To see if you or a loved one may be able to participate, please complete our pre-qualifying questionnaire.
To learn about participating in the EQUALISE study or to see if there is a research study location near you, please scroll down or click on the page links. If there is not a location close to you, do not be discouraged. If you pass our questionnaire and submit your information, we will discuss available travel options with you.
Any adult who has been diagnosed with lupus nephritis.
These questions are directed to the person who will participate in the research study. "You" as used in the pre-qualifying questionnaire refers to that person.
No. You may take the pre-qualifying questionnaire just to see if you might pre-qualify. Participation in a research study is completely voluntary at every step in the process.
Why is the EQUALISE Study Important?
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues and organs.
Lupus nephritis specifically involves inflammation of the kidneys caused by lupus. With lupus nephritis, the immune system cannot tell the difference between foreign invaders and the body’s own healthy kidney tissues. As the immune system continues its attack, it can significantly lessen the ability of the kidneys to work properly, and some individuals with advanced lupus nephritis may end up in kidney failure.
Lupus nephritis is one of the most serious complications of lupus. To date, only two treatments have been FDA approved to treat lupus nephritis. If these medications are unavailable or do not improve symptoms, physicians may use other drugs such as steroids to treat lupus nephritis. However, these medicines may have multiple side effects or patients may not respond to treatment.
For patients who do respond to treatment, many will eventually have a return of active lupus nephritis, and progressive loss of kidney function can occur in those who have severe, worsening disease. Therefore, it is very important to continue to develop and improve treatment options that are able to target lupus nephritis.
Clinical research studies are necessary to develop new medications, including possible treatments for lupus and lupus nephritis. Before new medications can be approved for public use, they must be tested in research studies like the EQUALISE study. For those individuals who need additional treatment for their lupus nephritis, participating in our research study is a good way to take an active role in their health care and may help find treatment options for themselves and others like them.
Clinical research is medical research involving people. A clinical research study is sometimes called a clinical trial. Clinical trials are done to test if new medications are safe and work well at treating specific diseases. Clinical trials follow strict rules and are monitored to make sure that they are conducted ethically and the welfare of participants is protected.
Click here to learn more about clinical research.