Rheumatology & Immunology

Rheumatological Problems are often diseases of the young, economically productive age group and the disease subsets are often chronic with frequent exacerbations and remissions. However, no age is exempt from these diseases which are more often associated with aberrations in the immune system.

The common diseases include:

Rheumatoid Arthritis ( multiple joint pains ) & Post Viral Arthritis (Chikungunya), Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Scleroderma ( Systemic sclerosis), Polymyositis / Dermatomyositis,, Sjogren’s syndrome, Spondyloarthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Gout , Vasculitidies , Osteoarthritis and Osteoporosis.

Apart from these, soft tissue Rheumatological disorders like chronic pain syndrome, diffuse aches and pains, periarthritis shoulders are some of the other diseases.

Most patients with Rheumatological disorders are referral based as patient presents with disease pertaining to one organ system and subsequently found to be having an immune related problems. Hence the care is often interdisciplinary with a Rheumatologist being the primary care giver.

Currently, the department was started in 2011. Dr Subramanian R (Professor) & Dr Mahabaleshwar M ( Assistant Professor) are running the department OPD and Inpatient services. Paediatric patients autoimmune diseases also fall under the scope of services. As a Department, we have been catering to nearly 1000 outpatients with Rheumatological problems per month along with approximately 100 inpatients per month.Patients from Mysuru,Chamarajanagar,Mandya,Kodagu,Hassan, Chikkamagaluru districts are being benefitted by our services.

Diagnostics such as specialized tests pertaining to the disease is done in coordination with Department of Microbiology for serological tests, Department of Pathology ( for biopsies esp nerve, muscle and salivary glands, together with Musculoskeletal Ultrasound and nail fold capillaroscope.

Drug monitoring, Joint injections, Biological disease modifying agents, follow up and clinical trials are also undertaken by the department.

Research activities and opportunities include STS projects by ICMR, Drug profiling in association with Clinical Pharmacy and Thesis guidance to medicine postgraduates along with interdepartmental activities are being actively carried out.

The department hopes to grow in numbers in terms of manpower, research activities and patient centric comprehensive care for Rheumatological problems so as to alleviate manifestations of rheumatological diseases such that patients have a near normal professional and social life.