Actively Recruiting
Chronic Pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Led by Northwestern University · Updated on 2025-04-29
125
Participants Needed
5
Research Sites
237 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
Sponsors
N
Northwestern University
Lead Sponsor
N
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Collaborating Sponsor
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
The objective is to identify modifiable clinical factors and neurobiological pathways that lead to the development of chronic pain in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis. Participants will undergo quantitative sensory testing, a type of testing that involves assessing response to well-defined, quantifiable painful stimuli, at 0, 3, and 12 months. A subset of participants will also undergo magnetic resonance imaging at 0 and 12 months to assess neuroimaging markers that have previously been shown to be involved in chronic pain.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Chronic Pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Age 18 years or older
- Meet either the 1987 or 2010 American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) criteria for rheumatoid arthritis
- Persistent joint symptoms for 2 years or less
- Active inflammatory disease
- If taking opioids as needed, able to hold opioids for 12 hours before study procedures
- If taking NSAIDs, able to hold NSAIDs for 24 hours before study procedures
- If taking central-acting pain medication, on a stable dose and able to maintain this dose throughout the study
- For neuroimaging participants: age 80 years or younger
- For neuroimaging participants: right-handed or ambidextrous
- For neuroimaging participants: able to lie on their back for the MRI scan duration
You will not qualify if you...
- Routine, scheduled opioid use
- Routine, scheduled prednisone dose greater than 10 mg or equivalent
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Peripheral vascular disease
- Raynaud's phenomenon requiring treatment with claudication or ischemic rest pain
- Uncontrolled blood pressure
- For neuroimaging participants: severe claustrophobia preventing MRI
- For neuroimaging participants: unable to fit comfortably in MRI scanner (usually if BMI > 40 kg/m2)
- Pregnant
- Contraindications to MRI
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
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Trial Site Locations
Total: 5 locations
1
University of Colorado
Denver, Colorado, United States, 80045
Actively Recruiting
2
Northwestern University
Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611
Actively Recruiting
3
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21224
Actively Recruiting
4
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48019
Actively Recruiting
5
Hospital for Special Surgery
New York, New York, United States, 10021
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
K
Kathleen Aren, MPH
CONTACT
M
Mary Carns, MS
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Masking
N/A
Allocation
N/A
Model
N/A
Primary Purpose
N/A
Number of Arms
1
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