Sputum Studies of Anti-Citrullinated Protein Antibodies (ACPA) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Origins

Other illness

• Exacerbation of underlying obstructive lung disease within the past 1 month

Other

• Currently pregnant or planning to become pregnant during the sample collection period of the study
• Known FEV1 \<1 liter
• Oxygen requirement \>2 liters at rest
• Participants with health acuity or behavioral health concerns leaving them unable to participate in the current research
  • Note: If a subject temporarily does not meet inclusion criteria but is interested in participating, he/she may participate once inclusion criteria have been met.
  • If interested, please take a few minutes to complete the screening questionnaire for this study opportunity. You may open the survey in your web browser by clicking the link below:
  • https://is.gd/SPAROscreen
  • If the link above does not work, try copying the link below into your web browser:
  • https://redcap.ucdenver.edu/surveys/?s=3WM8WH3WKK

• Adults between 18 and 100 years;
• At-Risk for RA, RA diagnosed, and Healthy Control subjects will be included in the study until recruitment goals are met for each group.
  • At-Risk:
• No evidence of inflammatory arthritis on clinical examination AND
• At elevated risk for RA based on familial or serologic risk
  • Familial risk includes having a first degree relatives (FDRs) with RA
  • Serologic risk includes asymptomatic serum ACPA positivity
  • Healthy Controls :
• No history of RA
• No FDRs with RA
• No systemic use of immunosuppressants for autoimmune disease
  • RA Diagnosis:
• Classified RA by 1987 ACR and/or 2010 ACR/EULAR RA classification criteria (confirmed by medical chart review) OR
• Diagnosed with RA by a board-certified rheumatologist (confirmed by medical chart review)