Personalized plans to safely reduce steroid (glucocorticoid) doses
Using SMART Design to Develop Dynamic Treatment Regimens for Glucocorticoid Tapering
This project is creating adaptable steroid tapering plans for people with rheumatoid arthritis to reduce side effects and avoid flare-ups.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Health Administration NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11051232 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would join a program that tracks your symptoms, medications, and side effects as your steroid dose is lowered. Researchers will use that information to sort patients into different response types (phenotypes) and try stepwise, adaptive tapering sequences using a SMART design so the approach changes based on how you do. The immediate goal is to define which tapering paths work best for which patients and then test those tailored protocols in a future clinical trial. The work is starting with Veterans who have rheumatoid arthritis and may later include other conditions treated with steroids.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are Veterans with rheumatoid arthritis who are currently taking glucocorticoids and want help tapering their dose.
Not a fit: People not taking glucocorticoids, those with unstable or severe uncontrolled RA, or anyone for whom tapering is medically unsafe may not benefit or be eligible.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help people stop long-term steroids more safely with fewer withdrawal symptoms and disease flares.
How similar studies have performed: SMART (adaptive, multi-stage) trial methods have worked in other chronic conditions, but applying them specifically to glucocorticoid tapering is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- Veterans Health Administration — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wallace, Beth Ilene — Veterans Health Administration
- Study coordinator: Wallace, Beth Ilene
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.