The Osteoarthritis Prevention Study (TOPS) Takes Off at UNC Clinical Site Led by Dr. Leigh Callahan

 

Dr. Leigh F. Callahan is the Principal Investigator for the UNC Clinical Site of The Osteoarthritis Prevention Study (TOPS), an extensive clinical study spanning two continents.  The Thurston Arthritis Research Center is playing a key supporting role as one of the main study locations, both in terms of logistics as well as its globally recognized arthritis expertise. Other sites include Wake Forest University, Harvard University and the University of Sydney, Australia.

The 5-year trial is funded by NIAMS, the Arthritis Foundation, and the CDC through a $17 million Wake Forest University grant, with more than $5 million going to UNC.  The study builds on a previous OA pragmatic trial co-led by Dr. Callahan and Dr. Stephen Messier at Wake Forest University that showed that a weight loss and diet intervention led to greater than 20% pain relief in persons with knee osteoarthritis published in JAMA (link to article).

For the TOPS trial, UNC is actively recruiting 300 overweight women over age 50 without evidence of OA to participate in one of two intervention arms – weight loss and physical activity or healthy living.  Other UNC co-investigators include Drs. Brian Pietrosimone, Richard Loeser, and Sandra Soto. Dr. Cortney Armitano-Lago is the Project Manager.