Studying how pain is felt in people with rheumatic diseases
Measures touch and pain sensitivity in people with rheumatic diseases and healthy volunteers.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Pain Phenotyping of Rheumatic Diseases - An Observational Study
Key facts
- Where
- Bethesda, United StatesSee the site
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 9 and 85 years old?
Source: NCT07829497, who can take part
Where in United States
- National Institutes of Health Clinical CenterBethesda, United StatesTaking people
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
- Trial code
- NCT07829497
- Record updated
- 5 November 2026
- Original description
Background:Read full original descriptionShow less
Pain Phenotyping of Rheumatic Diseases - An Observational Study
Background:
Rheumatic diseases can affect the joints, ligaments, tendons, bones, muscles, and skin. They can also cause inflammation, damage body tissues, and change nerve signals in the brain. This can lead to ongoing pain that interferes with daily life. Researchers want to know more about how pain affects the lives of those with rheumatic diseases.
Objective:
To learn how the body and brain experience pain in people with and without rheumatic diseases.
Eligibility:
People aged 9 to 85 years with a diagnosed or suspected rheumatic disease and ongoing pain. They must be enrolled in protocols 01-AR-0227, 94-AR-0066, or 11-AR-0223. Healthy volunteers are also needed.
Design:
All participants will have an initial visit and may have up to 5 follow-up clinic visits spaced about 6 months apart. Each visit may last 3 to 4 hours. Patients with rheumatic diseases may have up to 2 more visits if they have a disease flare-up.
All participants will have these procedures at each visit:
Bedside quantitative sensory testing (B-QST): The participant's body will be touched with various probes: a cotton tip, a tuning fork, an ice-cold tuning fork, a heat probe, a device that applies pressure, and a probe with a sharp tip. These probes will not cause injury. Participants will describe how the touches feel and rate the intensity on a scale of 1 to 10.
Questionnaires: They will rate their overall health, quality of life, and any disease activity.
Research blood: Blood will be collected during the visits. Some blood will be used for how environmental factors affect our genes.
Physical exam and History review: They will provide information about their medical history and physical exam will be performed by a clinician.
Inclusion: In order to be eligible to participate in this study, an individual must meet all of the following criteria:; Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study; Aged 9-85 years; Diagnosed or suspected of having a rheumatic disease; Ability of the subject to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document or assent; Must be enrolled in one of the NIAMS protocols (01-AR-0227, 94-AR-0066, 11-AR-0223); To be able to answer PRO questionnaires in either English and/or Spanish languages; Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study; Aged 9-85 years; No known history of a rheumatic disease or any other chronic medical illness; Ability of the subject to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document or assent; To be enrolled in either of the ongoing NIAMS protocols 01-AR-0227, 94-AR-0066, or 11-AR-0223; To be able to answer PRO questionnaires in either English and/or Spanish languages.
Exclusion: Treatment with investigational drug or other investigational intervention while enrolled in this study; Subjects using illicit or street drugs will be excluded. Subjects taking prescribed pain medications will not be excluded; Developmental delay or cognitive impairment that interfere with following or understanding the test instructions; Any chronic medical condition that may hinder participation in the study as determined by the study PI; An individual who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study:; Any physical exam finding that precludes bedside QST.
INCLUSION CRITERIA.