Specialist rheumatology clinics

Our specialist rheumatology clinics are listed below.

Biologics review clinic

Biologic drugs have become an important option for treating inflammatory diseases such as

• ankylosing spondylitis (NHS website)
• rheumatoid arthritis (NHS website)
• psoriatic arthritis (NHS website)

You may be referred to our biologics review clinic if your disease doesn't responded to traditional disease-modifying drugs.

Biologics can help to slow the destruction of joints, reduce inflammation and slow the progress of disease by targeting specific chemicals or cells in your immune system.

Early arthritis clinic

Our early arthritis clinic treats patients with joint pain or swelling, who might have inflammation of their joints (arthritis).

We aim to find and treat arthritis as early as possible, tailoring our approach to you to find the best possible therapy to prevent any inflammation-caused damage to your joints. Our team work closely with GPs to help achieve this.

We're funded by Arthritis Research UK to carry out research studies that will help us to better understand the cause of arthritis. We conduct clinical trials which test new medicines for arthritis patients. You will have the opportunity to take part in research studies and our research nurses can answer any questions you may have about this.

You may find the following links useful:

• Versus Arthritis
• Arthritis (NHS website)

General rheumatology clinic

As well as our specialist rheumatology clinics, we have regular general clinics dealing with a wide range of disorders including

• crystal arthritis (gout and pseudogout)
• ankylosing spondylitis
• psoriatic arthritis
• other spondyloarthropathies
• osteoarthritis
• soft tissue rheumatic disorders including shoulder problems, tendonopathies and bursitis
• spinal disorders
• infective arthritis, for example: bacterial, viral, lyme disease, tuberculosis (TB)
• fibromyalgia
• unexplained musculoskeletal problems
• miscellaneous disorders with musculoskeletal manifestations, including metabolic and endocrine disorders.

In addition to new patients, we see patients who are having investigations and those who need ongoing supervision or monitoring for follow up. These are often people with inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.

Lupus and vasculitis clinic

Our lupus clinic treats patients with lupus and other autoimmune and connective tissue disorders including

• connective tissue disorders:
  • systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
  • Sjögren's syndrome
  • scleroderma and CREST syndrome
  • polymyositis and dermatomyositis
  • overlap syndrome
• systemic vasculitides:
  • Wegener's granulomatosis
  • Churg-Strauss syndrome
  • other vasculitis
• other inflammatory illnesses.

Our clinic is committed to researching the causes and treatment of lupus and other connective tissue diseases.

Patients are referred from GPs throughout Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Dorset. Referrals are also received from other departments within Southampton General Hospital and hospitals around the region.

As one of the largest Trusts in the area, there is a full range of support services available to the clinic, such as the infusion unit. Patients who have multi-system disease benefit from being close to other specialists within the hospital.

The lupus clinic is held in the rheumatology department, Victoria House, Southampton General Hospital.

You may find the following websites useful:

• Lupus UK
• NHS: Lupus
• APS Support UK
• Scleroderma Society
• The British Sjogren's Syndrome Association

Metabolic bone clinic

Our metabolic bone clinic provides services for the diagnosis, investigation and management of conditions including

• osteoporosis
• Paget's disease
• hyperparathyroidism
• vitamin D related disorders
• complex metabolic bone disease.

We have access to a full range of support services, including bone density assessments with the state-of-the art DXA instruments at the osteoporosis centre, and the infusion unit at Victoria House.

We are closely connected to the osteoporosis centre and the academic programme led by Professor Cyrus Cooper at the MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit.

In partnership with teams in the child health and genetics departments, we also provide services for diagnosis, investigation and management of children and young adults with metabolic bone conditions.

Young adult clinic

In our young adult clinic we see young people aged 16 to 24 years. Our aim is for you to be involved with your care, know your diagnosis and take responsibility for managing your condition. During your appointments we'll focus on your condition and diagnosis, but we'll also discuss common topics for your age group, such as work, college, university and your social life. We'll also ask for some of your consultation to be without your parent or guardian, as this will help with your transition into our adult services.

Transition: moving from child to adult services

Moving from adolescence to adulthood is an exciting time. There is lots to learn and many changes that can impact on your disease management.

The transition process can start when you're as young as 11. We'll work with you to help you learn about your diagnosis, understand your medication and discuss issues openly with our team. At about 16 you'll move from our children's service to the young adult clinic.