CENTER FOR ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE RESEARCH OF ARTHRITIS

关节炎和相关的肌肉骨骼疾病是导致残疾的主要原因，在这些疾病的最严重形式中，补充和替代医学（CAM）干预措施的使用率特别高。尽管这些疗法在很大程度上未经证实，但那些经历最严重疾病的人通常寻求这些疗法，并经常与其他替代疗法或传统疗法结合使用。因此，在风湿病学、补充医学、流行病学、统计学和卫生服务研究专家以科学严谨的多学科方式处理这些问题的合作环境中，评估这些辅助医学干预措施的安全性、有效性和成本效益的需求尚未得到满足。本申请的主要目的是在巴尔的摩马里兰大学建立一个专门的补充和替代医学（CAM）研究中心，重点研究关节炎和相关疾病。关节炎替代医学评估和研究中心（CAMERA）将支持一个多学科的研究团队，并发展机构和区域合作，开展临床和基础研究，探索针灸治疗膝关节骨关节炎的潜在疗效、安全性和长期结果的成本效益；2)身心疗法治疗纤维肌痛的有效性；3)电针治疗持续性疼痛和炎症的作用机制及效果；4)具有免疫调节作用的中药复方的作用机制。中心将建立核心资源设施，以支持、监测和评价其研究活动。未来将通过以下方式鼓励对CAM和关节炎及相关疾病的研究：1)培训中心职业发展和培训计划中的新研究者；2)发展和可行性研究计划，该计划将征求，择优评估和支持创新的试点研究。

Arthritis and related musculoskeletal disorders are a leading cause of disability, and usage of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) interventions i particularly high among those with the severest forms of these conditions. Although largely unproven, these therapies are commonly sought by those experiencing the severest disease and frequently used in combination with other alternative or conventional treatments. There is, thus, a great unmet need to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of these CAM interventions in a collaborative setting in which experts in rheumatology, complementary medicine, epidemiology, statistics and health services research approach these questions in a scientifically rigorous, multi-disciplinary manner. The major objective of this application is the establishment of a specialized center for research in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) focusing on arthritis and related diseases at the University of Maryland Baltimore. The Center for Alternative Medicine Evaluation and Research in Arthritis (CAMERA) will support a multi-disciplinary team of researchers and develop institutional and regional collaborations to conduct clinical and basic research exploring the potential efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of long-term outcomes following acupuncture treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee; 2) the effectiveness of mind/body therapies for fibromyalgia; 3) the mechanism of action and effects of electroacupuncture on persistent pain & inflammation; and 4) the mechanism of action of a herbal combination with immunomodulatory properties. The Center will create core resource facilities to support, monitor and evaluate its research activities. Future investigation of CAM and arthritis and related disorders will be encouraged through: 1) the training of new investigators in the Center's Career Development & Training Program, and 2) the Development and Feasibility Research Program, which will solicit, meritoriously evaluate and support innovative pilot research.