2021 Annual Report
Global Vision ↔︎ Local Action
Message from our Co-Directors
JUSTIN
EZEKOWITZ
MBBch, Msc
SHAUN
GOODMAN
Md, MSc
PADMA KAUL
PhD
About the CVC
The Canadian VIGOUR Centre (CVC) was established in 1997 as an academic research organization (ARO) at the University of Alberta, and has since been committed to the enhancement of cardiovascular health.
The CVC is recognized for its pioneering research in cardiovascular medicine, which embraces the translation of research through thought leadership and management of innovative clinical trials. Furthermore, the CVC is focused on the generation of new knowledge from patient registries and population outcome studies, which inform the direction of future pathways.
As an ARO, the CVC is committed to the scholarly value of scientific inquiry and truth, and believes knowledge should be shared openly in an ethical research environment. The CVC’s dedications to lifelong learning has also inspired one of our central tenets –engaging the next generation of health professionals in a research culture that embraces curiosity, welcomes new ideas, and seeks to address key unanswered questions in health care.
Current projects
(clinical trials, registries, and population health and data science studies)
Current projects
(clinical trials, registries, and population health and data science studies)
Publications produced by CVC faculty and staff
Canadians represented in the CVC’s data repository
Research Highlights
COVID-19 and Cardiovascular Disease
Dr. Padma Kaul Named the Heart & Stroke Foundation Chair in Cardiovascular Research
In 2021, Dr. Padma Kaul was awarded the Heart & Stroke Foundation Chair in Cardiovascular Research. Dr. Kaul’s research interests are well aligned with the Foundation’s primary goal of closing the research gap as it relates to women and heart disease.
Evolution in STEMI Care
In 1999, the CVC had an important role in establishing a paramedic-based, pre-hospital fibrinolysis in the ASSENT-3 Plus clinical trial. This Canadian paramedic-based system with physician oversight proved to be as effective as physicians in the ambulance in treating ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI). This research was further expanded in the WEST trial, a Canadian collaborative study, testing a pharmacoinvasive approach versus fibrinolysis standard care or primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
Management and Clinical Outcomes for Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial Fibrillation Guidelines
In late 2020, the Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) published an important update to its comprehensive guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation (AF). These guidelines covered all aspects of AF management, including classification and definitions, epidemiology, pathophysiology, the evaluation and screening of patients with AF, stroke prevention, and the management of symptoms and arrhythmias. New to the guidelines, this document uniquely highlighted sex differences in AF and special populations, such as children.
Residual Risk and Secondary Prevention
Low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is an important cause of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and residual risk. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) led by the CVC, in collaboration with Canadian pharmaceutical affiliates, global sponsors, and other academic research organizations have helped to identify specific LDL-C thresholds in ASCVD patients. These RCTs aim to identify evidence that, along with novel non-statin LDL lowering therapies, can help patients achieve specific thresholds or targets, and most importantly, experience fewer cardiovascular disease events.
The APEX-AMI Biomarker Sub-Study
More than 14 years after the publication of APEX-AMI, the trial’s biomarker sub-study continues to provide potential mechanistic insights into the pathophysiology of clinical outcomes in patients with ST-segmental elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Despite temporal improvement in mortality, early reperfusion has been partially offset by a parallel rise in new onset post-infarction heart failure.
The VICTORIA Trial
The VICTORIA trial was a large, multinational, multicenter clinical trial that enrolled 5,050 patients at 616 sites in 42 countries. The CVC played a pivotal role as part of the executive committee, the design and management of clinical trial sites, and the data management afterwards.
Finlay McAlister, MD, MSc discusses COVID-19 and cardiovascular disease
Padma Kaul, PhD discusses her work as the Heart & Stroke Foundation Chair in Cardiovascular Research
Robert Welsh, MD and Kevin Bainey, MD, MSc discuss evolutions in STEMI care
Sean McMurtry, MD, PhD and Roopinder Sandhu, MD, MPH discuss management and clinical outcomes for atrial fibrillation
Shaun Goodman, MD, MSc and Tracy Temple, BScN, RN, CCRP discuss residual risk and secondary prevention
Sean van Diepen, MD, MSc provides an overview of the APEX-AMI biomarker sub-study
Justin Ezekowitz, MBBCh, MSc and Cynthia Westerhout, PhD discuss the VICTORIA trial
Impact and Outreach
Canadian Cardiovascular
Research Collaboratory (C3)
- Collaboration
- Clinical research laboratory
C3 Member Network
- Calgary, AB
University of Calgary - Todd Anderson
- Derek Chew
- William Ghali
- Jonathan Howlett
- Edmonton, AB
University of Alberta - Paul Armstrong
- Kevin Bainey
- Justin Ezekowitz
- Shaun Goodman
- Padma Kaul
- Finlay McAlister
- Brian H. Rowe
- Sean van Diepen
- Robert Welsh
- Cynthia Westerhout
- Vancouver, BC
University of British Columbia - Madeleine Barker
- Christopher Fordyce
- Nathaniel Hawkins
- Karin Humphries
- Jessica Luc
- John Mancini
- Tara Sedlak
- Winnipeg, MB
University of Manitoba - Ross Feldman
- Shuangbo Liu
- Ashish Shah
- Shelley Zieroth
- Hamilton, ON
McMaster University - Sanjit Jolly
- Kingston, ON
Queen’s University - Aws Almufleh
- Amer Johri
- London, ON
Western University - Robert Hegele
- Ottawa, ON
University of Ottawa - Peter Liu
- Marc Ruel
- Juan Russo
- Derek So
- Toronto, ON
University of Toronto - Akshay Bagai
- Warren Cantor
- Michael Farkouh
- Stephen Fremes
- Shaun Goodman
- Dennis Ko
- Patrick Lawler
- Adriana Luk
- David Mazer
- Heather Ross
- Jacob Udell
- Laval, QC
Université Laval - Jean-Pierre Després
- Josep Rodés-Cabau
- Montreal, QC
Université de Montréal - Anita Asgar
- Robert Avram
- Marc Jolicoeur
- Guillaume Marquis-Gravel
- Jean-Francois Tanguay
- McGill University
- Nadia Giannetti
- Abhinav Sharma
- Saskatoon, SK
University of Saskatchewan - Haissam Haddad
- Jay Shavadia
Our Team
The CVC is anchored by a dedicated group of internationally recognized thought leaders in cardiovascular medicine and clinical investigation, and is supported by accomplished administrative and clinical operations teams, as well as experienced biostatisticians, data and machine analysts, and ECG Core Laboratory personnel.
Research is a team sport, and our diverse and multidimensional CVC personnel are committed to continuous innovation that has an impact on informing health policy.
Collaborators
The CVC has forged strong partnerships with a number of institutions and centres around the world in the pursuit of novel research directions and the advancement of cardiovascular research. The CVC takes great pride in our relationships with these collaborators, who are internationally recognized leaders in the advancement of cardiovascular research.
APPLIED HEALTH RESEARCH CENTRE, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
TORONTO, CANADA
CHARITÉ – UNIVERSITÄTSMEDIZIN BERLIN BERLIN, GERMANY
CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF
HONG KONG
SHATIN, HONG KONG
CHRISTCHURCH
HEART INSTITUTE,
UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO
CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND
CPC CLINICAL RESEARCH
AURORA, USA
DUKE CLINICAL RESEARCH
INSTITUTE, DUKE UNIVERSITY
DURHAM, USA
GREEN LANE COORDINATING CENTRE AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
THE HEART AND STROKE RICHARD LEWAR CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
TORONTO, CANADA
ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE,
MOUNT SINAI NEW YORK, USA
INOVA HEART AND VASCULAR INSTITUTE, INOVA FAIRFAX HOSPITAL
FALLS CHURCH, USA
LEUVEN COORDINATING CENTRE, UNIVERSITY OF LEUVEN
LEUVEN, BELGIUM
LIBIN CARDIOVASCULAR INSTITUTE, UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY
CALGARY, CANADA
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HEART CENTRE, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
OF SINGAPORE
SINGAPORE
PERFUSE STUDY GROUP, HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL
BOSTON, USA
PETER MUNK CARDIAC CENTRE, UNIVERSITY HEALTH NETWORK
TORONTO, CANADA
POPULATION HEALTH RESEARCH INSTITUTE
HAMILTON, CANADA
SAMU URGENCES DE FRANCE
PONTOISE, FRANCE
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN HEALTH AND MEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA
STANFORD CENTER FOR CLINICAL RESEARCH, STANFORD UNIVERSITY
STANFORD, USA
STATENS SERUM INSTITUT
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK
UNIVERSITY MEDICAL
CENTER GRONINGEN
GRONINGEN, NETHERLANDS
UNIVERSITY OF MONTREAL
MONTREAL, CANADA
UPPSALA CLINICAL RESEARCH CENTRE, UPSALA UNIVERSITY
UPPSALA, SWEDEN
PAUL W. ARMSTRONG, MD
Closing Message
Annual reports are a fine tradition. Ours at the CVC is a collective effort that stimulates a contemplative look back at some of the prior year’s activities. For several years this report was originally published as a tangible booklet that could sit on a side table, the current digital edition (and second of its genre), that you are possibly now reading, may or may not be something you are inclined to download and peruse further at your leisure. Such is the signature of the global shift to virtual publishing.
The CVC gratefully acknowledges and thanks:
- The patients, for their willing participation in our trials and registries. They are the true heroes of clinical research and we honor their volunteer spirit.
- The CVC faculty, external advisors, and collaborators for their enriching contributions and for providing ongoing research opportunities. We look forward to providing continued support and to future collaborations in advance of our mission.
- The CVC staff and management for their outstanding dedication, professionalism, excellent contributions, and ingenuity, which enhances the quality of our research work.
- Our trainees for their commitment, ideas, and enthusiasm. You are the next generation of researchers and health care providers.
- The sponsors and granting agencies; without their generous financial support our research and educational activities would not be possible.
- The excellent work of our communications group for their time and the dedication required to produce this report.
- The team at AM/FM for the concept and design.
