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Antonio Aviña-Zubieta

Senior Scientist, Rheumatology, MD, MSc, PhD, FRCP

 

Appointments

  • Associate Professor of Medicine and Head, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia
  • BC Lupus Society Research Scholar
  • Walter & Marilyn Booth Research Scholar

Research Interests

  • Rheumatology
  • Economic burden and cardiovascular complications associated with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs)

Born in Mexico, Dr. Antonio Aviña-Zubieta graduated as a Medical Doctor from the University of Guadalajara in 1989. He did his Internal Medicine training from 1990 to 1991 at the University of Guadalajara, and from 1991 to 1993 he pursued a rheumatology fellowship at the Autonomous National University of Mexico (UNAM). He has been a National Scientist in Mexico since 1998.

After his formal training in Mexico, Dr. Aviña did a Clinical Research Fellowship at the University of Alberta from 1993 to 1995, and subsequently completed a Master’s Degree in Experimental Medicine at the same university in 1997. In 2010, Dr. Aviña received his PhD in Experimental Medicine/Epidemiology from the University of British Columbia and began a faculty appointment as a Clinical Assistant Professor with the Faculty of Medicine at the same university on July 1st of that year.

Learn more

Dr. Aviña’s current research focuses on the economic burden and cardiovascular complications associated with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs), which include systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, Sjögren’s syndrome, polymyositis, dermatomyositis, and the systemic vasculitides. In the future, Dr. Aviña plans to examine other complications associated with SARDs, including cancer, infections, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He will also look at potential risk factors for SARDs, such as exposure to certain medications and smoking. His research is currently funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

In order to conduct his research, Dr. Aviña has put together an administrative data cohort that includes all individuals in British Columbia with SARDs. This data includes all hospital and outpatient physician billing claims for BC, all prescription medications filled in BC, and vital statistics information. It also includes laboratory test results data, a unique feature of Dr. Aviña’s cohort that is not found in any other similar cohort across the world. He has also established a Community Advisory Committee (CAC), who are a group of patients with SARDs that work with Dr. Aviña to ensure that the direction of his research is relevant to those living with SARDs and that the results of his research are disseminated in a timely and appropriate manner.

Publications

  1. Lavalle C, Aguilar JC, Pena F, Estrada-Aguilar JL, Avina-Zubieta JA, Madrazo M. Reduction in hospitalization costs, morbidity, disability, and mortality in patients with aids treated with protease inhibitors. Archives of medical research. 2000 Sep-Oct;31(5):515-9. PubMed PMID: 11179588. Pubmed Central PMCID: 11179588. Epub 2001/02/17. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11179588.

 

  1. Cruz J, Avina-Zubieta A, Martinez de la Escalera G, Clapp C, Lavalle C. Molecular heterogeneity of prolactin in the plasma of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis and rheumatism. 2001 Jun;44(6):1331-5. PubMed PMID: 11407692. Pubmed Central PMCID: 11407692. Epub 2001/06/16. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11407692.

 

  1. Vadillo Buenfil M, Avina Zubieta JA, Rosas Cabral A, Gonzalez Barcena D. [Response of gastrin after an oral calcium load in healthy women and in postmenopausal patients without hormone replacement therapy]. Ginecologia y obstetricia de Mexico. 2002 Sep;70:437-42. PubMed PMID: 12448052. Pubmed Central PMCID: 12448052. Epub 2002/11/27. Respuesta de la gastrina ante una carga bucal de calcio en mujeres normales y pacientes climatericas sin terapia hormonal de reemplazo. spa. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12448052.

 

  1. Vela-Ojeda J, Garcia-Ruiz Esparza MA, Padilla-Gonzalez Y, Rosas-Cabral A, Garcia-Chavez J, Xolotl-Castillo M, et al. IFN-alpha as induction and maintenance treatment of patients newly diagnosed with Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia. Journal of interferon & cytokine research : the official journal of the International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research. 2002 Oct;22(10):1013-6. PubMed PMID: 12433280. Epub 2002/11/16. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12433280.

 

  1. Avina-Zubieta JA, Galindo-Rodriguez G, Robledo I, Vela-Ojeda J, Vadillo-Buenfil M, Rosas-Cabral A, et al. Long-term effectiveness of danazol corticosteroids and cytotoxic drugs in the treatment of hematologic manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus. Lupus. 2003;12(1):52-7. PubMed PMID: 12587827. Pubmed Central PMCID: 12587827. Epub 2003/02/18. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12587827.

 

  1. Castro-Lizano N, Calleja C, Galindo-Rodriguez G, Avina-Zubieta JA. Ovarian haemorrhage, rupture and haemoperitoneum secondary to thrombocytopenia in a patient with SLE. Lupus. 2003;12(8):648-50. PubMed PMID: 12945728. Pubmed Central PMCID: 12945728. Epub 2003/08/30. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12945728.

 

  1. Galindo-Rodriguez G, Bustamante R, Esquivel-Nava G, Salazar-Exaire D, Vela-Ojeda J, Vadillo-Buenfil M, et al. Pentoxifylline in the treatment of refractory nephrotic syndrome secondary to lupus nephritis. The Journal of rheumatology. 2003 Nov;30(11):2382-4. PubMed PMID: 14677181. Pubmed Central PMCID: 14677181. Epub 2003/12/17. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14677181.

 

  1. Rosas-Cabral A, Martinez-Mancilla M, Ayala-Sanchez M, Vela-Ojeda J, Bahena-Resendiz P, Vadillo-Buenfil M, et al. [Analysis of Bcr-abl type transcript and its relationship with platelet count in Mexican patients with chronic myeloid leukemia]. Gaceta medica de Mexico. 2003 Nov-Dec;139(6):553-9. PubMed PMID: 14723051. Pubmed Central PMCID: 14723051. Epub 2004/01/16. Analisis del tipo de transcrito bcr-abl y su relacion con la cuenta plaquetaria en pacientes mexicanos con leucemia mieloide cronica. spa. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14723051.

 

  1. Vela-Ojeda J, Garcia-Ruiz Esparza MA, Reyes-Maldonado E, Jimenez-Zamudio L, Moreno-Lafont M, Garcia-Latorre E, et al. Donor lymphocyte infusions for relapse of chronic myeloid leukemia after allogeneic stem cell transplantation: prognostic significance of the dose of CD3(+) and CD4(+) lymphocytes. Annals of hematology. 2004 May;83(5):295-301. PubMed PMID: 15060749. Pubmed Central PMCID: 15060749. Epub 2004/04/03. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15060749.

 

  1. Vela-Ojeda J, Garcia-Ruiz Esparza MA, Tripp-Villanueva F, Ayala-Sanchez M, Delgado-Lamas JL, Garces-Ruiz O, et al. Allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation using reduced intensity versus myeloablative conditioning regimens for the treatment of leukemia. Stem cells and development. 2004 Oct;13(5):571-9. PubMed PMID: 15588514. Pubmed Central PMCID: 15588514. Epub 2004/12/14. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15588514.

 

  1. Ad Hoc Committee on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Response Criteria for F. Measurement of fatigue in systemic lupus erythematosus: a systematic review. Arthritis and rheumatism. 2007 Dec 15;57(8):1348-57. PubMed PMID: 18050225. Epub 2007/12/01. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18050225.

 

  1. Avina-Zubieta JA, Choi HK, Sadatsafavi M, Etminan M, Esdaile JM, Lacaille D. Risk of cardiovascular mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a meta-analysis of observational studies. Arthritis and rheumatism. 2008 Dec 15;59(12):1690-7. PubMed PMID: 19035419. English. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19035419.

 

  1. Goligher EC, Pouchot J, Brant R, Kherani RB, Avina-Zubieta JA, Lacaille D, et al. Minimal clinically important difference for 7 measures of fatigue in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. The Journal of rheumatology. 2008 Apr;35(4):635-42. PubMed PMID: 18322987. English. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18322987.

 

  1. Avina-Zubieta JA, Abrahamowicz M, Choi HK, Rahman MM, Sylvestre MP, Esdaile JM, et al. Risk of cerebrovascular disease associated with the use of glucocorticoids in patients with incident rheumatoid arthritis: a population-based study. Annals of the rheumatic diseases. 2011 Jun;70(6):990-5. PubMed PMID: 21367762. Pubmed Central PMCID: 21367762. Epub 2011/03/04. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21367762.

 

  1. Avina-Zubieta JA, Thomas J, Sadatsafavi M, Lehman AJ, Lacaille D. Risk of incident cardiovascular events in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a meta-analysis of observational studies. Annals of the rheumatic diseases. 2012 Sep;71(9):1524-9. PubMed PMID: 22425941. Pubmed Central PMCID: 22425941. Epub 2012/03/20. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22425941.

 

 

  1. Thorlund K, Druyts E, Avina-Zubieta JA, Mills EJ. Anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) drugs for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis: an indirect comparison meta-analysis. Biologics : targets & therapy. 2012;6:417-27. PubMed PMID: 23271892. Pubmed Central PMCID: 3526864. Epub 2012/12/29. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23271892.

 

  1. Avina-Zubieta JA, Abrahamowicz M, De Vera MA, Choi HK, Sayre EC, Rahman MM, et al. Immediate and past cumulative effects of oral glucocorticoids on the risk of acute myocardial infarction in rheumatoid arthritis: a population-based study. Rheumatology (Oxford, England). 2013 Jan;52(1):68-75. PubMed PMID: 23192907. English. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23192907.

 

  1. Choi HK, Rho YH, Zhu Y, Cea-Soriano L, Avina-Zubieta JA, Zhang Y. The risk of pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis in rheumatoid arthritis: a UK population-based outpatient cohort study. Annals of the rheumatic diseases. 2013 Jul;72(7):1182-7. PubMed PMID: 22930596. Pubmed Central PMCID: 22930596. Epub 2012/08/30. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22930596.

 

  1. Hudson M, Avina-Zubieta A, Lacaille D, Bernatsky S, Lix L, Jean S. The validity of administrative data to identify hip fractures is high–a systematic review. Journal of clinical epidemiology. 2013 Mar;66(3):278-85. PubMed PMID: 23347851. Pubmed Central PMCID: 23347851. Epub 2013/01/26. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23347851.

 

  1. Leong A, Dasgupta K, Bernatsky S, Lacaille D, Avina-Zubieta A, Rahme E. Systematic review and meta-analysis of validation studies on a diabetes case definition from health administrative records. PloS one. 2013;8(10):e75256. PubMed PMID: 24130696. Pubmed Central PMCID: 3793995. Epub 2013/10/17. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24130696.

 

  1. Thorlund K, Druyts E, Avina-Zubieta JA, Wu P, Mills EJ. Why the findings of published multiple treatment comparison meta-analyses of biologic treatments for rheumatoid arthritis are different: an overview of recurrent methodological shortcomings. Annals of the rheumatic diseases. 2013 Sep 1;72(9):1524-35. PubMed PMID: 23087184. Pubmed Central PMCID: 23087184. Epub 2012/10/23. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23087184.

 

  1. Broten L, Avina-Zubieta JA, Lacaille D, Joseph L, Hanly JG, Lix L, et al. Systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease prevalence in Canada: updated analyses across 7 provinces. The Journal of rheumatology. 2014 Apr;41(4):673-9. PubMed PMID: 24584928. Pubmed Central PMCID: 24584928. Epub 2014/03/04. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24584928.

 

  1. McCormick N, Lacaille D, Bhole V, Avina-Zubieta JA. Validity of myocardial infarction diagnoses in administrative databases: a systematic review. PloS one. 2014;9(3):e92286. PubMed PMID: 24682186. Pubmed Central PMCID: 3969323. Epub 2014/04/01. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24682186.

 

 

  1. McCormick N, Lacaille D, Bhole V, Avina-Zubieta JA. Validity of heart failure diagnoses in administrative databases: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PloS one. 2014;9(8):e104519. PubMed PMID: 25126761. Pubmed Central PMCID: 4134216. Epub 2014/08/16. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25126761.

 

  1. Neville C, Da Costa D, Mill C, Rochon M, Avina-Zubieta JA, Pineau CA, et al. The needs of persons with lupus and health care providers: a qualitative study aimed toward the development of the Lupus Interactive Navigator. Lupus. 2014 Feb;23(2):176-82. PubMed PMID: 24335012. Pubmed Central PMCID: 24335012. Epub 2013/12/18. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24335012.

 

  1. Yurkovich M, Vostretsova K, Chen W, Avina-Zubieta JA. Overall and cause-specific mortality in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a meta-analysis of observational studies. Arthritis care & research. 2014 Apr;66(4):608-16. PubMed PMID: 24106157. Pubmed Central PMCID: 24106157. Epub 2013/10/10. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24106157.

 

  1. Avina-Zubieta JA, Bhole VM, Amiri N, Sayre EC, Choi HK. Response to: ‘Venous thromboembolic events in systemic vasculitis’ by Novikov et al. Annals of the rheumatic diseases. 2015 Mar;74(3):e28. PubMed PMID: 25425544. Pubmed Central PMCID: 25425544. Epub 2014/11/27. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25425544.

 

  1. Avina-Zubieta JA, Vostretsova K, De Vera MA, Sayre EC, Choi HK. The risk of pulmonary embolism and deep venous thrombosis in systemic lupus erythematosus: A general population-based study. Seminars in arthritis and rheumatism. 2015 Oct;45(2):195-201. PubMed PMID: 26364556. Pubmed Central PMCID: 26364556. Epub 2015/09/15. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26364556.

 

  1. Barber CE, Marshall DA, Alvarez N, Mancini GB, Lacaille D, Keeling S, et al. Development of Cardiovascular Quality Indicators for Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results from an International Expert Panel Using a Novel Online Process. The Journal of rheumatology. 2015 Sep;42(9):1548-55. PubMed PMID: 26178275. Pubmed Central PMCID: 4758831. English. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26178275.

 

  1. Barber CE, Marshall DA, Alvarez N, Mancini GB, Lacaille D, Keeling S, et al. Development of Cardiovascular Quality Indicators for Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results from an International Expert Panel Using a Novel Online Process. The Journal of rheumatology. 2015 Sep;42(9):1548-55. PubMed PMID: 26178275. Pubmed Central PMCID: 4758831. Epub 2015/07/17. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26178275.

 

  1. Barber CE, Smith A, Esdaile JM, Barnabe C, Martin LO, Faris P, et al. Best practices for cardiovascular disease prevention in rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review of guideline recommendations and quality indicators. Arthritis care & research. 2015 Feb;67(2):169-79. PubMed PMID: 25074725. English. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25074725.

 

  1. McCormick N, Bhole V, Lacaille D, Avina-Zubieta JA. Validity of Diagnostic Codes for Acute Stroke in Administrative Databases: A Systematic Review. PloS one. 2015;10(8):e0135834. PubMed PMID: 26292280. Pubmed Central PMCID: 4546158. Epub 2015/08/21. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26292280.

 

  1. Rai SK, Yazdany J, Fortin PR, Avina-Zubieta JA. Approaches for estimating minimal clinically important differences in systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis research & therapy. 2015;17:143. PubMed PMID: 26036334. Pubmed Central PMCID: 4453215. Epub 2015/06/04. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26036334.

 

  1. Yurkovich M, Avina-Zubieta JA, Thomas J, Gorenchtein M, Lacaille D. A systematic review identifies valid comorbidity indices derived from administrative health data. Journal of clinical epidemiology. 2015 Jan;68(1):3-14. PubMed PMID: 25441702. Pubmed Central PMCID: 25441702. Epub 2014/12/03. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25441702.

 

  1. Amiri N, De Vera M, Choi HK, Sayre EC, Avina-Zubieta JA. Increased risk of cardiovascular disease in giant cell arteritis: a general population-based study. Rheumatology (Oxford, England). 2016 Jan;55(1):33-40. PubMed PMID: 26248811. Pubmed Central PMCID: 26248811. Epub 2015/08/08. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26248811.

 

  1. Avina-Zubieta JA, Bhole VM, Amiri N, Sayre EC, Choi HK. The risk of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in giant cell arteritis: a general population-based study. Annals of the rheumatic diseases. 2016 Jan;75(1):148-54. PubMed PMID: 25265937. Pubmed Central PMCID: 25265937. Epub 2014/10/01. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25265937.

 

  1. Avina-Zubieta JA, Mai A, Amiri N, Dehghan N, Tan JA, Sayre EC, et al. Risk of Myocardial Infarction and Stroke in Patients with Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis: A Population-Based Study. Arthritis & rheumatology (Hoboken, NJ). 2016 May 23. PubMed PMID: 27213713. Pubmed Central PMCID: 27213713. Epub 2016/05/24. Eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27213713.

 

  1. Avina-Zubieta JA, Man A, Yurkovich M, Huang K, Sayre EC, Choi HK. Early Cardiovascular Disease After the Diagnosis of Systemic Sclerosis. The American journal of medicine. 2016 Mar;129(3):324-31. PubMed PMID: 26603342. Pubmed Central PMCID: 26603342. Epub 2015/11/26. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26603342.

 

  1. Baldwin C, Avina-Zubieta A, Rai SK, Carruthers E, De Vera MA. Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug use in pregnant women with rheumatic diseases: a systematic review of the risk of congenital malformations. Clinical and experimental rheumatology. 2016 Mar-Apr;34(2):172-83. PubMed PMID: 26940667. Pubmed Central PMCID: 26940667. Epub 2016/03/05. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26940667.

 

  1. Carruthers EC, Choi HK, Sayre EC, Avina-Zubieta JA. Risk of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in individuals with polymyositis and dermatomyositis: a general population-based study. Annals of the rheumatic diseases. 2016 Jan;75(1):110-6. PubMed PMID: 25193998. Pubmed Central PMCID: 25193998. Epub 2014/09/07. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25193998.

 

  1. Galo JS, Mehat P, Rai SK, Avina-Zubieta A, De Vera MA. What are the effects of medication adherence interventions in rheumatic diseases: a systematic review. Annals of the rheumatic diseases. 2016 Apr;75(4):667-73. PubMed PMID: 25667208. Pubmed Central PMCID: 25667208. Epub 2015/02/11. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25667208.

 

  1. Neville C, Da Costa D, Rochon M, Peschken CA, Pineau CA, Bernatsky S, et al. Development of the Lupus Interactive Navigator as an Empowering Web-Based eHealth Tool to Facilitate Lupus Management: Users Perspectives on Usability and Acceptability. JMIR research protocols. 2016;5(2):e44. PubMed PMID: 27240666. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27240666.

 

  1. Patrick DM, Miller RR, Gardy JL, Parker SM, Morshed MG, Steiner TS, et al. Lyme Disease Diagnosed by Alternative Methods: A Phenotype Similar to That of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. 2015 Oct 1;61(7):1084-91. PubMed PMID: 26082507. Pubmed Central PMCID: 26082507. Epub 2015/06/18. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26082507.

 

  1. Rai SK, Choi HK, Sayre EC, Avina-Zubieta JA. Risk of myocardial infarction and ischaemic stroke in adults with polymyositis and dermatomyositis: a general population-based study. Rheumatology (Oxford, England). 2016 Mar;55(3):461-9. PubMed PMID: 26424835. Pubmed Central PMCID: 26424835. Epub 2015/10/02. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26424835.

 

  1. Schoenfeld SR, Choi HK, Sayre EC, Avina-Zubieta JA. Risk of Pulmonary Embolism and Deep Venous Thrombosis in Systemic Sclerosis: A General Population-Based Study. Arthritis care & research. 2016 Feb;68(2):246-53. PubMed PMID: 26212772. Pubmed Central PMCID: XSYTH6DB. Epub 2015/07/28. eng. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26212772.