Third-Party Public Sector Projects

Project ID: 2018-549/ TRIM 2023 0970 315 000
Principle Investigator: Vincy Chan
Description: The aim of this project is to identify which publicly funded health services are used by Ontario adults with a self-reported traumatic brain injury (TBI).
PIA Approved: September 16, 2021.

Project ID: 2019-559/ TRIM 2023 0970 312 000
Principle Investigators: Mark Yudin/Isabelle Boucoiran
Description: The purpose of this project is to conduct a population-based retrospective cohort study with the objective to assess the HIV cascade of care during the first year postpartum in Canada and identify predictors of retention and attrition across stages of the cascade.
PIA Approved: May 4, 2022.

Project ID: 2019-601/ TRIM 2023 0970 310 000
Principle Investigator: Kyle Kirkham
Description: The project seeks to determine if preoperative testing ordered by anesthesiologist and supported by a focused implementation strategy can decrease the use of low value investigations before elective surgery where patients will go home the same day.
PIA Approved: March 30, 2020.

Project ID: 2019-670 / TRIM 2023 0970 311 000
Principle Investigator: Nannan Thirumavalavan
Description: The goal of this project is to determine if low testosterone/hypogonadism at time of organ transplant an independent predictor of outcomes (organ rejection and mortality) in patients with kidney, lung, heart, and/or liver transplant, as well as if it improves outcomes.
PIA Approved: March 15, 2022.

Project ID: 2020-826 / TRIM 2023 0970 317 000
Principle Investigator: Harriette Van Spall
Description: The objective of this research application is to obtain permanent access to the PACT-HF trial population dataset and to conduct relevant sub-studies using this dataset, such as the patient reported outcomes as predictors for clinical outcomes sub-study.
PIA Approved: June 24, 2022.

Project ID: 2020-827 / TRIM 2023 0970 319 000
Principle Investigator: Paul Demers
Description: The research team, in partnership with the Institute for Work & Health (IWH), wishes  to investigate previously unexamined risks to nickel refining and electrowinning workers by extending previous cohort follow-up of cancer incidence through 2019 (or the latest year available), and adding cardiovascular diseases and non-malignant respiratory disease incidence to available outcomes for 1991-2019.
PIA Approved: April 13, 2022.

Project ID: 2020-831/ TRIM 2023 0970 316 000
Principle Investigator: Emil Schemitsch
Description: The goals of the study are: (1) to evaluate the wait time influence post-operative complications following total hip and knee arthroplasty for osteoarthritis; (2) to calculate the wait time influence pre- and post-operative opioid use in patients with osteoarthritis undergoing total hip and knee arthroplasty; (3) determine the type of revision surgery influence outcomes following revision TJR; (4) to examine patient, hospital, or provider characteristics are associated with longer wait times for TJR.
PIA Approved: June 4, 2022.

Project ID: 2020-831/ TRIM 2023 0970 316 000
Principle Investigator: Chris Witiw
Description: The goal of the study are: (1) to study the epidemiology of geriatric spine fractures in the province of Ontario; (2) to evaluate the impact of geriatric spine trauma on overall survival and resource utilization in Ontario; (3) determine the key predictors of outcome after geriatric spine trauma; (4) calculate the direct medical costs related to care of geriatric patients with spinal fractures; (5) asses the operative management of spinal fractures in the elderly associated with superior outcomes.
PIA Approved: August 12, 2021.

Project ID: 2021-841/ TRIM 2023 0970 314 000
Principle Investigator: Melissa Huynh
Description: This project will explore how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the oncologic outcomes of bladder, kidney, and prostate cancer in Ontario. The research team will also study recurrence patterns and development of subsequent metastatic disease in patients who originally presented with localized bladder, kidney, and prostate cancer.
PIA Approved: May 4, 2022.

Project ID: 2021-892/TRIM 2023 0970 308 000
Principle Investigator: Christopher Wallis
Description: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) remains a part of the standard of care for men with advanced prostate cancer. The use of ADT has been associated with several side effects including osteopenia/osteoporosis, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular events. Men on ADT require frequent monitoring for the development of side effects which can subsequently be managed utilizing a variety of lifestyle and pharmaceutical interventions. Urologic associations including the CUA/AUA/EUA suggest regular monitoring of bone mineral density, serum calcium, serum lipids and plasma glucose levels for men throughout the duration of ADT. The project seeks to determine what is the adherence to CUA ADT therapeutic screening guidelines among Canadian men on ADT and has the adherence evolved over time?
PIA Approved: May 4, 2022.

Project ID: 2021-895/TRIM 2023 0970 303 000
Principle Investigator: Mantaj Brar
Description: As most female patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) are in their childbearing age, and given the potential impact of UC and its surgical treatment on family planning, the investigators, hypothesize that reduced reproductive knowledge is a significant contributing factor to childlessness and possibly an unmet patient need among those with UC. An increased rate of C-section is observed among those with an ileal pouch-anal anastomosis  (IPAA), which is based on minimal evidence. Therefore, in addition to assessing the prevalence of C-sections in UC patients, the team will identify which patient- and health system related factors are associated to an increased likelihood for C-section. The investigators hypothesize that UC patients have a higher C-section rate compared to the general population, and that those with a IPAA having higher rates than other UC patients.  Lastly, the investigators hypothesize that C-section may improve pouch survival by protecting the anal sphincter but may be associated with other maternal morbidity compared to a vaginal delivery.
PIA Approved: February 2, 2022.

Project ID: 2021-904/TRIM 2023 0970 320 000
Principle Investigator: Jefferson Wilson
Description: The purpose of this project is to: (1) examine long term (minimum > 6 month) outcomes following traumatic brain injury. (2) utilize a population-based traumatic brain injury registry to assess epidemiological, demographic, clinical and radiographic factors influencing outcome trajectories of patients with mild, moderate, and severe traumatic brain injuries. (3) identify patient and provider characteristics associated with poor long-term outcomes following traumatic brain injury in Ontario.
PIA Approved: October 6, 2022.

Project ID: 2021-916/TRIM 2023 0970 307 000
Principle Investigator: Christopher Wallis
Description: The project objective is to understand the relative contribution of patient demographics characteristics, tumor characteristics, and treating physician characteristics on the utilization of intensified treatment beyond androgen-deprivation therapy for patients newly diagnosed with metastatic castration sensitive prostate cancer.
PIA Approved: May 4, 2022.

Project ID: 2021-925/TRIM 2023 0970 304 000
Principle Investigator: Anthony Bai
Description: Linezolid is a relatively new antibiotic approved by Canada in 2001. It is a synthetic oxazolidinone that has excellent activity against resistant gram-positive bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE). Its bioavailability approaches 100%, making it ideal as step-down oral antibiotic therapy for bacteremia, pneumonia as well as skin and soft tissue infections. However, its use has been limited due to potential drug interactions. Linezolid can reversibly inhibit monoamine oxidase (MAO). Co-administration with anti-depressants such as non-selective MAO inhibitors, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI), serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) and bupropion can precipitate serotonin syndrome. Anti-depressants are commonly prescribed for patients, so many patients who needed linezolid for an infection could not receive it due to this relative contraindication. However, the data on the risk of serotonin syndrome associated with linezolid has been scarce.
PIA Approved: April 5, 2022.

Project ID: 2021-929/TRIM 2023 0970 321 000
Principle Investigators: Jastaran Singh and Jennifer Zhong
Description: Lung cancer is most common cancer and cause of cancer death in Canada as it is often diagnosed at late stages. The project team hypothesizes that the lack of language fluency (English) for immigrants is a major barrier to early diagnosis.
PIA Approved: October 26, 2022.

Project ID: 2022-939/ TRIM 2023 0970 041 001
Principle Investigators: Yaping Jin/Marko Popovic
Description: The literature conflicts on whether the risk of cataract surgery complications is higher in patients who received anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy, likely due to selection bias or small sample sizes in previous clinic-based studies. Prior studies investigated only a limited number of surgical complications and provide an incomplete picture. Surgeons need high-quality evidence to better plan cataract surgery in retinal patients who received anti-VEGF treatment. The objective of this project is to determine whether the incidence of cataract surgery complications in patients with retinal disease who received intravitreal anti- VEGF treatment is higher than those with retinal disease who did not receive anti- VEGF treatment.
PIA Approved: October 5, 2022.

Project ID: 2022-956/ TRIM 2023 0970 318 000
Principle Investigator: Rosalyn Juergens
Description: The project team is interested in accessing ICES data for patients in Ontario with
early-stage (IB to IIIA) non-small cell lung cancer, and obtaining data on treatments received (surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, etc.). Furthermore, the project team will investigate predictors for receiving guideline recommended treatments (e.g. age, sex, race/ethnicity, cancer stage, smoking history, medical co-morbidities, education level, marital status, geography, etc.).

The project team will aim: 1. To identify rates of adherence to guideline recommended surgery, adequate lymph node dissection, and adjuvant chemotherapy for early-stage (stage IB to IIIA) patients with non-small cell lung cancer. 2. To identify any predictor(s) for poor adherence to guideline recommended treatments."
PIA Approved: August 24, 2022.