Research Activities
My most important research contributions to date are the SOME, AVERT, SSPE and PERIOP-01 trials (co-PI and first or corresponding author; NEJM Aug 2015, NEJM Feb 2019, Ann Intern Med Jan 2022 and BMJ Sept 2022, respectively). The results have generated interest among clinicians, patients and changed clinical practice. I am currently the co-Principal Investigator of the CIHR funded multi-center TRIM-Line trial. Patients with cancer and a central venous catheter are at high risk of VTE complications. The TRIM-Line trial is an international multicentre, randomized, double–blind study comparing 10 mg daily of rivaroxaban versus placebo in patients with cancer and central-venous catheter. The primary objective of the study is to determine if thromboprophylactic treatment (3 months) with a direct oral anticoagulant is effective at reducing the rate of symptomatic and incidental VTE events in this patient population (NCT05029063). I am also the Co-Principal Investigator of the CONQUER-DVT trial. Excessive inflammation has been linked to persistent hypercoagulability, incomplete thrombus clearance and exacerbation of vein wall injury and fibrosis, thereby potentially contributing to the development of chronic consequences of VTE including post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS). PTS can be debilitating and decreases quality of life in patients with deep vein thrombosis. Multiple clinical trials have demonstrated that low-dose colchicine reduces cardiovascular events in patients with acute or chronic coronary artery disease by attenuating inflammation activation The CONQUER-DVT trial is a multinational (Canada and Italy) multi-centered double-blind randomized controlled trial assessing whether low-dose colchicine (0.5 mg daily) decreases PTS in patients with DVT (NCT06440694).