The new research consortium is part of the charity's drive to harness 'team science' to better understand the causes and risk factors for arthritis and improve treatment options. Epidemiology – the study of how diseases occur in different people and why - is critical to designing better and targeted interventions using data.
The consortium, made up of experts from the Universities of Manchester, Keele, Oxford, Nottingham and Aberdeen, aims to close five gaps in our understanding of the debilitating disease and related conditions. They will consider menopause in relation to musculoskeletal health, inequalities in access to care, risks of long-term pain medications and determine the optimum levels of monitoring for those receiving immune drugs. The researchers will also aim to identify those at higher risk of chronic pain sooner, given painful musculoskeletal conditions often begin in childhood. This holds the potential to explore ways to prevent or reduce persistent pain.
Professor Daniel Prieto-Alhambra and Dr Junqing (Frank) Xie will contribute from NDORMS with a focus the long-term safety of pain killers in the context of musculoskeletal care. Prof Prieto-Alhambra said: 'We are really excited to partner with patients and colleagues across the country to advance our knowledge of the safety of common musculoskeletal therapies.'
Lucy Donaldson, Director of Research at Versus Arthritis, said there are many remaining unmet needs around arthritis, compounded by significant gaps in understanding: 'The Versus Arthritis Research Consortium: Musculoskeletal Epidemiology - Better lives, Safer journey is a major step forward in tackling the everyday realities faced by people living with arthritis and other painful musculoskeletal conditions.
'This consortium will bring together leading researchers, clinicians, and people with lived experience from across the UK in a team science approach. Their aim - to find real, practical solutions to the problems faced by people with arthritis.'