Studies of the Natural History of Rheumatic Diseases

NCT00024479 | Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: 01022701-AR-0227
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 7,500
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study will explore the causes of rheumatic diseases and why many of them affect certain minority communities more severely. Rheumatic diseases may cause joint pain, stiffness or swelling. Some can involve bones, muscles, tendons or ligaments. Some cause abnormalities of the immune system-the body s defense against disease. Some rheumatic diseases are painful or deforming and some can be life threatening. Information obtained from this study will be used to learn about the disparities in rheumatic disease in the minority community and to design further, more targeted, research studies to address this issue. Patients with known or suspected rheumatic disease 18 years of age or older may be eligible for this study. Candidates will undergo a medical history and physical examination to confirm the diagnosis of rheumatic disease and determine what is needed for evaluation and treatment. Participants will receive standard medical care for rheumatic disease and arthritis. No experimental treatments, medications or procedures will be included in this study. Procedures may include routine blood tests for blood chemistries, cell counts, and antibodies commonly found in patients with rheumatic disease; a urine test for proteins and cells; and X-rays and other imaging tests to check for abnormalities in the lungs or other organs. All medical information will be kept confidential. Patients who are found to be eligible for other current NIH research studies will be offered an opportunity to participate in these studies.

Conditions

Arthritis; Rheumatic Diseases

Keywords

Minorities; Rheumatic Disease; Community Based; Natural History; Ethnicity; Health Disparities

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• To generate hypotheses relating to the basis and/or effects of health disparities in the community, which may serve as the basis for subsequent research efforts based in the community and/or at the NIH Clinical Center

  The rheumatological health of the community

  31 Years

Study Arms (1)

suspected or confirmed rheumatic disease

autoimmune, autoinflammatory, or degenerative conditions

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 100 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Adults, older than or equal to 18 years of age, referred from the community

You may qualify if:

• Known or suspected rheumatic disease
• Age greater than or equal to 18 years
• Willingness and capacity to provide informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding at the time of enrollment.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS): lead

Study Sites (1)

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States

RECRUITING

Related Publications (3)

• Reveille JD, Moulds JM, Ahn C, Friedman AW, Baethge B, Roseman J, Straaton KV, Alarcon GS. Systemic lupus erythematosus in three ethnic groups: I. The effects of HLA class II, C4, and CR1 alleles, socioeconomic factors, and ethnicity at disease onset. LUMINA Study Group. Lupus in minority populations, nature versus nurture. Arthritis Rheum. 1998 Jul;41(7):1161-72. doi: 10.1002/1529-0131(199807)41:73.0.CO;2-K.

  PMID: 9663471 BACKGROUND

• Lawrence RC, Helmick CG, Arnett FC, Deyo RA, Felson DT, Giannini EH, Heyse SP, Hirsch R, Hochberg MC, Hunder GG, Liang MH, Pillemer SR, Steen VD, Wolfe F. Estimates of the prevalence of arthritis and selected musculoskeletal disorders in the United States. Arthritis Rheum. 1998 May;41(5):778-99. doi: 10.1002/1529-0131(199805)41:53.0.CO;2-V.

  PMID: 9588729 BACKGROUND

• Jordan JM. Effect of race and ethnicity on outcomes in arthritis and rheumatic conditions. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 1999 Mar;11(2):98-103. doi: 10.1097/00002281-199903000-00003.

  PMID: 10319211 BACKGROUND

Related Links

• NIH Clinical Center Detailed Web Page

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Rheumatic Diseases; Arthritis

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Musculoskeletal Diseases; Connective Tissue Diseases; Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases; Joint Diseases

Study Officials

• Sarfaraz A Hasni, M.D.

  National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Nancy A Spencer

CONTACT

(301) 827-0186; nancy.spencer@nih.gov

Sarfaraz A Hasni, M.D.

CONTACT

(301) 451-1599; hasnisa@mail.nih.gov

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: NIH
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 14, 2001
• First Posted: September 14, 2001
• Study Start: October 3, 2001
• Last Updated: April 29, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04-22

Locations

US (1)