Findings to Patients With Rheumatic Diseases. The Journal Of Rheumatology 2024, 51: jrheum.2023-0998. PMID: 38224986, DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.2023-0998.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchTreatment of critical bleeding events in patients with immune thrombocytopenia: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Sirotich E, Nazaryan H, Chowdhury S, Guyatt G, Agarwal A, Leong R, Wen A, Xu E, Liu B, Pallapothu S, Rathod P, Kwon H, Dookie J, Shafiee A, Charness J, DiRaimo J, Paynter D, Pruitt B, Strachan G, Couban R, Ye Z, Arnold D. Treatment of critical bleeding events in patients with immune thrombocytopenia: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis. Systematic Reviews 2024, 13: 21. PMID: 38184622, PMCID: PMC10770981, DOI: 10.1186/s13643-023-02436-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCritical bleedingSystematic reviewEvidence-based treatment protocolsBleeding-related mortalityCochrane Central RegisterEvidence-based recommendationsFull-text screeningBleeding eventsImmune thrombocytopeniaRecommendations AssessmentCentral RegisterControlled TrialsPrimary outcomeSevere thrombocytopeniaPlatelet countEligible studiesPatient outcomesEmergency settingOvid MEDLINEObservational studyTreatment protocolHigh riskMedical emergencyElectronic databasesMethodsLiterature search
2023
Impact of Risk Factors on COVID‐19 Outcomes in Unvaccinated People With Rheumatic Diseases: A Comparative Analysis of Pandemic Epochs Using the COVID‐19 Global Rheumatology Alliance Registry
Yazdany J, Ware A, Wallace Z, Bhana S, Grainger R, Hachulla E, Richez C, Cacoub P, Hausmann J, Liew J, Sirotich E, Jacobsohn L, Strangfeld A, Mateus E, Hyrich K, Gossec L, Carmona L, Lawson‐Tovey S, Kearsley‐Fleet L, Schaefer M, Ribeiro S, Al‐Emadi S, Hasseli R, Müller‐Ladner U, Specker C, Schulze‐Koops H, Bernardes M, Fraga V, Rodrigues A, Sparks J, Ljung L, Di Giuseppe D, Tidblad L, Wise L, Duarte‐García A, Ugarte‐Gil M, Colunga‐Pedraza I, Martínez‐Martínez M, Alpizar‐Rodriguez D, Xavier R, Isnardi C, Pera M, Pons‐Estel G, Izadi Z, Gianfrancesco M, Carrara G, Scirè C, Zanetti A, Machado P. Impact of Risk Factors on COVID‐19 Outcomes in Unvaccinated People With Rheumatic Diseases: A Comparative Analysis of Pandemic Epochs Using the COVID‐19 Global Rheumatology Alliance Registry. Arthritis Care & Research 2023, 76: 274-287. PMID: 37643903, DOI: 10.1002/acr.25220.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchB-cell depleting therapySevere COVID-19Rheumatic diseasesCOVID-19 outcomesUnvaccinated peopleRisk factorsWorse outcomesCOVID-19Severe COVID-19 outcomesTumor necrosis factor inhibitorsHigh disease activityNecrosis factor inhibitorsConnective tissue diseaseCOVID-19 severityCOVID-19 vaccineThird of individualsLogistic regression modelsCOVID-19 diagnosisOrdinal logistic regression modelsLow HDI regionsMore comorbiditiesUnvaccinated patientsDisease activityUnvaccinated individualsFactor inhibitorsTreatment of Critical Bleeding Events in Patients with Immune Thrombocytopenia: A Systematic Review
Sirotich E, Chowdhury S, Guyatt G, Gill D, Modi D, Venier L, Eisa K, Beck C, Breakey V, de Wit K, Porter S, Webert K, Cuker A, O'Connor C, DiRaimo J, Yan J, Manski C, Kelton J, Kang M, Strachan G, Hassan Z, Pruitt B, Pai M, Grace R, Paynter D, Charness J, Cooper N, Fein S, Nazaryan H, Agarwal A, Siddiqui I, Leong R, Pallapothu S, Wen A, Xu E, Liu B, Rathod P, Kwon H, Dookie J, Shafiee A, Couban R, Arnold D. Treatment of Critical Bleeding Events in Patients with Immune Thrombocytopenia: A Systematic Review. Blood 2023, 142: 7239. DOI: 10.1182/blood-2023-179448.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPlatelet count responseTPO-RAsImmune thrombocytopeniaPlatelet transfusionsCritical bleedingBleed resolutionTreated with platelet transfusionsPatients treated with splenectomyControlled trialsCritical bleeding eventsManagement of critical bleedingTPO receptor agonistsCochrane Central Register of Controlled TrialsCentral Register of Controlled TrialsRegister of Controlled TrialsSystematic reviewTreatment of critical bleedingCochrane Central RegisterReview of treatmentEvidence-based treatment protocolsClinical practice guidelinesRandomized controlled trialsCount responseIntraperitoneal bleedingOcular bleedingRestrictive Versus Liberal Red Blood Cell Transfusion Strategies for Patients with Hematologic Malignancies Receiving Intensive Chemotherapy
Radford M, Watson M, Sirotich E, Pitre T, Britto J, Brunskill S, Fergusson D, Arnold D, Estcourt L. Restrictive Versus Liberal Red Blood Cell Transfusion Strategies for Patients with Hematologic Malignancies Receiving Intensive Chemotherapy. Blood 2023, 142: 5573. DOI: 10.1182/blood-2023-180430.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRed blood cell transfusion strategyHematopoietic stem cell transplantationLiberal transfusion strategyRestrictive transfusion strategyTransfusion strategyRed blood cellsCertainty of evidenceIntensive chemotherapyHematologic malignanciesRisk ratioRed blood cell transfusionConfidence intervalsMean differenceRed blood cell unitsRed blood cell usageClinically significant bleedingCochrane's standard methodological proceduresStem cell transplantationMalignant hematological disordersCochrane Central Register of Controlled TrialsCentral Register of Controlled TrialsLow hemoglobin levelRegister of Controlled TrialsReview's primary outcomesCochrane Central RegisterPatient perspectives on telemedicine use in rheumatology during the COVID-19 pandemic: survey results from the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance
Maheswaranathan M, Miller B, Ung N, Sinha R, Harrison C, Egeli B, Degirmenci H, Sirotich E, Liew J, Grainger R, Chock E. Patient perspectives on telemedicine use in rheumatology during the COVID-19 pandemic: survey results from the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance. Clinical Rheumatology 2023, 43: 543-552. PMID: 37552351, DOI: 10.1007/s10067-023-06717-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRheumatic diseasesPerson visitsTelemedicine useMedication changesCOVID-19 pandemicCare of patientsPerspectives of patientsMethodsAn anonymous online surveyPerspectives of telemedicineDisease activityComplete responseMost patientsPatient's perspectiveTelemedicine effectivenessPatientsAnonymous online surveyFree-text responsesSimilar effectivenessDiseaseVisitsTelemedicine usersRheumatologyYounger participantsTelemedicineClinical tasks“I’d like more options!”: Interviews to explore young people and family decision-making needs for pain management in juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Toupin-April K, Gaboury I, Proulx L, Huber A, Duffy C, Morgan E, Li L, Stringer E, Connelly M, Weiss J, Gibbon M, Sachs H, Sivakumar A, Sirois A, Sirotich E, Trehan N, Abrahams N, Cohen J, Cavallo S, Hindi T, Ragusa M, Légaré F, Brinkman W, Fortin P, Décary S, Lee R, Gmuca S, Paterson G, Tugwell P, Stinson J. “I’d like more options!”: Interviews to explore young people and family decision-making needs for pain management in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Pediatric Rheumatology 2023, 21: 74. PMID: 37491246, PMCID: PMC10369758, DOI: 10.1186/s12969-023-00849-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPain management optionsHealth care providersParents/caregiversPain managementIdiopathic arthritisPediatric health care providersBackgroundJuvenile idiopathic arthritisPain management discussionsPediatric rheumatic conditionsOttawa Decision Support FrameworkHealth-related qualityJuvenile idiopathic arthritisQualitative descriptive study designYears of ageDecision support interventionsBetter health outcomesDescriptive study designEvidence-based informationManagement optionsQuality improvement networkRheumatology nursesRheumatology consultationJoint painHCP trainingNonpharmacological approachesOmicron variant infection in inflammatory rheumatological conditions – outcomes from a COVID-19 naive population in Aotearoa New Zealand
Brooks J, Montgomery A, Dalbeth N, Sapsford M, Kee R, Cooper A, Quincey V, Bhana S, Gore-Massy M, Hausmann J, Liew J, Machado P, Sufka P, Sirotich E, Robinson P, Wallace Z, Yazdany J, Grainger R. Omicron variant infection in inflammatory rheumatological conditions – outcomes from a COVID-19 naive population in Aotearoa New Zealand. The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific 2023, 38: 100843. PMID: 37520279, PMCID: PMC10372177, DOI: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2023.100843.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchInflammatory rheumatic diseasesSARS-CoV-2 infectionHospitalisation/deathOmicron variant infectionConnective tissue diseaseRheumatic diseasesVariant infectionCOVID-19SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variantSingle vaccine doseCOVID-19 hospitalisationMultivariable adjusted modelsCOVID-19 vaccination statusMultivariable logistic regressionCOVID-19 vaccinationHigh vaccination ratesRituximab useVaccine doseInflammatory arthritisVaccination statusClinical factorsTissue diseaseDisease characteristicsVaccination ratesRisk factorsImpact of iron supplementation on patient outcomes for women with abnormal uterine bleeding: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Nazaryan H, Watson M, Ellingham D, Thakar S, Wang A, Pai M, Liu Y, Rochwerg B, Gabarin N, Arnold D, Sirotich E, Zeller M. Impact of iron supplementation on patient outcomes for women with abnormal uterine bleeding: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis. Systematic Reviews 2023, 12: 121. PMID: 37443063, PMCID: PMC10347734, DOI: 10.1186/s13643-023-02222-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsIron deficiency anemiaQuality of lifeHeavy menstrual bleedingStandard of carePatient outcomesIron interventionsSystematic reviewUterine bleedingCombination therapyIron supplementationIron indicesRed blood cell transfusionIron deficiencyRed blood cell utilizationAbnormal uterine bleedingIntraoperative blood lossBlood cell transfusionEvidence-based clinical practiceMeta-analyzed outcomesSystematic literature searchCost of treatmentWeb of ScienceCell transfusionHospital stayAdverse eventsOP0079 OMICRON VARIANT INFECTION IN INFLAMMATORY RHEUMATOLOGICAL CONDITIONS - OUTCOMES FROM A COVID-19 NAIVE POPULATION IN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND
Brooks J, Montgomery A, Dalbeth N, Sapsford M, Cooper A, Ngan Kee R, Quincey V, Liew J, Bhana S, Gore-Massy M, Hausmann J, Machado P, Sufka P, Sirotich E, Robinson P, Wallace Z, Yazdany J, Grainger R. OP0079 OMICRON VARIANT INFECTION IN INFLAMMATORY RHEUMATOLOGICAL CONDITIONS - OUTCOMES FROM A COVID-19 NAIVE POPULATION IN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND. 2023, 54-55. DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2023-eular.1749.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCharacteristics associated with poor COVID-19 outcomes in people with psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis: data from the COVID-19 PsoProtect and Global Rheumatology Alliance physician-reported registries
Machado P, Schäfer M, Mahil S, Liew J, Gossec L, Dand N, Pfeil A, Strangfeld A, Regierer A, Fautrel B, Alonso C, Saad C, Griffiths C, Lomater C, Miceli-Richard C, Wendling D, Rodriguez D, Wiek D, Mateus E, Sirotich E, Soriano E, Ribeiro F, Omura F, Martins F, Santos H, Dau J, Barker J, Hausmann J, Hyrich K, Gensler L, Silva L, Jacobsohn L, Carmona L, Pinheiro M, Zelaya M, de los Ángeles Severina M, Yates M, Dubreuil M, Gore-Massy M, Romeo N, Haroon N, Sufka P, Grainger R, Hasseli R, Lawson-Tovey S, Bhana S, Pham T, Olofsson T, Bautista-Molano W, Wallace Z, Yiu Z, Yazdany J, Robinson P, Smith C. Characteristics associated with poor COVID-19 outcomes in people with psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis: data from the COVID-19 PsoProtect and Global Rheumatology Alliance physician-reported registries. Annals Of The Rheumatic Diseases 2023, 82: 698-709. PMID: 36787993, PMCID: PMC10176347, DOI: 10.1136/ard-2022-223499.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSevere COVID-19High disease activityPandemic time periodDisease activityPsoriatic arthritisMale sexAxial spondyloarthritisCOVID-19Multivariable ordinal logistic regressionPoor COVID-19 outcomesOlder ageFuture respiratory pandemicsCOVID-19 severityCOVID-19 outcomesComorbidity burdenGlucocorticoid intakeGlucocorticoid useCancer comorbidityClinical characteristicsCOVID-19 waveRisk stratificationOrdinal logistic regressionReduced oddsSeverity ScaleRespiratory pandemic
2022
Association Between Race/Ethnicity and COVID‐19 Outcomes in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients From the United States: Data From the COVID‐19 Global Rheumatology Alliance
Ugarte‐Gil M, Alarcón G, Seet A, Izadi Z, Montgomery A, Duarte‐García A, Gilbert E, Valenzuela‐Almada M, Wise L, Sparks J, Hsu T, D'Silva K, Patel N, Sirotich E, Liew J, Hausmann J, Sufka P, Grainger R, Bhana S, Wallace Z, Jacobsohn L, Strangfeld A, Mateus E, Hyrich K, Gossec L, Carmona L, Lawson‐Tovey S, Kearsley‐Fleet L, Schaefer M, Machado P, Robinson P, Gianfrancesco M, Yazdany J. Association Between Race/Ethnicity and COVID‐19 Outcomes in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients From the United States: Data From the COVID‐19 Global Rheumatology Alliance. Arthritis Care & Research 2022, 75: 53-60. PMID: 36239292, PMCID: PMC9874592, DOI: 10.1002/acr.25039.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSystemic lupus erythematosusCOVID-19 outcomesRace/ethnicitySevere COVID-19 outcomesSystemic lupus erythematosus patientsImmunosuppressive drug useLupus erythematosus patientsCOVID-19 severityUS general populationLogistic regression modelsOrdinal logistic regression modelsGlucocorticoid doseDisease activityPandemic time periodSD ageLupus erythematosusPossible confoundersSevere outcomesMultivariable modelHigher oddsGeneral populationPatientsDrug useHealth disparitiesOutcome categoriesEarly impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on children with pediatric rheumatic diseases
Hausmann J, Program in Rheumatology, Kennedy K, Surangiwala S, Larche M, Sinha R, Durrant K, Foster G, Levine M, Thabane L, Costello W, Robinson P, Liew J, Yazdany J, Sirotich E, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology B, Department of Health Research Methods E, Queen’s University School of Medicine K, Divisions of Rheumatology/Clinical Immunology and Allergy D, Systemic JIA Foundation C, Autoinflammatory Alliance S, Irish Children’s Arthritis Network T, School of Clinical Medicine F, Section of Rheumatology D, Division of Rheumatology D, Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance T. Early impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on children with pediatric rheumatic diseases. European Journal Of Rheumatology 2022, 9: 185-190. PMID: 35156622, DOI: 10.5152/eujrheum.2022.21133.Peer-Reviewed Original Research