November 6, 2003

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Among African-Americans with early rheumatoid arthritis, a high percentage also have osteoporosis and have already experienced significant joint damage, according to preliminary results of an ongoing study by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). “More research is needed, but findings underscore the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of the disease, especially among African-Americans,” said Dr. Larry Moreland, professor of medicine with UAB’s Division of Immunology and Rheumatology.

Preliminary results of the study were announced recently by UAB researchers at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology. The study, a three-year $4.6 million project funded by the National Institutes of Health, aims to identify and register at least 600 African-Americans with the disease.

“Until now, studies investigating the cause and development of the disease have not included a fair representation of African-Americans,” Moreland said. “The registry will play a vital role in our understanding of how the disease develops and progresses in African-Americans.”

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory condition in which the body's immune system attacks its own healthy cells and tissues. It most often affects cartilage and bone and usually results in joint disease. More than six million people in the U.S. — mostly women — have the disease.

Researchers suspect that the disease may be fundamentally different in blacks than in whites. “We have data to suggest that the genetics of African-Americans with rheumatoid arthritis is different from that of whites, but it has not been proven in clinical trials,” Moreland said. “The registry will provide a basis for further study.”

Participation in the registry consists of exams every six months, including blood tests and x-rays, and a written survey. Patients may enroll in the study at various clinic sites throughout the state, and there is no cost to eligible patients who elect to participate in the study.

Moreland and Dr. Louis Bridges, Jr., associate professor of medicine with the Division of Immunology and Rheumatology at UAB, serve as lead investigators for the project. Collaborating institutions are the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, Emory University in Atlanta, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The UAB Arthritis Center also is conducting several other arthritis trials. “Individuals not eligible for participation in this study may qualify to participate in another study,” Moreland said. “We encourage patients with rheumatoid arthritis as well as individuals who suspect they may have rheumatoid arthritis to call.”

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call the UAB Arthritis Center toll-free at (866) 876-2247.