Washington University School of Medicine has established a multidisciplinary Center for Arthritis and Related Diseases (CARDS), in addition to the Division of Rheumatology specialists, that involves physicians and scientists in many divisions and departments and allied health professionals throughout the Medical Center.
The medical team at CARDS is making significant strides in battling these diseases and becoming the country’s premier institute for research and patient care in this important area. Center investigators have dedicated themselves to an intensive assault on arthritis and related diseases.
Although little is known about the causes of most forms of arthritis, many result from autoimmune diseases.
The center also has an active clinical practice with the development of a multidisciplinary arthritis clinic. This clinic provides opportunities for enhancing patient care through interactions with other clinical units such as those in orthopedics, physical therapy and occupational therapy.
At the center, direct investigation of rheumatic diseases encompass new research projects involving molecular and pathologic evaluation of autoimmune diseases and genetic epidemiology to determine which genes predispose patients to develop autoimmune diseases and affect clinical outcomes.