Rheumatology

Rheumatology is a speciality concerning the diagnosis and treatment of musculo-skeletal, connective tissue and related soft-tissue illnesses, pains and disorders. Such conditions include a variety of joint and spine illnesses caused by inflammation or wear; metabolic disorders of the musculo-skeletal system; and inflammatory diseases related to the connective tissue of various organs, to the skeleton and to blood vessels. 

HUCH Department of Rheumatology is Finland's largest rheumatology department, consisting of Meilahti Triangle Hospital and the rheumatology outpatient clinics of Jorvi and Peijas hospitals. The HUCH unit also has 3–5 beds for inpatients. Most patients visit the outpatient clinic or the day hospital. We work in teams consisting of not only a physician but also, for example, an arthritis nurse, occupational therapist, rehabilitation counselor, social worker, physiotherapist and podiatrist.

The HUCH Rheumatology Outpatient Clinic focuses on those patient groups in which rheumatological special expertise will bring the greatest health benefits for the public. The examination and treatment of non-inflammatory, musculoskeletal pains and disorders (such as  fibromyalgia) takes place in basic health care.

The Rheumatology Outpatient Clinic diagnoses and treats not only rheumatoid arthritis and spondylitis but also systemic connective tissue disorders and rare rheumatic diseases. It also has a transition stage unit, treating young patients transferred from Pediatric Rheumatology.

We have profiled ourselves in rheumatoid imaging. We organize nationwide ultrasound courses twice a year. An important new imaging tool is videocapillaroskopy, which can show capillary structures and thus clarify the diagnosis of connective tissue diseases in particular, and to monitor response to treatment and assess prognosis.

The rheumatology unit works in close cooperation with basic health care.  

The HUCS Rheumatology Outpatient Clinic focuses primarily on the following:

• rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis, such as ankylosing spondylitis, arthritis related to psoriasis or inflammatory bowel disease, reactive arthritis
• children's rheumatic diseases in adulthood
• systemic connective tissue diseases (such as SLE and systemic sclerosis)
• vasculitides, such as inflammation of the temporal arteries
• rare rheumatic diseases such as mixed connective tissue, and adult-onset Still's disease

The unit engages extensively in both basic and clinical research.