- Overview
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I grew up and took my basic medical training in what used to be called Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). After graduating, I worked as a district health doctor in remote rural hospitals. My continuing interest in the health of people living in poverty dates to that time. After moving to Canada with my family, I worked as a resident at BC Children's Hospital before taking further sub-specialty training in pediatric respiratory diseases plus a second fellowship in pediatric intensive care. After completing this training I joined the BC Children's Hospital staff, splitting my time between the intensive care unit and the respiratory division. More recently, I have left the ICU and I am currently the head of the division of respiratory medicine.
My research interests reflect my past clinical experience. My primary interest has always been international health. I have published two books on the subject and also teach a credit course on international health at UBC. I currently run a large multi-centre trial in India looking into childhood pneumonia. I also like investigating topical questions in clinical respiratory medicine, including the very specialised respiratory topic of children that need mechanical ventilation in their homes.
- Publications
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Predictive Accuracy of Chest Radiographs in Diagnosing Tachypneic Children.
Seear M and Awasthi S and Gowraiah V and Kapoor R and Awasthi A and Verma A and Al-Shabibi S and Gowdy C
DOI: 10.1007/s12098-016-2057-7
PubMed: 26935199
09/2016The quality of life of home-ventilated children and their primary caregivers plus the associated social and economic burdens: a prospective study.
Seear M and Kapur A and Wensley D and Morrison K and Behroozi A
DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2015-309796
PubMed: 26940814
07/2016Casting a look at pediatric plastic bronchitis.
Jasinovic T and Kozak FK and Moxham JP and Chilvers M and Wensley D and Seear M and Campbell A and Ludemann JP
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2015.07.011
PubMed: 26250441
10/2015Can we distinguish pneumonia from wheezy diseases in tachypnoeic children under low-resource conditions? A prospective observational study in four Indian hospitals.
Gowraiah V and Awasthi S and Kapoor R and Sahana D and Venkatesh P and Gangadhar B and Awasthi A and Verma A and Pai N and Seear M
DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2013-305740
PubMed: 24925892
10/2014Combined immunodeficiency associated with homozygous MALT1 mutations.
McKinnon ML and Rozmus J and Fung SY and Hirschfeld AF and Del Bel KL and Thomas L and Marr N and Martin SD and Marwaha AK and Priatel JJ and Tan R and Senger C and Tsang A and Prendiville J and Junker AK and Seear M and Schultz KR and Sly LM and Holt RA and Patel MS
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2013.10.045
PubMed: 24332264
05/2014Long-term ventilation in children: longitudinal trends and outcomes.
McDougall CM and Adderley RJ and Wensley DF and Seear MD
DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2012-303062
PubMed: 23838128
09/2013The need for coordinated action against falsified and substandard medicines.
Seear M
DOI: 10.5588/ijtld.12.0988
PubMed: 23407216
03/2013Bronchial balloon occlusion in children with complex pulmonary air leaks.
Hathorn C and Armitage N and Wensley D and Seear M
DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2012-302529
PubMed: 23220206
02/2013Superior herniation of the mediastinum presenting as an anterior neck mass on straining.
McDougall CM and Culham G and Seear MD and Chilvers MA
DOI: 10.1002/ppul.21618
PubMed: 22415969
07/2012Pharmaceutical quality: an urgent and unresolved issue.
Seear M
DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(12)70080-4
PubMed: 22632180
06/2012Fifty years of pediatric asthma in developed countries: how reliable are the basic data sources?
Chawla J and Seear M and Zhang T and Smith A and Carleton B
DOI: 10.1002/ppul.21537
PubMed: 21905263
03/2012The need for better data about counterfeit drugs in developing countries: a proposed standard research methodology tested in Chennai, India.
Seear M and Gandhi D and Carr R and Dayal A and Raghavan D and Sharma N
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2710.2010.01198.x
PubMed: 21729113
08/2011Predicting major adverse events after cardiac surgery in children.
Seear MD and Scarfe JC and LeBlanc JG
DOI: 10.1097/pcc.0b013e31818d1971
PubMed: 18838931
11/2008Wilson-Mikity syndrome: updated diagnostic criteria based on nine cases and a review of the literature.
Hoepker A and Seear M and Petrocheilou A and Hayes D and Nair A and Deodhar J and Kadam S and O'Toole J
DOI: 10.1002/ppul.20900
PubMed: 18781642
10/2008Iatrogenic hyponatremia in hospitalized children: Can it be avoided?
Skippen P and Adderley R and Bennett M and Cogswell A and Froese N and Seear M and Wensley D
PubMed: 19436422
07/2008How accurate is the diagnosis of exercise induced asthma among Vancouver schoolchildren?
Seear M and Wensley D and West N
DOI: 10.1136/adc.2004.063974
PubMed: 15855180
09/2005History's lessons.
Seear M
DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.1040727
PubMed: 15583199
12/2004Life-threatening human metapneumovirus pneumonia requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in a preterm infant.
Ulloa-Gutierrez R and Skippen P and Synnes A and Seear M and Bastien N and Li Y and Forbes JC
DOI: 10.1542/peds.2004-0345
PubMed: 15466079
10/2004Citrate anticoagulation in pediatric continuous venovenous hemofiltration.
Elhanan N and Skippen P and Nuthall G and Krahn G and Seear M
DOI: 10.1007/s00467-003-1328-5
PubMed: 14669096
02/2004A controlled study of postpartum depression among Nepalese women: validation of the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale in Kathmandu.
Regmi S and Sligl W and Carter D and Grut W and Seear M
DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-3156.2002.00866.x
PubMed: 11952955
04/2002Citrate anticoagulation in a piglet model of pediatric continuous renal replacement therapy.
Nuthall G and Skippen P and Daoust C and Al-Jofan F and Seear M
DOI: 10.1097/00003246-200204000-00031
PubMed: 11940766
04/2002Acellular bronchial casts in children after cardiac surgery.
Seear M
DOI: 10.1097/00003246-200102000-00065
PubMed: 11246339
02/2001Echocardiography and pulmonary function testing in childhood onset systemic lupus erythematosus.
Al-Abbad AJ and Cabral DA and Sanatani S and Sandor GG and Seear M and Petty RE and Malleson PN
DOI: 10.1191/096120301669980721
PubMed: 11243507
2001Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for cerebral palsy: two complications of treatment.
Nuthall G and Seear M and Lepawsky M and Wensley D and Skippen P and Hukin J
DOI: 10.1542/peds.106.6.e80
PubMed: 11099623
12/2000Hemostatic parameters and platelet activation marker expression in cyanotic and acyanotic pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery in the presence of tranexamic acid.
Levin E and Wu J and Devine DV and Alexander J and Reichart C and Sett S and Seear M
PubMed: 10669155
01/2000Evaluation of a mathematical model to predict intrapulmonary shunt non-invasively.
Seear M and Malagon I and Hui H and Alexander J and Daoust C and Skippen P
DOI: 10.1007/bf03012950
PubMed: 10349930
05/1999Multiple pulmonary chemodectomas in a child: results of four different therapeutic regimens.
Chow SN and Seear M and Anderson R and Magee F
DOI: 10.1097/00043426-199811000-00021
PubMed: 9856686
1998Anti-polypeptide immune response mimicking Mycoplasma pneumoniae anti-P1 IgM in idiopathic pulmonary haemosiderosis.
Cimolai N and Seear M
PubMed: 9453387
12/1997Effect of hyperventilation on regional cerebral blood flow in head-injured children.
Skippen P and Seear M and Poskitt K and Kestle J and Cochrane D and Annich G and Handel J
DOI: 10.1097/00003246-199708000-00031
PubMed: 9267957
08/1997Chronic cough and wheeze in children: do they all have asthma?
Seear M and Wensley D
DOI: 10.1183/09031936.97.10020342
PubMed: 9042630
02/1997Bronchial casts in children: a proposed classification based on nine cases and a review of the literature.
Seear M and Hui H and Magee F and Bohn D and Cutz E
DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm.155.1.9001337
PubMed: 9001337
01/1997The effect of preoperative tranexamic acid on blood loss after cardiac operations in children.
Zonis Z and Seear M and Reichert C and Sett S and Allen C
DOI: 10.1016/s0022-5223(96)70374-4
PubMed: 8622323
05/1996Mycoplasma pneumoniae as a cofactor in severe respiratory infections.
Cimolai N and Wensley D and Seear M and Thomas ET
PubMed: 8589140
11/1995Mathematical model of oxygen transport: a teaching aid for normal physiology adaptable to extracorporeal oxygenation circuits.
Seear M and Anderson B and Hall R and Hui H
PubMed: 7598171
06/1995Functional characteristics of pediatric veno-venous hemofiltration.
Werner HA and Herbertson MJ and Seear MD
PubMed: 8306692
02/1994Descending aortic blood flow velocity as a noninvasive measure of cardiac output in children.
Seear M and Webber S and Leblanc J
DOI: 10.1007/bf00800672
PubMed: 7991435
1994Oxygen consumption-oxygen delivery relationship in children.
Seear M and Wensley D and MacNab A
DOI: 10.1016/s0022-3476(05)81690-7
PubMed: 8345415
08/1993Operating characteristics of pediatric continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration in an animal model.
Werner HA and Herbertson MJ and Seear MD
DOI: 10.1007/bf00864394
PubMed: 8476717
04/1993Corynebacterium pseudodiphtheriticum pneumonitis in a leukaemic child.
Cimolai N and Rogers P and Seear M
DOI: 10.1136/thx.47.10.838
PubMed: 1481190
10/1992Thiamine, riboflavin, and pyridoxine deficiencies in a population of critically ill children.
Seear M and Lockitch G and Jacobson B and Quigley G and MacNab A
DOI: 10.1016/s0022-3476(05)81140-0
PubMed: 1403385
10/1992Doppler-derived mean aortic flow velocity in children: an alternative to cardiac index.
Seear MD and D'Orsogna L and Sandor GG and de Souza E and Popov R
DOI: 10.1007/bf02310565
PubMed: 1946006
10/1991The effect of lung mechanics on gas transport during high-frequency oscillation.
Schindler M and Seear M
DOI: 10.1002/ppul.1950110410
PubMed: 1758758
1991Pilot study for the development of a monitoring device for ventilated children.
Wensley DF and Noonan P and Seear MD and Werner H and Pirie GE
DOI: 10.1002/ppul.1950110315
PubMed: 1758750
1991Comparison of three methods for measuring respiratory mechanics in ventilated children.
Seear M and Wensley D and Werner H
DOI: 10.1002/ppul.1950100412
PubMed: 1896239
1991Effect of pentoxifylline on hemodynamics, alveolar fluid reabsorption, and pulmonary edema in a model of acute lung injury.
Seear MD and Hannam VL and Kaapa P and Raj JU and O'Brodovich HM
DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm/142.5.1083
PubMed: 2240831
11/1990Acute aluminum toxicity after continuous intravesical alum irrigation for hemorrhagic cystitis.
Seear MD and Dimmick JE and Rogers PC
DOI: 10.1016/0090-4295(90)80247-k
PubMed: 2219619
10/1990Amiloride impairs lung water clearance in newborn guinea pigs.
O'Brodovich H and Hannam V and Seear M and Mullen JB
PubMed: 2161411
04/1990The clinical value and risks of lung biopsy in children with congenital heart disease.
Wilson NJ and Seear MD and Taylor GP and LeBlanc JG and Sandor GG
PubMed: 2106601
03/1990The effect of desmopressin acetate (DDAVP) on postoperative blood loss after cardiac operations in children.
Seear MD and Wadsworth LD and Rogers PC and Sheps S and Ashmore PG
PubMed: 2666759
08/1989Two cases of Wernicke's encephalopathy in children: an underdiagnosed complication of poor nutrition.
Seear MD and Norman MG
DOI: 10.1002/ana.410240115
PubMed: 3137859
07/1988 - Research
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Current Projects
Quality of life for children who need home ventilation and their caregivers. Medical advances over the last 20 years have produced a revolution in child survival. Many of these survivors lead normal lives but a few require some form of assisted ventilation. The trend is to manage these patients in their homes. Numbers have risen steadily to the point that there are now 150 patients registered in the home ventilation clinic from places all over BC. This is now the largest home ventilation clinic in Canada. We are just starting a questionnaire-based study of the quality of life of the affected children and their caregivers. We will also be monitoring extra health-related expenses the family must meet. This is the first study of this kind ever undertaken in children. The results will be a valuable addition to home care planning.Current Projects
The use of hi-flow nasal oxygen in the treatment of viral bronchiolitis. Bronchiolitis is the single most common cause for admission to pediatric hospitals, including our own. The disease has enormous economic and health consequences. Survivors are frequently left with significant long term health problems including asthma. Despite considerable research, there are no effective therapies other than symptom support. Over this last winter, we conducted a prospective controlled study of the use of hi-flow nasal oxygen in children with bronchiolitis. It was a low-incidence winter so we only managed to enroll 50 patients. Fortunately, we registered our study and it was noticed by staff at Children's Hospital in Sydney, Australia. They now have research clearance to run the same protocol during their bronchiolitis season which starts in June. Hopefully this will allow us to get over 100 patients which will allow us to analyse the data. If numbers are low then we will run the study again in our next winter. This has the potential to improve the care of this common condition so we hope to finish the analysis and submit the work as soon as possible.Current Projects
Improving the diagnosis of respiratory diseases in children living in low-resource conditions. Each year, over a million children die from lung infections. Accurate diagnosis is a fundamental requirement for the improved treatment protocols needed to reduce this terrible annual mortality. During the last winter we organised a large study involving 5 Indian hospitals. The aim was to define accurate diagnostic criteria to improve the prediction of the major respiratory illnesses affecting children. The organisation worked well. We stopped the study at the end of the viral season in May. At that stage, we had enrolled over 700 patients. The data analysis is not yet complete but clear diagnostic criteria have emerged that will be valuable in advancing the fight against pediatric respiratory deaths.Grants$10,000 grant from the BC Children's Hospital Centre for International Child Health (CICH) in 2007. This was partial support for a joint study of drug quality in Chennai, India.
$25,000 grant from the BC Children's Hospital Auxilliary to support general respiratory research.
Pneumonia and malaria: Innovations tackle leading threats to children under five
Globally, pneumonia and malaria are among the leading causes of death for children under five, due in part to health-care resource gaps in low- and middle-income countries. New BCCHR investigator and pediatric infectious diseases expert Dr. Michael T. Hawkes is developing diagnostic and treatment tools to address these shortages.
