VASCULITIS CLINICAL RESEARCH CONSORTIUM (VCRC) STUDY OF CHURG-STRAUSS SYNDROME

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. It is often difficult for both patients and physicians to determine how ¿active¿ a person¿s Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is at any given time, yet it is critically important to determine disease activity in order to properly treat this disease. In CSS, this is further complicated by difficulties differentiating the activity of the underlying asthma from activity of the vasculitis component of the disease. Clinical signs and symptoms of disease are quite helpful but may be due to more than one medical problem. The purpose of this study is to use new scientific methods to discover new biological markers of disease activity in patiens with CSS that will serve one or more of the following uses: measure the amount of active disease occurring at any given time; predict what types of problems patients are at risk for in order to help choose the best therapy; and predict whether patients will respond to specific treatments. To help discover these new markers, we will follow a large group of patients with CSS at VCRC Vasculitis Centers over several years. Clinical information and blood and urine specimens will be collected on a regular basis. These specimens will be sent to research laboratories that are looking to discover new proteins, genes, and other chemicals that could serve as new ¿biomarkers¿.