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Rheumatology
Our role
Rheumatology is the branch of internal medicine concerned with problems of the joints, tendons, muscles and/or bones caused by certain diseases. These can be diseases of the locomotor system or other pathologies that result in symptoms and pain in the joints, tendons, muscles, bones or any other organ.
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Rheumatology is applied immunology: it deals with all disturbances to the immune system and the diseases that result from them. Ultimately, any disease could be linked in one way or another to rheumatology
Our specialities
In addition to a general rheumatology clinic, the department covers a number of specialised sectors and consultations: · Early onset arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis consultations
- Spondyloarthritis and psoriatic arthritis consultations
- Systemic and auto-immune diseases such as lupus, scleroderma, vasculitis, Sjögren's syndrome (see Focus), etc.
- Consultations for bone diseases of the osteoporosis variety
- Fibromyalgia consultations, in cooperation with the Multidisciplinary Centre for Pain Assessment and Treatment
- Videocapillaroscopy, which is an examination to detect anomalies of the capillary blood vessels. In particular, it makes it possible to detect Raynaud's disease or a scleroderma. The Erasmus Hospital is one of 5 Belgian centres to propose videocapillaroscopy.
- Joint ultrasound
The Department also proposes psychosomatic consultations to help patients confront the sometimes major psychological repercussions of their illness.
Our Team
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Our medical specialists
Focus
In consultation with the Ophthalmology and Stomatology Departments, the Erasmus Hospital Rheumatology Department proposes a multidisciplinary approach to Sjögren's syndrome. This auto-immune disease affects mainly perimenopausal women and results in dryness of the eyes, mouth, vagina, etc.
The department also has the distinction of being :
- Scleroderma reference centre
- Early arthritis clinic
- Multidisciplinary centre for systemic and autoimmune diseases
- A pioneer in research into systemic diseases
Research
Rheumatologists at the Erasmus Hospital participate in a number of fundamental or clinical research programmes on the diseases in which they specialise: rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren's syndrome, etc. The department cooperates in particular with the Metabolic Biochemistry Department and the Immunology Department at Gosselies.
Publications
Publications
Aquaporins: Unexpected actors in autoimmune diseases.
- Authors : Delporte C, Soyfoo M.
- Journal : Autoimmun Rev. 2022 Aug;21(8):103131. doi: 10.1016/j.autrev.2022.103131
Neuromyelitis Optica: Pathogenesis Overlap with Other Autoimmune Diseases.
- Authors : Taheri N, Sarrand J, Soyfoo MS.
- Journal : Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2023 Nov;23(11):647-654
Involvement of CCL2 in Salivary Gland Response to Hyperosmolar Stress Related to Sjögren's Syndrome.
- Authors : Chivasso C, Parisis D, Cabrol X, Datlibagi A, Delforge V, Gregoire F, Bolaky N, Soyfoo MS, Perret J, Delporte C.
- Journal : Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Jan 11;25(2):915
Involvement of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in Autoimmune Diseases.
- Authors : Sarrand J, Soyfoo MS.
- Journal : Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Sep 23;24(19):14481