Rheumatology

Head prof. Asta Baranauskaitė MD, PhD
Address: Eivenių Str. 2, LT-50161, Kaunas
Phone: +37037326234
E-mail: reumatologijos.klinika@kaunoklinikos.lt

Rheumatology Department consists of 27 beds located in the Rheumatology inpatient department and 2 outpatient cabinets.
Members of this Department have expertise in the diagnosis and management of a broad spectrum of rheumatic diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, systemic rheumatic diseases (systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis), gout, ankylosing spondylitis, reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory muscle diseases, various forms of vasculitis and soft tissue syndromes. The III level differential diagnosis of rheumatic diseases and musculoskeletal tumors have been completed in our Rheumatology department. The modern treatments, such as biological agents – TNF blockers (infliximab, etanercept, adalimumab), monoclonal antibody CD20 – rituximab, certolizumab pegol, tocilizumab, belimumab are being used to treat rheumatic diseases.
Our specialists are performing such procedures: joint ultrasound, US guided and blind joint aspirations, intraarticular injections, detection of uric crystals in the synovial fluid, capillaroscopy, skin biopsy. For the diagnosis of the diseases the modern radiological diagnostic tools are possible – CT, MRI, bone scan, densitometry, also specific immunological tests, organ biopsies, videocapillaroscopy.

STUDIES

Rheumatology department is enrolled in the study process of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. Fourth and sixth year medical students are studying rheumatic diseases. Fourth year students have a cycle of Rheumatic diseases as a part of “musculoskeletal diseases’ module”, during which they have a possibility, individually or with the lector, to study the real cases of rheumatic diseases, the process of diagnosis and treatment of the patients, to listen to a lectures, participate in seminars and tutorial meetings. The sixth year students have an elective of rheumatic diseases for 1,5 month. Besides students we participate in all kinds of residents’ training processes. During the 2 months course of rheumatic diseases, residents work in our inpatient and outpatient departments. Residents in rheumatology participate in 4 year Rheumatology resident-ship programme, during which half of the time they work in the Rheumatology department, the rest in all kinds of internal medicine departments, neurology, radiology and dermatology departments. When finishing the Rheumatology residentship, residents have the basics of musculoskeletal ultrasound and have an ability to perform diagnostic joint aspirations. Faculty members participate in the postgraduate teaching process. Different lectures, postgraduate courses for family doctors and specialists of internal medicine and rheumatologists are being held every year.

RESEARCH

Innovative research conducted or planned by our physicians and faculty has been done for more effective methods of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the rheumatic diseases. There were epidemiological studies completed in back pain and spondyloarthritis in the Department of Rheumatology.
Department was participating in the international study of the course, early diagnosis and prognostic factors of rheumatoid arthritis. We participate in the EULAR and EUSTAR international projects.