Contacts
Rebecca Storey Trial Manager
Dudley Clinical Trial Unit Dominic Baxter Project Assistant
Manchester Clinical Trial Unit
Kelly Byrne Trial Coordinator
Manchester Clinical Trial Unit
Shobna Vasishta
Dundee Clinical Trial Unit
Dr Gwen Kennedy
Dundee Clinical Trial Unit
Caroline Paterson |
Introduction
Welcome to the website dedicated to the Trial of Atorvastatin for the primary prevention of Cardiovascular Events in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (Acronym: TRACE RA).
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis affecting about 1% of the adult UK population. Prior research has shown that people with RA are more likely to suffer from diseases of the heart and blood vessels (mainly heart attack and stroke) as is thought to be attributed to the high levels of inflammation in RA which cause damage to blood vessels. Main study: TRACE RA
Statins are drugs that can help to prevent disease of the heart and blood vessels, by reducing cholesterol and possibly inflammation. This study will investigate whether the statin called Atorvastatin can reduce the occurance of conditions such as heart attack and stroke in people with RA. The study medication Atorvastatin is not a new drug and is currently prescribed to people who need to reduce their cholesterol level or who may have a risk of developing heart disease.
TRACE RA is an important study for people with Rheumatoid Arthritis as there has never before been a study specifically looking at the use of statins in people with RA. Statins are commonly prescribed in the UK to help prevent heart disease, however these are mostly prescribed once a patient is deemed by their consultant or GP to have a calculated risk of developing heart disease.
We would like to find out whether taking statins will provide similar benefit to people with RA, whom we know are more likely to develop heart disease. The medical community want to avoid giving people statins unnecessarily and so the results of this study will help to inform how to treat people with RA in the future.
The study is the largest trial ever to be conducted in rheumatoid arthritis.
TRACE RA Biobank
The 1st sub study of the TRACE RA trial.
All patients participating in TRACE RA will be invited to donate blood samples to the TRACE RA Biobank. The aim of the Biobank is to identify DNA, serum and plasma variations that might explain why people with RA are more likely to develop diseases of the heart, or why they respond to Atorvastatin. Some of the studies we will be doing with these samples will be done with serum or plasma (the liquid remaining once cells have been seperated out of the blood). Other studies will be genetic research involving DNA extracted from the blood.
TRACE RA DAS
The 2nd sub study of the TRACE RA trial.
It is possible that Atorvastatin may reduce joint inflammation. TRACE RA DAS aims to establish whether Atorvastatin reduces joint inflammation and thus slows down the damage RA causes to your joints and general wellbeing. Patients who are invited to particpate in this will have a certain level of inflammation in their joints (i.e. a Disease Activity Score of 3.2 or less). |
Participants
People taking part in the TRACE RA Study today3001-----------------------------------------------
People taking part in Sub study 1- Biobank2013
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People taking part in Sub study 2- DAS:
14
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Do you have RA and are interested in knowing more about TRACE RA?
Please refer to our participants section for a list of participating hospitals, if your local care providing hospital is listed please contact them directly. Please note that TRACE RA is no longer accepting new people onto the study.
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Are you a health professional interested in holding TRACE RA clinics in your hospital?
Please note that TRACE RA has now closed to recruitment
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