Role of Oral and Intestinal Microbiota in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Rheumatoid Arthritis Clinical Trial

Official title: Role of Oral and Intestinal Microbiota in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory form of arthritis that causes joint pain and damage. RA attacks the lining of the joints (synovium), causing swelling that can result in aching and throbbing, and eventually deformity. Even though there have been many advances in the treatment of RA, psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and other inflammatory arthritis, doctors still do not know what causes this inflammation in joints. It is likely that RA occurs as a result of a complex combination of factors, including a person's genes; lifestyle choices, such as smoking and diet; and things in a person's environment, including bacteria or viruses. This study investigates the hypothesis that bacteria living in a person's mouth and/or intestinal tract are responsible, at least in part, for the development of Rheumatoid Arthritis. The investigators believe that by killing those bacteria with antibiotics, they might be able to understand how the immune system works and, maybe, what causes RA.

Clinical Trial Description

If you would like to participate in this study, we will first ask you several questions regarding the status of your arthritis, the medications you use or have used in the recent past, your social and dietary habits, and your medical and surgical history. If your answers tell us that you are the right patient for our study, we will go over a consent form which describes in more detail how we will study your intestinal and mouth bacteria, the immune cells in your blood and other genes, enzymes and proteins that tell us about your disease status.

If you have Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) or are healthy with no history of arthritis, and would like to participate in this study, your participation would involve only one or two visits, and no treatment.

If you have Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), your participation would involve six visits, and you would be randomly assigned to receive treatment with the antibiotic doxycycline, or the antibiotic vancomycin, or no antibiotic treatment. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Outcomes Assessor)

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Arthritis
• Arthritis, Psoriatic
• Arthritis, Rheumatoid
• Gingival Diseases
• Periodontal Disease
• Periodontal Diseases
• Psoriatic Arthritis
• Rheumatoid Arthritis

• NCT number: NCT01198509
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: New York University School of Medicine
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: January 2010
• Completion date: January 2013