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.
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