Looking for biomarkers to help diagnose ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus earlier

Trial details

Who runs it

Universidade Nova de Lisboa

Trial code

NCT06778343

Record updated

20 January 2025

Original description

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS), Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) are three diseases where early diagnosis remains a major challenge. However, early diagnosis is the main determinant for a better prognosis. In the early stage, symptoms may be nonspecific and often difficult to establish a differential diagnosis between rheumatic diseases and other diseases, namely infectious and cancer diseases.Read full original descriptionShow less

BIRDD: Biomarkers in Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases Diagnosis - Ankylosing Spondylitis, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS), Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) are three diseases where early diagnosis remains a major challenge. However, early diagnosis is the main determinant for a better prognosis. In the early stage, symptoms may be nonspecific and often difficult to establish a differential diagnosis between rheumatic diseases and other diseases, namely infectious and cancer diseases.

Inclusion: Diagnosis of AS, RA, SLE according the mentioned criteria; Ability to provide informed consent; If entering the study on NSAIDs, tramadol, combination of paracetamol and codeine or hydrocodone, and/or non-opioid analgesics, subject must be on stable dose(s) for at least 14 days prior to the screening visit; If entering the study on oral corticosteroids, subject must be on a stable dose of prednisone (≤ 10 mg/day), or oral corticosteroid equivalents, for at least 14 days prior to the screening visit; If entering the study on MTX, leflunomide, SSZ, and/or hydroxychloroquine, subject must be on a stable dose of MTX (≤ 25 mg/week) and/or SSZ (≤ 3 g/day) and/or hydroxychloroquine (≤ 400 mg/day) or leflunomide (≤ 20 mg/day) for at least 28 days prior to the screening visit. A combination of up to two background csDMARDs is allowed; Subject is judged to be in good health as determined by the Principal Investigator based upon the results of medical history, laboratory profile, physical examination, x-Ray performed at the Screening Visit.

Exclusion: Prior exposure to any biologic therapy; Intra-articular joint or tendon sheaths injections, spinal/paraspinal injection(s), or parenteral administration of corticosteroids within 28 days prior to the Baseline Visit. Inhaled or topical corticosteroids are allowed; Receipt of any live vaccine within 4 weeks prior to the screening visit; Subject has a history of inflammatory arthritis of different etiology other than AS, RA or SLE (including but not limited to PsA, mixed connective tissue disease, reactive arthritis, scleroderma, polymyositis, dermatomyositis, fibromyalgia), or any arthritis with onset prior to 17 years of age; Infections requiring hospitalization or intravenous treatment with antibiotics within 30 days or oral treatment with antibiotics within 14 days before enrollment; History of clinically significant (per Investigator\'s judgment) drug or alcohol abuse within the last 6 months; Any uncontrolled medical condition (e.g., uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, unstable ischemic heart disease); History of any malignancy; Positive serology for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or human immunodeficiency virus; Note : Healthy Controls should be matched by gender and age. People with acute infections or injuries (in the last 6 months) or non-controlled chronic diseases (cardiac, metabolic, lung, neurologic, gastro-intestinal or renal) will be exclude. Family history of Auto-Immune diseases as diagnosed by a rheumatologist will be also excluded; Current pregnancy or breastfeeding.

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06778343