RESEARCH - BRASS: A groundbreaking longitudinal study of RA

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BRASS: A Groundbreaking Longitudinal Study of Rheumatoid Arthritis

The Brigham and Women's Hospital Rheumatoid Arthritis Sequential Study

(BRASS) is a landmark study making significant contributions to

understanding the genetic basis of rheumatoid arthritis, to

identifying potential targets for new drug development, and to

defining the most effective clinical management strategies for each

patient.

The Brigham and Women's Hospital Rheumatoid Arthritis Sequential Study

(BRASS), under the direction of E. Weinblatt, MD, and A.

Shadick, MD, will provide a large-scale observation of the natural

history of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Since March 2003, investigators

have enrolled almost 1,000 patients and are collecting a wealth of

demographic, clinical, and genetic data to create a panoramic view of

how rheumatoid arthritis affects patients' lives. Researchers are

collecting information on more than 1,000 variables including X-rays,

blood samples for immunophenotyping and DNA/RNA testing, environmental

risk factors, and disease activity scoring. At six-month intervals

patients are administered a questionnaire to collect information on

disease severity, emotional status, functional status, employment

status, medications, side effects, and intercurrent health events.

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Read the complete article here:

http://www.brighamandwomens.org/rheumatology/Medical/RheumUpdate/BRASS.aspx

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Not an MD