More information
Clinical trials: Where to find them
Clinical trials are the main way researchers discover whether preventive strategies, screening tools and treatments are safe and effective. Participating in a trial can help you learn more about your specific situation and may lead to new insights and help for others.
To find out about clinical trials related to rheumatoid arthritis, visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.
Support groups and advocacy organizations
The Arthritis Foundation: This organization provides news, publications and forums about many types of arthritis, including RA. Call (800) 283-7800.
Further reading: general information
The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases: The group's website includes patient information, research news and a listing of clinical research studies.
Further reading: genetics
Begovich, A.B. et al. American Journal of Human Genetics, vol. 75, p. 330, 2004. "A missense single-nucleotide polymorphism in a gene encoding a protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPN22) is associated with rheumatoid arthritis." This paper showed that PTPN22 may increase reactivity of the immune system and therefore increase an individual's chance of developing RA and other autoimmune diseases.
Michou, L. et al. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 104, p. 1649, Jan. 30, 2007. "Linkage proof for PTPN22, a rheumatoid arthritis susceptibility gene and a human autoimmunity gene." This study confirmed the findings of earlier studies linking PTPN22 to RA.
Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium. Nature, vol. 447, p. 661, June 7, 2007. "Genome-wide association study of 14,000 cases of seven common diseases and 3,000 shared controls." This large study replicated several previously discovered genetic associations with rheumatoid arthritis.