Research

Research is an integral part of our clinical and academic mission. The members of the division are active collaborators in a variety of Canadian, North American, and international pediatric rheumatology research groups.

Our research team may approach you about participating in a research study. When you are approached, you will always have the opportunity to hear about the study from a research staff member, consider a written document describing the study and what your child would be asked to do as part of the study, and ask any questions you have of the research staff member or pediatric rheumatologist.

All research studies are approved by both the Children’s and Women’s Hospital Research Review and the University of British Columbia Ethics Review processes. Any participation in a research project is done with complete confidentiality of children who participate.

Current research projects

We are currently involved with a variety of clinical research projects. These research projects include:

• The REACCH-Out study: A Canada-wide study of newly diagnosed children and youth with JIA, looking at predicting outcomes and quality of life. (Dr. Tucker)


• The STOPP study: A Canada-wide study of the impact of corticosteroid treatment on bone health of children. ( Dr. Cabral)


• The development of a North American registry for children with Wegener’s granulomatosis and other rare vasculitides. (Dr. Cabral)


• Studying the influences which lead to the use of complementary and alternative therapies among parents of children with rheumatic diseases. (Dr. Cabral)


• Examining how pediatric rheumatologists use corticosteroids in children with SLE, to determine if a standardized approach can be developed. (Dr. Tucker)


• Participation in a Canada-wide epidemiologic and outcomes study of SLE, to include children and focus on ethnic, socioeconomic, and environmental factors influencing the course and outcome of disease. (Drs. Tucker and Petty)


• Studying the fitness level of children and youth with SLE, and the impact of a supervised exercise program in improving fitness, decreasing fatigue and improving quality of life. (Dr. Tucker, I Davidson, M Boer)


• Limiting the excess weight gain of children taking high dose corticosteroid treatment with an intensive nutritional program. (J Tekano, L Tucker)

Recent publications

Al-Matar MJ, Petty RE, Cabral DA, Tucker LB, Peyvandi B, Prendiville J, Forbes J, Cairns R, Rothstein R. Rheumatic manifestations of Bartonella infection in 2 children. J Rheumatol. 2002 Jan; 29(1):184-6.

Tucker LB. Controversies and advances in the management of systemic lupus erythematosus in children and adolescents. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2002 Jul;16(3):471-80.

Huemer C, Malleson PN, Cabral DA, Huemer M, Falger J, Zidek T, Petty RE. Patterns of joint involvement at onset differentiate oligoarticular juvenile psoriatic arthritis from pauciarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. J Rheumatol. 2002 Jul; 29(7):1531-5.

Petty RE. Frequency of uncommon diseases: is juvenile idiopathic arthritis underrecognized? J Rheumatol. 2002 Jul; 29(7):1350-5.

Sherry DD, Malleson PN. The idiopathic musculoskeletal pain syndromes in childhood. Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2002 Aug; 28(3):669-85.

Oen K, Malleson PN, Cabral DA, Rosenberg AM, Petty RE, Cheang M. Disease course and outcome of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in a multicenter cohort. J Rheumatol. 2002 Sep;29(9):1989-99.

Al-Matar MJ, Petty RE, Tucker LB, Malleson PN, Schroeder ML, Cabral DA. The early pattern of joint involvement predicts disease progression in children with oligoarticular (pauciarticular) juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2002 Oct;46(10):2708-15.

Prendiville JS, Cabral DA, Mehta S, Sargent M, Poskitt K. Central nervous system involvement in neonatal lupus erythematosus Pediatr. Dermatol. 2003 Jan;20(1):60-67.

Oen K, Malleson PN, Cabral DA, Rosenberg AM, Petty RE, Reed M, Schroeder ML, Cheang M. Early predictors of longterm outcome in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis: subset-specific correlations. J Rheumatol. 2003 Mar;30(3):585-93.

Oen K, Reed M, Malleson PN, Cabral DA, Petty RE, Rosenberg AM, Cheang M. Radiologic outcome and its relationship to functional disability in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. J Rheumatol. 2003 Apr;30(4):832-40.

Petty RE, Smith JR, Rosenbaum JT. Arthritis and uveitis in children. A pediatric rheumatology perspective. Am J Ophthalmol. 2003 Jun;135(6):879-84.

Eccleston C, Malleson P. Managing chronic pain in children and adolescents. We need to address the embarrassing lack of data for this common problem. BMJ. 2003 Jun 28;326(7404):1408-9

Sandor GG, Hishitani T, Petty RE, Potts MT, Desouza A, Desouza E, Potts JE. A novel Doppler echocardiographic method of measuring the biophysical properties of the aorta in pediatric patients. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2003 Jul;16(7):745-50.

Petty RE. Exclusivity versus the hierarchy, or fear and loathing of the undefined. J Rheumatol. 2003 Aug;30(8):1663-4.

Eccleston C, Malleson PN, Clinch J, Connell H, Sourbut C. Chronic pain in adolescents: evaluation of a programme of interdisciplinary cognitive behaviour therapy. Arch Dis Child. 2003 Oct;88(10):881-5.

Jastaniah WA, Dobson S, Lugsdin JG, Petty RE. Complex regional pain syndrome after hepatitis B vaccine. J Pediatr. 2003 Dec;143(6):802-4.

Petty, RE. Alsufyani K, Ortiz-Alvarez O, Cabral DA, Tucker LB, Petty RE, Malleson PN. The role of subcutaneous administration of methotrexate in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis who have failed oral methotrexate. J Rheumatol. 2004 Jan;31(1):179-82.

Petty RE, Southwood TR, Manners P, Baum J, Glass DN, Goldenberg J, He X, Maldonado-Cocco J, Orozco-Alcala J, Prieur AM, Suarez-Almazor ME, Woo P. International League of Associations for Rheumatology classification of juvenile idiopathic arthritis: second revision, Edmonton, 2001. J Rheumatol. 2004 Feb;31(2):390-2.

Malleson PN, Oen K, Cabral DA, Petty RE, Rosenberg AM, Cheang M. Predictors of pain in children with established juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2004 Apr 15;51(2):222-7.

Feldman DE, Duffy C, De Civita M, Malleson P, Philibert L, Gibbon M, Ortiz-Alvarez O, Dobkin PL. Factors associated with the use of complementary and alternative medicine in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2004 Aug 15;51(4):527-32

Miettunen PM, Ortiz-Alvarez O, Petty RE, Cimaz R, Malleson PN, Cabral DA, Ensworth S, Tucker LB. Gender and ethnic origin have no effect on longterm outcome of childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus. J Rheumatol. 2004 Aug;31(8):1650-4.

Ebbeson RL, Riley MR, Potts JE, Human DG, Malleson PN. Kawasaki Disease at British Columbia’s Children’s Hospital. Paediatr Child Health 2004; 9(7):466-470.

Ortiz-Alvarez O, Morishita K, Avery G, Green J, Petty RE, Tucker LB, Malleson PN, Cabral DA. Guidelines for blood test monitoring of methotrexate toxicity in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. J. Rheumatol. 2004; 31: 2501-2506

Ortiz-Alvarez O, Metzger DL, Malleson PN, Cabral DA, Tucker LB, Petty RE. Addison’s disease in a child with systemic lupus erythematosus. Pediatric Rheumatology Online Journal, 2004; 2: 134-138.

Malleson PN, Mackinnon MJ, Sailer-Hoeck M. What to do with a positive ANA test? Pediatric Rheumatology Online Journal 2004;2(3).

Alsufyani K, Ortiz-Alvarez O, Cabral DA, Tucker LB, Petty RB, Malleson PN. Relative ineffectiveness of triamcinolone acetonide in the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2004; 50: 3737-3738.

Malleson PN. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in juvenile idiopathic arthritis; What’s the real risk? Pediatric Rheumatology Online Journal 2005; 2(5).