View clinical trials related to Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Filter by:With the current therapeutic focus in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) shifting from symptom control to actual disease modification there is a growing demand for more objective and sensitive ways to evaluate structural damage in the joints of these RA patients. Conventional radiography of bone erosion and joint-space narrowing was the only imaging approach available for this. Now significant advantages are offered in terms of speed, precision and scope over conventional methods. These advances include digital radiography and computer aided analysis as well as MRI which allow earlier identification of bone erosion and direct visualization of pre-erosive changes, such as bone inflammation and synovitis. Molecular markers of tissue turnover have been used for decades in clinical trials of osteoporosis, but only recently in RA. In contrast to serum C-reactive protein (CRP), which is only a nonspecific indicator of systemic inflammation and not directly reflective of structural damage to joints, more recently developed molecular markers of synovial, cartilage and bone turnover might provide a better indication of destructive activity of the disease. Compared with radiography and MRI assessment, molecular markers are particularly useful for patient selection and treatment, but can be used in a variety of ways to accelerate clinical trials and reduce the uncertainty and cost of drug development. In this project, we will set up a panel of molecular markers which could show an association with the MRI results and have a quantitative correlation with the degree of joint damage (sensitivity: 90 – 95%; specificity: 80 – 90%). The work in this project includes imaging markers evaluation and molecular markers analysis: X-ray scoring; MRI; Bone degradation markers; Bone formation; Cartilage degradation; Cartilage synthesis; Synovial turnover and Others. Nine molecular markers will be examined: CartiLaps ELISA/CTX-II, Urinary CrossLaps ELISA/CTX-I, and Serum osteocalcin, Serum COMP, MMP-3, Serum PINP, Serum PICP, Urinary PIIINP and Serum YKL-40. The data will be managed to evaluate the significance of correlation to image and clinical reports, so as to get a simple algorithm of parameters (molecular markers) which can reflect the structural damage of joint using mathematics and computer science.
Imatinib is a member of a new class of drugs known as signal transduction inhibitors. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of imatinib in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in combination with methotrexate in patients who do not respond satisfactorily to standard treatment, e.g. methotrexate.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the health and arthritis-specific benefits of participation in the Arthritis Foundation People with Arthritis Can Exercise program and to collect information to improve community-based dissemination of this program.
Patients will be assigned to one of three treatment groups. Study medication is administered over a 52 week study duration.
Using repeated arthroscopic biopsies of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, the researchers will assess changes in the immune response that occur as a result of treatment with rituximab.
The study's objective is to compare the efficacy of 3 dose levels of oral CP-690,550 monotherapy (5 mg, 15 mg, and 30 mg twice daily [BID]) versus placebo administered over 6 weeks for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of subjects with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
The objective of this study is to investigate if low doses of prednisone MR formulation, given at night and, with active drug release at 2 am, are more effective in controlling joint stiffness, and other disease symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis than standard IR prednisone given in the morning.
The primary goal of this study is to assess the effect of People with Arthritis Can Exercise (PACE), a community-based group recreational exercise program, on key arthritis-related health outcomes among adults with arthritis.
This is an open-label, extension, Phase II study to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of MRA in Patients with RA who were participated in Study MRA009JP.
This is an open-label, extension, Phase III study to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of MRA in patients with RA who participated in Study MRA220JP or MRA221JP.