Michigan Lupus Epidemiology and Surveillance (MILES) Program Longitudinal Cohort Study

linked to genetic, environmental, and hormonal factors. Much of what is known about SLE comes from convenience samples and tertiary care centers that are not population-based and therefore biased toward the severe end of the disease spectrum. As a result there is a need for a basic epidemiologic understanding of SLE in order to understand the full clinical spectrum and population burden of the disease. The purpose of this funding announcement is to support a longitudinal study to follow an established population-based cohort with SLE to determine over time: 1) the treatment, health care access, and natural history (severity, morbidity, mortality, etc.) of lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus) and related outcomes; 2) factors (including genetic and other biological factors such as antibody levels) associated with outcomes of treatment, health care access and natural history; and 3) potential disparities and other factors associated with outcomes by categories of interest (e.g., gender and race/ethnic group).