OUTCOME OF SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS IN MINORITIES--NATURE VS NURTURE

该项目的目的是研究人口统计学、社会经济和遗传因素在决定系统性红斑狼疮（SLE）患者病程和早期结局中的相互关系。该研究在休斯顿和德克萨斯州加尔维斯顿设有中心，除了跟踪非裔美国人和白种人SLE患者外，还跟踪西班牙裔患者。LUMINA研究的另一个维度是PROFILE子研究。PROFILE是UAB SLE专业研究中心的项目4。它的目标是确定基因在狼疮结果中所起的作用。因此，不仅获得了患者DNA来研究SLE相关基因，而且还招募了父母和兄弟姐妹（TRIO家族），以便对他们的DNA进行分析。

The purpose of this project is to study the inter-relationship between demographic, socioeconomic, and genetic factors in determining the course and early outcome in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This study has centers in Houston and Galveston, Texas, as well which, in addition to following African-American and Caucasian patients with SLE, follows Hispanic patients as well. An added dimension of the LUMINA study is the PROFILE sub-study. PROFILE is Project 4 of the Specialized Center of Research in SLE at UAB. Its' goal is to determine the role that genetics play in the outcome of lupus. As such, not only is patient DNA obtained to investigate genes related to SLE, but parents and siblings are being recruited (TRIO families) so that their DNA may be analyzed as well.