Lupus Genetics Studies

SLE is an often crippling and potentially fatal autoimmune disease that is nine times more
prevalent in women than in men, and four times more likely to affect African American
females than Caucasian females. It is suspected that a genetic predisposition along with
environmental factors contribute to the clinical manifestation of SLE. The Lupus Genetics
Studies consist of several familial SLE studies, including the Lupus Family Registry &
Repository (LFRR, formerly known as the Lupus Multiplex Registry & Repository, or LMRR). The
Lupus Studies enroll families of all ethnicities with one or more members diagnosed with
systemic lupus to determine what genes contribute to the development of the disease.

Additionally, the Lupus Family Registry & Repository is the largest repository of its kind
in North America. In addition to the research done on site, the Repository serves as a
national resource for scientists interested in conducting research on SLE and families
either simplex or multiplex for lupus. Data, serum samples, and DNA samples are available to
researchers. By collecting families in which two or more living individuals have been
diagnosed with SLE, the study is utilizing the genetic link between the affected family
members to discover disease-associated genes.

Records will be requested from the patients' treating physicians to document various lupus
symptoms and related problems. One-time blood samples will be collected from the patients as
well as from certain family members and an unrelated volunteer. There is no cost to
participate and the study pays for sample draws and shipping.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Families in which one or more living members have been diagnosed with systemic lupus
erythematosus