The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) established the Consortium for the Longitudinal Evaluation of African Americans with Early Rheumatoid Arthritis (CLEAR) Registry and Repository in 2000. The goals are to compile extensive demographic, socioeconomic, clinical, and radiographic data on African-Americans with rheumatoid arthritis and to collect genomic DNA and serum to allow a comprehensive analysis of factors influencing the disease in African-Americans. When complete, CLEAR will provide a unique and valuable resource for the scientific community to identify genetic and non-genetic factors that influence disease occurrence and outcomes.

AVAILABLE RESOURCES

The following resources are available from baseline visit (<2 years disease duration) on 357 African-Americans with early RA:

  • Database: Baseline demographic, clinical, and socioeconomic information

  • Genomic DNA

  • Serum and plasma (limited amounts)

The following resources are available from 168 controls (African American-similar, age, gender, and geographic location as RA patients):

  • Database: demographic, clinical, and socioeconomic information

  • Genomic DNA

  • Serum and plasma (limited amounts)

The following resources are available on an additional 150 African-American patients with established RA:

  • Database: demographic, clinical, and socioeconomic information

  • Genomic DNA

  • Serum and plasma (limited quantities)

For information on application to use data or biologic materials from CLEAR subjects and controls, contact Dr. Lou Bridges (see contact information below).

STUDY INVESTIGATORS


The University of Alabama at Birmingham

Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Center

 

Director: S. Louis Bridges, Jr., M.D., Ph.D.

Professor of Medicine and Microbiology
Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology
 

Telephone: (205) 934-7995 (Assistant Paula Kiley)
FAX: (205) 996-6734
Email: LBridges@uab.edu
 

Postal Address:
1530 3rd Avenue South, SHEL 210
Birmingham, Alabama 35294-2182
 

Courier Address:
210 Shelby Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Building
1825 University Boulevard
Birmingham, Alabama 35294
 

Co-Director: Larry W. Moreland, M.D.

Margaret Jane Miller Endowed Professor of Arthritis Research

Chief, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology

University of Pittsburgh

 

Co-Director: George Howard, DrPH

Professor and Director, Department of Biostatistics
 

Investigator: Graciela S. Alarcón, MD, MPH

Jane Knight Lowe Professor of Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology
 

Program Manager: Stephanie Ledbetter, MS

Telephone: (205) 934-7423
Fax: (205) 996-6734
Email: Stephanie.Ledbetter@ccc.uab.edu
 

Postal Address:
1530 3rd Avenue South, SHEL 201
Birmingham, Alabama 35294-2182
 

Courier Address:
201 Shelby Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Building
1825 University Boulevard
Birmingham, Alabama 35294

Lowance Center for Human Immunology
 

 

Investigator: Doyt L. Conn, MD
 


University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

Thurston Arthritis Research Center

 

Investigator: Beth Jonas, MD

Investigator: Leigh F. Callahan, PhD

 

 

Investigator: Edwin A. Smith, MD

 

Center for Arthritis and Related Diseases

 

Investigator: Richard Brasington, MD

 

Back to UAB-Rheumatology