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CompletedNCT00001678Updated Oct 6, 2017

Genetics of Rheumatoid Arthritis

An observational study in Rheumatoid Arthritis, sponsored by National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2017-10-06.

Sponsored by National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) · Observational

Study type
Observational
Enrollment
39
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
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Study summary

This study attempts to identify the genes responsible for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), or inflammation of the joints. It is known that genes play an important role in RA, but their number and significance have not been determined. RA tends to run in families. This study will examine the DNA (hereditary material) of patients with RA and their family members to try to determine which chromosomes(s) contain the genes responsible for the disease.

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis and their family members may be eligible for this study.

Participants with RA who have a brother or sister with RA will undergo the following procedures:

  • Review of their medical records
  • Medical history
  • Examination of the joints
  • Hand X-rays
  • Blood tests

Participants who 1) do not have RA but who have a relative with the disease, or 2) have RA and a relative other than a brother or sister who has the disease will provide a blood sample or a buccal (cheek) cell sample. Cheek cells are obtained by swishing a small amount of mouthwash in the mouth or by lightly bushing the inside of the cheek with a swab or brush.

The samples will be tested for rheumatoid factor, DNA studies, and HLA type (a blood type found on white blood cells). Certain HLA types have been associated with an increased risk or severity of RA.

Read the detailed description

The purpose of this protocol is to identify genetic susceptibility loci for rheumatoid arthritis. The Genetics and Genomics Branch of the Intramural Research Program of NIAMS [now the

Inflammatory Diseases Section of the Intramural Research Program of NHGRI] has joined with

several extramural centers to form the North American Rheumatoid Arthritis Consortium

(NARAC). The Consortium intends to identify and obtain clinical specimens on a total of 1000

sibling pairs with rheumatoid arthritis; up to 100 sibling pairs will be recruited at the Clinical

Center. Samples from parents and other family members will also be obtained, where

appropriate. Rheumatoid factors, HLA-DR typings, and hand films will be obtained on all

sibling pairs. In addition, DNA will be extracted from peripheral blood or buccal scrapings. The

DNA from all 1000 sibling pairs will be typed for a set of approximately 350 genetic markers in

order to identify chromosomal regions likely to harbor genes conferring susceptibility to

rheumatoid arthritis. For those chromosomal regions that are positive in this initial screen,

families will be genotyped for additional markers to define disease-associated haplotypes, and high density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis will be conducted to narrow the regions of interest. Candidate genes will be chosen from the narrowed regions of interest, and/or based on functional considerations, and will be screened for mutations in rheumatoid arthritis.

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Conditions studied

  • Rheumatoid Arthritis

Keywords

  • Autoimmunity
  • Sibling Pairs
  • Genes
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Bone Erosion
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In context

Arthritis

3,554 studies on the registry are indexed under Arthritis; 317 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 39 is below the median of 155 across 1,057 observational studies indexed under Arthritis.

Browse Arthritis studies →

Lead sponsor

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) is the lead sponsor of 100 studies on the registry; 12 are open to participants now.

Of its 7 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 5 (71%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

SIBLING PAIR:

A diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis in both sibs by the 1987 ACR criteria.

Definite bony erosions in at least one affected sibling.

Age of disease onset greater than 18 years and less than 60 years in at least one sibling.

Neither sibling has psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, or systemic lupus erythematosus.

BLOOD RELATIVES OF AFFECTED SIBLING PAIRS:

Age greater than 18 years.

Where possible, all other affected siblings will be invited to participate.

Where possible, both parents of affected siblings will be invited to participate.

Other relatives, both affected and unaffected, may be invited to participate if, in the opinion of the investigators, samples from these individuals would contribute important genetic information. Two cases in which this might happen are: a) extended families in which there are several affected individuals, where conventional linkage analysis might be applied; b) affected sibling pairs for which parents are unavailable, where additional siblings will provide information on parental alleles not transmitted to the affected siblings.

Exclusion criteria

EXCLUSION CRITERIA FOR AFFECTED SIBLINGS:

Psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, systemic lupus erythematosus.

Inability to provide infomed consent.

The sole criterion for exclusion of adult blood relatives of affected sibling pairs would be inability to provide informed consent.

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Study design

Enrollment
39 participants (actual)
06

Study locations

1 site
  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike
    Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
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References and documents

Publications

  • Stastny P. Association of the B-cell alloantigen DRw4 with rheumatoid arthritis. N Engl J Med. 1978 Apr 20;298(16):869-71. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197804202981602. PubMed 147420 ↗
  • Lawrence RC, Hochberg MC, Kelsey JL, McDuffie FC, Medsger TA Jr, Felts WR, Shulman LE. Estimates of the prevalence of selected arthritic and musculoskeletal diseases in the United States. J Rheumatol. 1989 Apr;16(4):427-41. PubMed 2746583 ↗
  • Harris ED Jr. Rheumatoid arthritis. Pathophysiology and implications for therapy. N Engl J Med. 1990 May 3;322(18):1277-89. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199005033221805. No abstract available. Erratum In: N Engl J Med 1990 Oct 4;323(14):996. PubMed 2271017 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Oct 6, 2017, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00001678
Lead sponsor
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Collaborators
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
First posted
Nov 4, 1999
Start date
Jul 7, 1998
Completion
Jun 20, 2014
Last update
Oct 6, 2017

Study contacts

Daniel L Kastner, M.D.
principal investigator · National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Jun 2014. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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