Genetic and Immune Studies of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Related Conditions

Launched by NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ARTHRITIS AND MUSCULOSKELETAL AND SKIN DISEASES (NIAMS) · Dec 9, 2002

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

Blood, synovial fluids and/or synovial tissues will be obtained from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and related chronic inflammatory arthritides. The synovial tissues will be obtained by one of the following methods: a) needle biopsy, or b) at the time of a total joint replacement or a therapeutic arthroscopic procedure. These materials will be utilized for laboratory studies of etiopathogenetic mechanisms of rheumatoid arthritis and related autoimmune joint diseases.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• • Patients with rheumatoid arthritis, particularly new onset disease, but certain patients with other forms of arthritis will also be included.
• • Significantly swollen or tender knee or significantly swollen shoulders, elbows, wrists, ankles, olecranon bursa or even smaller joints.
• • Synovial tissue specimens will not be obtained from patients when any of the following conditions are present: abnormal bleeding or clotting tests, platelet count less than 100,000, or sepsis.