Clinical trials and basic research: defining mechanisms and improving treatment in connective tissue disease

Lewis J Rubin¹ , Carol M Black², Christopher P Denton² and James R Seibold³

¹Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of California San Diego, Campus Point Drive, La Jolla, California 92037-7381, USA

²Centre for Rheumatology, Royal Free and University College Medical School, Rowland Hill Street, London, NW3 2PF, UK

³University of Michigan Scleroderma Program, East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-0358, USA

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Arthritis Research & Therapy 2007, 9(Suppl 2):S10doi:10.1186/ar2194


Published:	15 August 2007

Abstract

Despite advances in elucidating the pathogenic factors responsible for its development, systemic sclerosis remains complex and poorly understood, and treatment options are limited. Multidisciplinary collaborative efforts are needed to better characterize clinical and prognostic parameters and to design and implement large-scale clinical trials in well defined populations with therapies that target potential disease modulators.