The following is a listing from SAA of active spondylitis research opportunities, including those from third parties. SAA is not affiliated with any third party studies listed here, and is sharing them as a service to the community.
Contact us at Research@spondylitis.org
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The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and 20 partnering institutions across the U.S. have an exciting opportunity for patients and families impacted by Juvenile Spondyloarthritis (JSpA.)
Have you ever wondered if medications can be stopped once the disease is inactive? Or how long remission would last if you or your child stop the medication?
The BACK-OFF JSpA study was designed by researchers, doctors, parents, and patients to answer these and other questions.
Who is eligible?
The study is recruiting children and adolescents with juvenile onset spondyloarthritis who are currently doing well on a TNF inhibitor (Humira, Enbrel, Remicade, Cimzia, or Simponi.)
To be eligible, you or your children must meet the following conditions:
Study design:
Study participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups:
The study will last 12 months and will include visits with your regular rheumatologist every three months. You’ll be asked to fill out surveys at each appointment and may have the opportunity to participate in two optional blood draws and MRI scans. Once the initial 12 months of the active study period ends, you’ll be asked to continue to fill out surveys for up to 24 additional months as follow up.
How to enroll:
Enrollment will take place at one of 21 participating pediatric healthcare systems. Ask your rheumatologist or research coordinator about signing up!
Thank you for considering taking part in the BACK-OFF JSpA Study!
The below are observational studies recruiting pregnant women. As such, participants will not be asked to take any medications or vaccines and will not be required to change their daily routine. The researchers will interview the women, tracking their pregnancy, as well as the health of the baby.
These observational studies are being conducted by MotherToBaby, a service of the non-profit Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS). These studies will collect information from pregnant women during their pregnancies, as well as about the baby’s health after delivery.
These studies are overseen and monitored by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the University of California, San Diego.
Understanding the Effects of Ankylosing Spondylitis and Psoriatic Arthritis in Pregnancy
Study Requirements:
To enroll and obtain further information about the two different studies please visit the below page applicable to you:
You will also find these studies listed on Clinical Trials here.
Understanding the Effects of Medication taken during in Pregnancy
Many women need to take medication during pregnancy to properly manage their health. Researchers are currently recruiting participants to help better understand the effects of the following medications; certolizumab pegol (Cimzia), apremilast (Otezla), and ustekinumab (Stelara) in pregnant women.
Study Requirements:
To enroll and obtain further information about the two different studies please visit the below page applicable to you:
You will also find these studies listed on Clinical Trials here.
Researchers at Boston University are conducting a survey to help learn about how people with ankylosing spondylitis and related conditions choose medications. The survey will take 15-20 minutes to complete. Those who finish the survey may win one of five $50 gift cards.
You may be eligible to participate if:
This study will help researchers understand what is important to people with spondyloarthritis in choosing between medications. Once many people have shared their opinions, the results will be used to summarize the overall pros and cons of different medications. We hope the results of this study will make it easier for people with spondyloarthritis to gain access to medications that work well, and fit with each persons’ preferences.
Study PI: Dr. Maureen Dubreuil
IRB Approval: Boston University (H-34259)
For more information, and to take this survey, please visit SpondMedSurvey.
Please, contact Dr. Dubreuil at 617-353-8667 with any questions or concerns about this survey. You may also call 617-358-5372 or email medirb@bu.edu to talk with someone at the Boston Medical Center and Boston University Medical Campus IRB.
Note: Dr. Dubreuil received the SAA/Bruckel Early Career Investigator Award in SpA in 2018. Learn more here.
(The IRB is a group that helps monitor research. You should call or email the IRB if you want to find out about your rights as a research subject or if you wish to talk to someone who is not part of the study about your questions or concerns.)
This study will evaluate the natural history of spondyloarthritis (SpA) in children and adults. Researchers will study early signs and symptoms of axial spondyloarthritis to better understand the cause and progression of this disease, and in addition, compare genetic data of patients with that of healthy family members’ to help identify the genes involved in SpA, and their functions.
Successful completion of these combined analyses will allow rheumatologists to better recognize early SpA with axial involvement, particularly in children, and improve our understanding of disease cause, mechanisms involved, and progression.
Participants enrolled in this study will undergo physical examination, imaging studies, have family history taken, as well as have laboratory evaluations completed. Participants may also be evaluated for SpA related symptoms outside the joints and spine, as needed.
You may qualify to participate if you:
Study Design (What you can expect as a participant)
For more information, visit The Clinical Trials Study Page.
The study is sponsored by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS).
Study location:
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, Maryland 20892
For more information, or to enroll, please contact
April Brundidge, R.N. (301) 443-5407 brundidgea@mail.nih.gov
Robert A. Colbert, M.D. (301) 443-8935 colbertr@mail.nih.gov
Note from SAA: We are delighted to inform you of this study led by Dr. James Rosenbaum, current member of SAA’s Medical and Scientific Advisory Board.
Recent scientific studies have shown that the bacteria and other organisms which normally reside in our gut can have a profound effect on the immune system and inflammatory disease. This study will analyze gut microbe data to determine if there are patterns or certain associations with ankylosing spondylitis or HLA-B27.
Participants will be asked to complete a questionnaire, keep a 2-day food diary and to provide a sample of feces (stool) which can be collected at home and shipped to our research laboratory. An optional sample of saliva may also be provided. There are no costs for participation and all sample packaging and shipping materials are provided. If you choose to be in the study, you will not personally benefit, but may help to benefit patients with ankylosing spondylitis in the future.
For more information, please contact Dr. Rosenbaum’s research team at 503-494-5711 or B27microbiome@ohsu.edu. Thank you!
Oregon Health & Science University
PA: James Rosenbaum, MD
IRB# 8466
Relationship between HLA B27, disease status and gut microbes (An extension study of “Influence of HLA B27 status and colonoscopy bowel prep on the gut microbiome in conjunction with analysis of the gut microbiome along the gastrointestinal tract”)
Have a spondylitis research study you’d like to let us know about? Contact us at Research@spondylitis.org
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