Rheumatology Research

Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA)

Mission:  Conduct collaborative research to prevent, treat, and cure pediatric rheumatic diseases.
Vision:  A world free of limitations from pediatric rheumatic diseases.
Approach:  "CARRA members will work together to capitalize on opportunities, actively develop a structure and a scientific agenda, and collaborate with potential funding sources to create a research alliance that benefits our patients."

CARRA Registry: Observational Study for Pediatric Rheumatic Diseases
Sponsors: Duke University
Collaborators: National Institute of Health (NIH), National Institute of Arthritis and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), Arthritis Foundation, Lupus Foundation of America, Cure JM Foundation
Site PI: Natasha Ruth, MD, MS

Pediatric Rheumatology Care and Outcomes Improvement Network

Sponsor: ACR, Arthritis Foundation, PCORI, AHRQ
Site PI: Mileka Gilbert, MD, PhD

"Pediatric Rheumatology Care & Outcomes Improvement Network (PR-COIN) is a network of pediatric rheumatologists, nurses, therapists, social workers, and support staff at rheumatology centers who, in partnership with families, are working together to transform how care is delivered to children with rheumatic conditions. PR-COIN’s current focus is improving outcomes for children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) and will expand to additional rheumatic conditions such as Lupus and Dermatomyositis. 

As a quality improvement collaborative, we develop and evaluate specific disease management strategies in order to improve the care of children with rheumatic conditions and determine how best to incorporate these strategies into clinical practice. PR-COIN initiatives include use of QI tools, pre-visit planning, motivational interviewing, and self-management support system to improve outcomes. PR-COIN maintains a registry database to measure performance, learn about the health status of its patients, and to inform future improvement projects. The parent workgroup and patient workgroup are intimately involved in every process of PR-COIN and also lead their own initiatives. 

MUSC pediatric rheumatology team is a founding member of PR-COIN helping to lead improvements in the quality of care delivered to children with rheumatic diseases. There are now 18 teams across the United States and Canada. Together we are working to change the way kids with arthritis live their lives and imagine a new world."

PRCSG: Pediatric Rheumatology Collaborative Study Group - Active member

"The Pediatric Rheumatology Collaborative Study Group (PRCSG) was founded in 1973 and has over 180 members at over 80 academic clinical pediatric rheumatology centers in the United States and Canada. The chief aim of the PRCSG is to conduct high quality clinical trials, of therapeutic agents, in children with rheumatic diseases.

Many studies are ongoing, large new studies are in the final planning stages, and more are in earlier planning stages. Participation in a PRCSG study is a way that children with rheumatic diseases can get access to the newest treatments and helps benefit the healthcare community through the knowledge gained from these studies."

Division of Adult Rheumatology and Immunology

The Division of Adult Rheumatology and Immunology has an internationally recognized multidisciplinary research program encompassing clinical, translational, and basic research. Our clinical research program provides patients opportunities to participate in disease registries and novel clinical trials, including both early studies of new therapies and large-scale trials supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or Industry. Our basic and translational research seeks to discover the mechanisms causing rheumatic diseases and turn those scientific observations into new and better treatments for patients.