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Karen Burns

MD, FRCPC, MSc ,BA, BSc

Scientist

Email: Karen.Burns@unityhealth.to
Tel: 416-864-6060 Ext. 3567

Biography

Dr. Karen Burns practices critical care medicine at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. She is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto, a Clinician Scientists at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, and an Associate Member of the Department of Clinical Epidemiology (McMaster University).

Dr. Burns’ research program focuses on evaluation strategies to liberate critically ill patients from mechanical ventilation and characterizing practice variation in weaning critically ill adults from ventilators. Her research program includes large scale observational studies, national and international weaning surveys, meta-analyses, and randomized trials comparing different weaning strategies. She also has developed a research program to characterize the unique aspects of the consent processes in critical care. Additional research interests include the use of artificial intelligence in weaning, helmet NIV, acute kidney injury in the intensive care unit, using noninvasive positive pressure ventilation as a weaning strategy, and methodology issues related to study design, implementation and reporting.

Dr. Burns has been the recipient of several personnel awards including a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Clinician Scientist Award, a Ministry of Research and Innovation Award, PSI – mid career research award, and two University of Toronto Merritt Committee Awards.

Dr. Burns is an Executive Member of the Canadian Critical Care Trials Group, a Treasurer of the Canadian Critical Care Society, and the current Chair of the Women in Critical Care Interest Group for the American Thoracic Society.

Recent Publications

  1. Mehta, N, Tsang, J, Duan, E, Rochwerg, B, Burns, KEA, Shah, S et al.. Important features of hospitals, intensive care unit waiting rooms, and patient care rooms: perspectives of intensive care unit visitors. Can J Anaesth. 2024; :. doi: 10.1007/s12630-024-02878-z. PubMed PMID:39562429 .
  2. O'Grady, HK, Ball, I, Berney, S, Burns, KEA, Cook, DJ, Fox-Robichaud, A et al.. Correction: Characterizing usual-care physical rehabilitation in Canadian intensive care unit patients: a secondary analysis of the Canadian multicentre Critical Care Cycling to Improve Lower Extremity Strength pilot randomized controlled trial. Can J Anaesth. 2024; :. doi: 10.1007/s12630-024-02865-4. PubMed PMID:39538048 .
  3. Phoophiboon, V, Gupta, S, Batt, J, Burns, KEA. A patient with unexplained hypoxemia after a fall diagnosed with platypnea orthodeoxia syndrome: approaches to resolving discrepancies between level of hypoxemia and clinical presentation. Can J Anaesth. 2024; :. doi: 10.1007/s12630-024-02854-7. PubMed PMID:39467992 .
  4. Heels-Ansdell, D, Kelly, L, O'Grady, HK, Farley, C, Reid, JC, Berney, S et al.. Early In-Bed Cycle Ergometry With Critically Ill, Mechanically Ventilated Patients: Statistical Analysis Plan for CYCLE (Critical Care Cycling to Improve Lower Extremity Strength), an International, Multicenter, Randomized Clinical Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2024;13 :e54451. doi: 10.2196/54451. PubMed PMID:39467285 PubMed Central PMC11555464.
  5. Hryciw, BN, Hudek, N, Brehaut, JC, Herry, C, Scales, N, Lee, E et al.. Extubation Advisor: Implementation and Evaluation of A Novel Extubation Clinical Decision Support Tool. J Intensive Care Med. 2024; :8850666241291524. doi: 10.1177/08850666241291524. PubMed PMID:39444331 .
  6. Burns, KEA, Myatra, SN. Neuromuscular Blockade in Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome. Clin Chest Med. 2024;45 (4):877-884. doi: 10.1016/j.ccm.2024.08.008. PubMed PMID:39443004 .
  7. Burns, KEA, Wong, J, Rizvi, L, Lafreniere-Roula, M, Thorpe, K, Devlin, JW et al.. Frequency of Screening and Spontaneous Breathing Trial Techniques: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2024; :. doi: 10.1001/jama.2024.20631. PubMed PMID:39382222 .
  8. O'Grady, HK, Ball, I, Berney, S, Burns, KEA, Cook, DJ, Fox-Robichaud, A et al.. Characterizing usual-care physical rehabilitation in Canadian intensive care unit patients: a secondary analysis of the Canadian multicentre Critical Care Cycling to Improve Lower Extremity Strength pilot randomized controlled trial. Can J Anaesth. 2024;71 (10):1406-1416. doi: 10.1007/s12630-024-02838-7. PubMed PMID:39317833 .
  9. Heirali, A, Mehta, S, Li, Y, Rochwerg, B, Maratta, C, Charbonney, E et al.. An Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion glossary for sociodemographic determinants of health within critical care medicine. Can J Anaesth. 2024;71 (9):1209-1218. doi: 10.1007/s12630-024-02824-z. PubMed PMID:39242476 .
  10. Al-Dorzi, HM, Arishi, H, Al-Hameed, FM, Burns, KEA, Mehta, S, Jose, J et al.. Performance of Risk Assessment Models for VTE in Patients Who Are Critically Ill Receiving Pharmacologic Thromboprophylaxis: A Post Hoc Analysis of the Pneumatic Compression for Preventing VTE Trial. Chest. 2024; :. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2024.07.182. PubMed PMID:39232999 .
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Affiliations & Other Activities

  • Clinician Scientist, Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care Medicine, St Michael’s Hospital
  • Clinician Scientist, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
  • Assistant Professor, Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care Medicine, St. Michael’s Hospital
  • Chair, Medical Surgical ICU Knowledge Translation Committee, St. Michael’s Hospital
  • Organizing Member, Critical Care Continuing Medical Education Committee, St. Michael’s Hospital
  • Member, Organ Donation and Transplantation Committee, St. Michael’s Hospital
  • Certification (critical care), University of Western Ontario
  • Member, ACCADEMY (McMaster University)
  • Member, Canadian Critical Care Trials Group
  • Reviewer for several critical care and respirology journals