Gouty Arthritis Clinical Study
Gout is an extremely painful recurring arthritic disease affecting a great number of New Zealanders, and is the main focus of the Arthritis research group. The inflammatory response in gout is triggered by the formation of uric acid (MSU) crystals in and around the joints.
In 2007 the Arthritis Group's basic research protocols were successfully translated into a clinical setting and Dr Rebecca Grainger is currently recruiting patients for participation in a clinical study. This study is designed to characterise the inflammatory responses of immune cells isolated from the blood of healthy volunteers and of gouty arthritis patients. Dr Rebecca Grainger is a qualified Rheumatologist working on the study (see Scope Issue 32) and is undertaking the clinical research as part of her PhD project.
The results of this clinical study will provide important information on why some individuals are more prone to developing gout than others, and will facilitate the development of preventative strategies for improved management of this disease.
For further information on this study contact Dr Rebecca Grainger, rgrainger@malaghan.org.nz
