Oral Collagen for Rheumatoid Arthritis

RA is an inflammatory disease that causes pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of function in the joints. The study will evaluate the effects of using oral bovine CII on RA patients by assessing the levels of inflammation markers such as interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta). This study is a multicenter clinical trial to be conducted at the University of Tennessee, Memphis (the lead center) and the West Tennessee Medical Specialty Clinic (a collaborating site). Patients enrolled will be allowed to continue a constant dose of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and prednisone less than or equal to 7.5 mg/day. Patients will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. The low dose group will receive 30 mcg daily for 10 weeks, then 50 mcg daily for 10 weeks, followed by 70 mcg daily for 10 more weeks; the high dose group will receive 90 mcg daily for 10 weeks, then 100 mcg daily for 10 weeks, followed by 130 mcg daily for 10 more weeks. Blood will be collected at screening and at Weeks 10, 20, and 30. Blood will be analyzed for indicators of inflammation. Note: this trial is no longer being conducted as an intervention trial. Accrual has been discontinued, although patients previously enrolled are still being followed.