Mission Statement

To significantly improve the outcomes for Canadians with spondyloarthritis.

Goals and Objectives

1. An improved understanding of the biological basis of spondyloarthritis.
2. Improved outcome measures to enhance stratification of disease severity, activity and progression.
3. Improved assessment of the impact of spondyloarthritis in Canada with respect to special populations and age groups, and determinants of disability.

SpA’s major clinical subsets are ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). SpA has a significant prevalence and high burden of illness in the Canadian population.  The studies have addressed the biological basis of this arthritis and the impact on individuals and society through a multidisciplinary approach which draws expertise across the spectrum of health research.  Among SPARCC’s goals in this study has been to facilitate the development and more cost-effective use of new therapeutics and create treatment programs leading to better patient care and quality of life, enhance early detection, and lead to better prognosis for patients with SpA.  To address these issues, the SPARCC research program has brought together investigators from across the 4-CIHR pillars of health research, and greatly enhanced cross-fertilization of ideas.  In the past, bridging the CIHR pillars has proved difficult because of the different methodologies, terminologies and cultures which exist across the spectrum of biomedical and psychosocial research.

The organizational structure of SPARCC has been led by the Executive Board consisting of SPARCC’s principal investigators namely: Dr. Robert D. Inman, Dr. Walter Maksymowych, Dr. Dafna Gladman and Dr. Proton Rahman as co-equals.  In addition, a Director-at-Large from the collaborating sites is appointed to the Executive Board annually on a rotating basis and to hold office for a year. The SPARCC Executive Board is responsible for the overall policy and direction of SPARCC. The core sites in the SPARCC network are:

• University Health Network - Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, ON
• Memorial University of Newfoundland – St. John’s, NFLD
• University of Alberta – Edmonton, AB,

SPARCC has an active network of 9 active collaborating sites nationwide. Each of these sites has established patient cohorts followed longitudinally.  The core sites and collaborating sites contribute clinical data into a web-based database developed exclusively for SPARCC which have set the stage for trans-provincial comparison on etiological intervals of the progression of the disease and its functional consequences. The unifying focus in this study conceptually draws together this diversity of researchers, and the cornerstone of the approach – a multi-center, comprehensive bio profile and clinical database, will be the matrix in which the synergy of multi-disciplinary research can develop.