Spondyloarthropathy
Focus is on a group of conditions known as the spondyloarthropathies, the most common of which is ankylosing spondylitis. Common characteristics include involvement of spine, pelvis and genetic factors such as the presence of the HLA-B27 gene and extra-articular manifestations (e.g. inflammatory bowel disease and uveitis). The Spondyloarthropathy Methodology and Research Therapeutics (SMART) programme evaluates clinical and genetic predictors of outcome to improve patient care by increasing our understanding of the nature of these diseases.
Staff and interest areas
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Staff |
Interest area/s |
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Clinical epidemiology |
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Rebecca Mogg |
Research coordinator for the SMART Predictors of Outcome Study with background in genetics and laboratory procedures |
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Research student |
Interest area/s |
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Dr. Raj Sengupta |
Longitudinal outcomes in ankylosing spondylitis |
Current research projects
The SMART Predictors of Outcome Study is a major project which encompasses a number of current research threads, including:
- Genetic determinants of disease susceptibility and severity in ankylosing spondylitis
- Assessment of the impact of flare-ups in ankylosing spondylitis: longitudinal assessment of short term variation in AS symptoms
- Disease progression in ankylosing spondylitis in terms of disease activity, functional ability, spinal mobility and spinal damage
- Identification of biomarkers of disease activity in spondyloarthropathy
Other research initiatives include:
- 3D ultrasound imaging for the automatic detection and monitoring of bone erosions in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Research partners
- The National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society (NASS)
- Spondylitis Association of America (SAA)
- British Medical Association through the BMA Doris Hillier Award
- “Triple A” Spondylitis Consortium (TASC) – research into the genetics of ankylosing spondylitis
- Arthritis Research Council (ARC) – Dr Millicent Stone is a member of the Spondyloarthropathy Core Group
- St. Michael’s Hospital Mobility Program University of Toronto where Dr. Stone still holds a Research and Faculty appointment and is Visiting Professor to the SMART program there which she established in 2003.