Lupus Studies Seek Families of All Ethnicities
(also see Genetic Diversity and Lupus)
The Lupus Genetic Studies are seeking families of all ethnicities to participate in Lupus Research.
Although lupus is two to three times more common among African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, and Native Americans (Lupus Foundation of America website: www.lupus.org) and these ethnicities are among the most often and severely afflicted with the disease, it is vital to have as many families from as many different backgrounds participate as possible to obtain complete and informative results.
The same is true of male and female lupus patients: though women are 9-times more likely to be diagnosed with SLE than men, having lupus patients of both genders participate has already been beneficial in furthering our understanding of lupus genes.
Recent work has shown that the SLE genes differ between ethnic groups, and different genes may designate the symptoms from which a patient may suffer. (See Recent Findings or Genetic Diversity & Lupus for more information.)
To see what participation invovles, or to see if you and your family may qualify for a study (unrelated volunteers with no personal or family history of lupus are also needed!), please use one of the links below:
Simplex Study
(Families with 1 lupus patient, identical twins with lupus, or parent/child SLE patients)
Multiplex Study
(Families with 2 or more blood-related lupus patients)
