Arthritis-Checkup : Study of an early detection of the rheumatoid arthritis in switzerland.

You have a family member who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and you would like to advance research?

We are looking for people who have a close relative with rheumatoid arthritis interested in participating in a screening study in Switzerland.

What?

People often mix up ‘Osteoarthritis’ and ‘Rheumatoid Arthritis’. They are both rheumatisms, but the RA is an inflammatory rheumatism, whereas osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease.

Osteoarthritis - sometimes called osteoarthrosis - results from abnormal ‘wear and tear’ of the joints and of the joint cartilage. It is a common condition in the elderly. Symptoms may include joint pain and tenderness mainly when moving.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disease, whereby the body attacks itself, and in particular the capsule around the joints (synovium) . As a result, the joints become painful, swollen, stiff eventually and permanently damaged.

Contrary to popular belief, RA does not affect only the elderly. RA typically starts between 15 and 65 years of age and evolves in flares lasting a few days or a few months. RA is a chronic condition.

~1% of the swiss population is affected by RA.
It is the most common inflamatory rheumatism, striking women three times as often as men...
Moreover, heredity is playing a key role in the development of the disease. Indeed, someone who
has a first degree relative (mother/father, sister/brother) with RA, is 3 to 6 times more likely to develop the disease himself than someone else.

The hands and feet joints are the most commonly affected joints.
Nevertheless, RA may involve all joints, but the back is generally not affected.

It has been established that heredity plays a key role in the development of the RA. This genetic predisposition interacts with environmental factors, such as tobacco smoke, air pollution or specific eating habits (excessive sweet sodas, salt, alcohol, omega3 and potentially others).

The goal of the « Arthritis Checkup » study is to determine the usefulness of biomarkers and environmental exposures in predicting the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

What does my participation imply?
1. You will be put in touch with the research nurse at your chosen site. This step is to check that you meet the inclusion criteria, the main one being that you have a first-degree relative with rheumatoid arthritis.

2. An appointment will be made for a brief specialist clinical examination and a blood test at the site. This visit is free of charge and takes no more than an hour. You can choose whether or not to receive the results of your blood test; this decision is entirely up to you.

3. Following this visit, you will be sent a questionnaire about your health and lifestyle. This questionnaire will then be sent to you once a year to monitor your health and enable the early detection of any possible development of rheumatoid arthritis.

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Or call us

Universitätsklinik für Rheumatologie und Immunologie,
Inselspital, Universitätsspital Bern
Anna-Seiler-Haus / Freiburgstrasse 20 / 3010 Bern
Tel. +41-31-632-72 29

Klinik für Rheumatologie
Universitätsspital Zürich
Gloriastrasse 25 / 8091 Zürich
Tel: +41 44 255 30 10

Hôpital cantonal de Fribourg - Service de Rhumatologie
Chemin des Pensionnats 2-6 / 1708 Fribourg
Tél.: +41 26 306 19 93

Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève:
Service de Rhumatologie,
Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4 - 1205 Genève
Tel: +41 (0)22-372-3697

Praxis Rheuma-Basel
Missionsstrasse 34 / CH 4055 Basel
Tel: +41 61 381 03 50

Kantonsspital St. Gallen
Klinik für Rheumatologie
Rorschacherstrasse 95 - CH-9007 St. Gallen
Tel.: +41 (0)71 494 99 50

Rheumatologische Universitätsklinik
Universitätsspital Basel
Petersgraben 4 / 4031 Basel
Téléphone :+41 (0)61 556 51 36

Centre hospitalier universitaire vaudois:
Service du rhumatologie et de médicine physique et de réhabilitation
Av. Pierre Decker 4 / 1005 Lausanne
Tel. +41 (0)79/ 556 28 21

Hôpital La-Chaux-de-Fonds
Département de médecine
Rue de Chasseral 20 - 2300 La Chaux de Fonds
Tél.: +41 (0)32 967 23 11

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Arthritis-Checkup : Study of an early detection of the disease.

You have a family member who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and you would like to advance research?

What?

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The study in brief

Take part in the study