Can genetics and environment explain lupus in the gullah population?
NCT ID NCT00756769
First seen Jul 28, 2026 · Last updated Jul 29, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study investigates why African Americans, particularly the Gullah community from the Sea Islands of South Carolina and Georgia, are at higher risk for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). By analyzing genetic and environmental factors in 750 participants—including people with lupus, their relatives, and healthy controls—researchers hope to identify specific triggers for the disease. The Gullah population's unique genetic makeup makes them an ideal group for this research.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could uncover specific genetic and environmental triggers for lupus, pointing toward targeted prevention or treatment strategies for high-risk populations.
- What could go wrong
- This is an observational study, not a treatment trial, so it will not directly test any therapy. The findings may not apply to other populations or lead to immediate clinical changes.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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About 750 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Start date
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Apr 2003
- Expected to finish
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Jun 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
Sea Island Community
- Ages
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2 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 2 years and above; * Self-identified as African-American "Gullah" from the Sea Island region of South Carolina; * Have had at least 4 of the 11 diagnostic criteria for SLE as designated by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), be a relative of a known SLE patient, or be an unrelated healthy Gullah control; * Ability to speak and understand English; * Ability and willingness to give informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Race defined by participant as other than Black or African-American; * Being a prisoner, mentally ill patient, or institutionalized individual; * Unwilling or unable to give informed consent
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Medical University of South Carolina
RECRUITINGCharleston, South Carolina, 29425, United States
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