CLEAR Study

  • What is the CLEAR Study?

  • The Consortium for the Longitudinal Evaluation of African-Americans with Early Rheumatoid Arthritis (CLEAR) is a study designed to understand the factors that determine the development and severity of RA in African-Americans.

    This research is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. The Thurston Arthritis Research Center is one of six academic Centers participating. Other study sites are the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Washington University (St. Louis, MO), Vanderbilt University, the Medical University of South Carolina, and Emory University.

  • What can we learn?

  • This is the first research program designed specifically to evaluate the factors that determine the development and severity of RA among African-Americans, an underrepresented group in similar studies working to find answers these questions.

  • Who is Participating?

  • To be eligible to participate, you must be an African-American age 18 or older who began experiencing the symptoms of RA within the past 2 years.

  • What is Involved?

  • If you choose to participate:

    • You will not be given any experimental medication and your therapy will not be changed in any way.
    • Decisions about medications and routine care for your RA will continue to be handled with your treating physician.
    • You will be asked questions about your health, your arthritis, and how it has affected your life.
    • You will have a physical examination and full joint examination.
    • We will obtain blood samples to look at the genes and proteins in your blood that are associated with your arthritis.
    • You will have x-rays of your hands and feet as well as a bone density test.
    • All tests done for the study will be at no cost to you.
    • The results of these tests will be sent to your treating physician so that s/he is aware of them.
    • You will be compensated for the time you spend completing these visits.
  • Contact Information

  • The Project Director for this study is Diane Bresch. Please contact her with any questions you may have:

    Thurston Arthritis Research Center
    University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    CB# 7280, 3300 Thurston Bldg
    Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7280

    Email:diane_bresch@med.unc.edu
    Phone: Toll Free 1-866-312-1120 or (919) 966-0545
    Fax: (919) 966-1739