Yuan Qi, MD

Division of Rheumatology, McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Fellowship Focus:

Dr. Qi’s interest in vasculitis began during internal medicine training, after treating a critically ill patient with suspected AAV transferred overnight from a small hospital. Then-current guidelines supported plasmapheresis for patients with rapidly worsening lung and kidney disease, and the team proceeded with treatment. 

Just one year later, the PEXIVAS trial showed no added benefit of plasmapheresis—leaving a lasting impression on Dr. Qi. “It showed how quickly the vasculitis field evolves and incorporates new evidence into care,” he said.

Drawn by this dynamic nature, Dr. Qi’s research now focuses on optimizing steroid use in vasculitis, balancing efficacy with side effects, with the goal of advancing more personalized, risk-based treatment approaches that improve patient outcomes.