OHRI

Saturday, July 31, 2010

George A. Wells, PhD, MSc.
gawells@ottawaheart.ca

Civic Campus (see Contact page for maps)

Senior Scientist, Clinical Epidemiology, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa

Professor, Department Epidemiology & Community Medicine, University of Ottawa

Director, Cardiovascular Research Methods Centre

Research Interests

Design and analysis of multicentre clinical trials

Statistical methodology related to disease processes and health care delivery systems

Systematic reviews and meta-analysis

Development and assessment of decision support technologies for patients and clinicians

Major Research Activities

Ongoing studies include assessment of transfusion requirements in the critically ill, Ontario prehospital advanced life support system evaluation, studies evaluating decision support technologies for patients and clinicians, health care decisions in molecular genetic services and a collaborative prospective study of risk factors for the development of childhood hemolytic uremic syndrome.

Major Awards/Affiliations

Grants

Ontario Ministry of Health Emergency Health Services Research, 1994-1998

Medical Research Council/Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Canada, 1994-1996

Medical Research Council of Canada, 1994-1998

National Health Research and Development Program, 1994-1998

MELSI category of the Canadian Genome Analysis and Technology Program 1995-1997

Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada 1995-1997

Medical Research Council Group Grant 1995-1999

The Physicians' Services Incorporated Foundation 1995-1996

Ontario Ministry of Health Emergency Health Services Research, 1995-1997

Affiliations

Member, Scientific Review Committee (Clinical Trials), The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada

Member, Canadian Red Cross Research and Development Advisory Committee

Member, National Health Canada Advisory Committee on Breast Implant Issues

Member, Scientific Review Committee (Clinical Trials), The National Cancer Institute of Canada

Member, Scientific Review Committee, Emergency Medical Services, Ontario Ministry of Health

Industrial Partners

Studies with Janssen-Ortho Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Ambu International, Sanofi-Winthrop, Zimmer Canada Ltd., Sandoz Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Glaxo-Wellcome, Inc., Department of National Defence, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Health Canada, Canadian Red Cross

Recent Publications

O’Donnell, S., Cranney, A., Wells, G.A., Adachi, J.D. and Reginster, J.Y., “Strontium Ranelate for Preventing and Treating Postmenopausal Osteoporosis (Cohrane Review)”. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Rev. 2006, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD005326. DOI: 0.1002/14651858.CD005326.pub2.

Bellamy, N., Campbell, J., Robinson, V., Gee, T., Bourne, R. and Wells G.A., “Viscosupplementation for the Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee”. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Rev. 2006, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD005321. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD005321.

Bellamy, N., Campbell, J., Robinson, V., Gee, T., Bourne, R. and Wells, G. A., “Intraarticular Corticosteroid for Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee”. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Rev. 2006, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD005328. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD005328.

Perry, J., Sivilotti, M., Stiell, I., Wells, G.A., Raymond, J., Mortensen, M. and Symington, C., “Should Spectrophotometry Be Used to Identify Xanthochromia in the Cerebrospinal Fluid of Alert Patients Suspected of Having Subarachnoid Hemorrhage?”. Stroke, Vol. 37, No. 10, 2467-2472, October 2006.

Tugwell, P., O’Connor, A., Anderson, N., Mhatre, S., Kristjansson, E., Jacobsen, M-J., Robinson, V., Hatcher-Roberts, J., Shea, B., Francis, D., Beardmore, J., Wells, G.A. and Losos, J., “Reduction of Inequalities in Health: Assessing Evidence-Based Tools”. International Journal for Equity in Health, Vol. 5, No. 1, 11, September 2006.

Légaré, F., O’Connor, A., Graham, I., Wells, G.A. and Tremblay, S., “Impact of the Ottawa Decision Support Framework on the Agreement Between Patients’ and Physicians’ Decisional Conflict Scores and Factors Associated with the Difference Between Patients’ and Physicians’ Decisional Conflict Scores”. Medical Decision Making, Vol. 26, No. 4, 373-390, July-August 2006.

Quinn, J., Stiell, I., McDermott, D., Kohn, M. and Wells, G.A., “Prospective Validation of the San Francisco Syncope Rule to Predict Patients with Serious Outcomes”.Annals of Emergency Medicine, Vol. 47, No. 5, 448-454, May 2006.

van der Jagt, R., Robinson, S., Belch, A., Yetisir, E., Wells, G.A., Larratt, L., Shustik, C., Gluck, S., Stewart, K. and Sheridan, D., “Sequential Response-Adapted Induction and Consolidation Regimens Idarubicin/Cytarabine and Mitoxantrone/Etoposide in Adult Acute Myelogenous Leukemia: 10 Year Follow-up of a Study by the Canadian Leukemia Studies Group”. Leukemia and Lymphoma, Vol. 47, No. 4, 697-706, April 2006.

Brosseau, L., Wells, G.A., Finestone, H., Egan, M., Dubouloz, C-J., Graham, I., Casimiro, L., Robinson, V., Bilodeau, M. and McGowan, J., “Ottawa Panel Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines for Post-Stroke Rehabilitation”. Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation, Vol. 13, No. 2, 1-269, Spring 2006.

Clement, C., Stiell, I., Schull, M., Rowe, B., Brison, R., Lee, J., Perry, J. and Wells, G.A. for the CCC Study Group, “What are the Clinical Features of Head Injury Patients Who Present with a Glasgow Coma Scale Score of 15 Yet Require Neurosurgical Intervention?”. Annals of Emergency Medicine, Vol. 48, No. 3, 245-251, March 2006.

Robinson, V., Boers, M., Brooks, P., Francis, D., Judd, M., McGowan, J., Shea, B., Simon, L., Strand, V., Tugwell, P., Wells, G.A., “Patient Reported Pain is Central to OMERACT Rheumatology Core Measurement Sets”. Drug Information Journal, Vol. 40, No. 1, 111-116, February 2006.

Shea, B., Bouter, L., Grimshaw, J., Francis, D., Ortiz, Z., Wells, G.A., Tugwell, P. and Boers, M., “Scope for Improvement in the Quality of Reporting of Systematic Reviews. From the Cochrane Musculoskeletal Group”. Journal of Rheumatology, Vol. 33, No. 1, 9-15, January 2006.

Podymow, T., Turnbull, J., Coyle, D., Yetisir, E. and Wells, G.A., “Shelter-based Managed Alcohol Administration to Chronically Homeless People Addicted to Alcohol”. Canadian Medical Association Journal, Vol. 174, No. 1, 1-5, January 2006.

Khadilkar, A., Milne, S., Brosseau, L. and Wells, G.A., “Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) for the Treatment of Chronic Low-Back Pain: A Systematic Review”. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD003008. 2005.

Garner, S., Fidan, D., Frankish, R., Judd, M., Towheed, T., Wells, G.A. and Tugwell, P., “Rofecoxib for rheumatoid arthritis”. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD003685. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003685.pub2.

Towheed, T.E., Maxwell, L., Anastassiades, T.P., Shea, B., Houpt, J., Robinson, V., Hochberg, M.C., Wells, G.A., “Glucosamine therapy for treating osteoarthritis”. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD002946. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD002946.pub2.

Bellamy, N., Campbell, J., Robinson, V., Gee, T., Bourne, R. and Wells G.A., “Viscosupplementation for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee”. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD005321. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD005321.

Bellamy, N., Campbell, J., Robinson, V., Gee, T., Bourne, R. and Wells, G. A., “Intraarticular corticosteroid for treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee”. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD005328. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD005328.

Khadilkar, A., Milne, S., Brosseau, L., Wells, G.A., Tugwell, P., Robinson, V., Shea, B. and Saginur, M., “Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulations (TENS) for the Treatment of Chronic Low-Back Pain: A Systematic Review”. Spine, Vol. 30, No. 23, 2657-2666, December 2005.

Donoghue, A., Nadkami, V., Berg, R., Osmond, M., Wells, G.A., Nesbitt, L., Stiell, I. for the CanAm Pediatric Cardiac Arrest Investigators, “Out-of-hospital Pediatric Cardiac Arrest: an Epidemiologic Review and Assessment of Current Knowledge”. Annals of Emergency Medicine, Vol. 46, No. 6, 512-522, November 2005.

Bennett, C., Cournoyer, D., Rossert, J., Carson, K., Evens, A., Morse, R., Toffelmire, E., Wells, G.A., Messner, H., Yarnold, P., Luminari, S., McKoy, J., Kim, B., Belknap, S., Raisch, D., Kuzel, T., Nissenson, A., Lim, L., Tallman, M. and Casadevall, N., “Long-term Outcome of Individuals with Pure Red Cell Aplasia and Anti-erythropoietin Antibodies in Patients Treated with Recombinant Epoetin: A follow-up report from the Research on Adverse Drug Events and Reports (RADAR) Project”. Blood, Vol. 106, No. 10, 3343-3347, November 2005.

Tugwell, P., Wilson, A., Brooks, P., Driedger, M., Gallois, C., O’Connor, A., Qualman, A., Santesso, N., Wale, J. and Wells, G.A., “Attributes and Skills of an Effective Musculoskeletal Consumer”. Journal of Rheumatology, Vol. 32, No. 11, 2257-2261, October 2005.

Kulik, A., LeMay, M., Wells, G.A., Mesana, T. and Ruel, M., “The Clopidogrel after Surgery for Coronary Artery Disease (CASCADE) Randomized Controlled Trial: Clopidogrel and Aspirin Versus Aspirin alone after Coronary Bypass Surgery {NCT00228423]. Current Controlled Trials in Cardiovascular Medicine, Vol. 6, No. 1, 1-9, October 2005.

Tubach, F., Wells, G.A., Ravaud, P. and Dougados, M., “Minimal Clinically Important Difference, Low Disease Activity State and Patient Acceptable Symptom State: Methodological Issues”. Journal of Rheumatology, Vol. 32, No. 10, 2025-2029, October 2005.

Wells, G.A., Boers, M., Shea, B., Brooks, P., Simon, L., Strand, V., Aletaha, D., Anderson, J., Bombardier, C., Dougados, M., Emery, P., Felson, D., Fransen, J., Furst, D., Hazes, M., Johnson, K., Kirwan, J., Landewé, R., Lassere, M., Michaud, K., Suarez-Almazor, M., Silman, A., Smolen, J., van der Heijde, D., van Riel, P., Wolfe, F. and Tugwell, P., “Minimal Disease Activity for Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Preliminary Definition”. Journal of Rheumatology, Vol. 32, No. 10, 2016-2024, October 2005.

Quinn, J., Stiell, I., McDermott, D., Kohn, M. And Wells, G.A., “The San Francisco Syncope Rule vs Physician Judgment and Decision Making“. American Journal of Emergency Medicine, Vol. 23, No. 6, 782-786, October 2005.

Stiell, I., Clement, C., Rowe, B., Schull, M., Brison, R., Cass, D., Eisenhauer, M., McKnight, D., Bandiera, G., Holroyd, B., Lee, J., Dreyer, J., Worthington, J., Reardon, M., Greenberg, G., Lesiuk, H., MacPhail, I. and Wells, G.A., “A Comparison of the Canadian CT Head Rule and the New Orleans Criteria in Minor Head Injury Patients”. The Journal of American Medical Association Vol. 294, No. 12, 1511-1518, September 2005.

Tugwell, P., Judd, M., Fries, J., Singh, G., Wells, G.A., “Powering Our Way to the Elusive Side Effect: A Composite Outcome ‘basket’ of predefined designated Endpoints in Earch Organ System should be included in all Controlled Trials”. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, Vol. 58, No. 8, 785-790, August 2005.

Nichol, G., Wells, G.A., Kuntz, K., Feeny, D., Longstreth, W., Mohoney, B., Mann, C., Lucas, R., Henry, M., Huszti, E. and Birnbaum, A., “Methodological Design for Economic Evaluation in Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) Trial”. American Heart Journal, Vol. 150, No. 2, 202-208, August 2005.

LeMay, M., Wells, G.A., Labinaz, M., Davies, R., Turek, M., Leddy, D., McKibbin, T., Maloney, J., Quinn, B., Glover, C., Marquis, J., O’Brien, E., Williams, W., Beanlands, R. and Higginson, L., “Combined Angioplasty and Pharmacological Intervention versus Thrombolysis Alone in Acute Myocardial Infarction (CAPITAL AMI Study)”. Journal of American College of Cardiology, Vol. 46, No. 3, 417-424 August 2005.

Murray, H., Stiell, I. and Wells, G.A., “Treatment Failure in Emergency Department Patients with Cellulitis”. Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine, Vol. 7, No. 4, 228-234, July 2005.

Oppenheimer, L.W., Labreque, M., Wells, G.A., Bland, E.S., Fraser, W.D., Eason, E., Brison-Carroll, G., Yetisir, E. and the Dylate Study Group, “Prostaglandin E2 Vaginal Gel to Treat Dystocia in Spontaneous Labour: A Multicentre Randomised Placebo-Controlled Trial”. British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vol. 112, 612-618, May 2005.

Reid, R., Dafoe, W., Morrin, L., Mayhew, A., Papadakis, S., Beaton, L., Oldridge, N., Coyle, D. and Wells, G.A., “Impact of Program Duration and Contact Frequency on Efficacy and Cost-effectivenes of Cardiac Rehabilitation: Results of a Randomized Trial”. American Heart Journal, Vol. 149, No. 5, 862-868, May 2005.

Rock, G., Anderson, D., Clark, W., Leblond, P., Palmer, D., Sternbach, M., Sutton, D., and Wells, G.A., “Does Cryosupernatant Plasma Improve Outcome in Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura? No Answer yet”. British Journal of Haematology, Vol. 129, No. 1, 79-86, April 2005.

Wells, P., Anderson, D., Rodger, M., Forgie, M., Florack, P., Touchie, D., Morrow, B., Gray, L., O’Rourke, K., Wells, G.A., Kovacs, J. and Kovacs, M., “A Randomised Trial Comparing 2 Low- Molecular Weight Heparins for the Outpatient Treatment of Deep Vein Thrombosis or Pulmonary Embolism”. Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 165, No. 7, 733-738, April 2005.

Brosseau, L., Wells, G.A., Marchand, S., Gaboury, I., Stokes, B., Morin, M., Casimiro, L., Yonge, K. and Tugwell, P., “Randomized Controlled Trial on Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis (OA) of the Hand”. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, Vol. 36, No. 3, 210-219, March 2005.

Papa, L., Stiell, I., Wells, G.A., Ball, I., Battram, E. and Mahoney, J., “Predicting Intervention in Renal Colic Patients after Emergency Department Evaluation”, Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine, Vol. 7, No. 2, 78-86, March 2005.

Perry, J., Stiell, I., Wells, G.A., Mortensen, M., Lesiuk, H., Sivilotti, M. and Kapur, A., “Attitudes and Judgment of Emergency Physicians in the Management of Patients with Acute Headache”. Academic Emergency Medicine, Vol. 12, No. 1, 33-37, January 2005.