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Vasculitis Services at UPMC

Vasculitis causes the blood vessels to thicken and get inflamed.

At UPMC, you will receive timely, comprehensive care.

We watch you closely to catch early changes in the disease and make sure treatments are working. This helps you stay as healthy as possible.

Learn more about vasculitis causes, symptoms, and treatment.

Vasculitis Services at UPMC

We offer testing and treatments for all types of vasculitis.

Because the disease can affect any body part, we bring together a team of diverse experts for every case.

Depending on your case, our rheumatologists (experts in vasculitis and bone, joint, and connective tissue diseases) work with specialists in:

Tests to help diagnose vasculitis

At UPMC, we oversee all of the tests that work to diagnose vasculitis.

These can include:

  • Blood and urine tests.
  • Biopsies.
  • Imaging.

We also offer tests to see how this health issue and its treatments affect each person.

These include:

  • Bone density tests.
  • Checking the voice box (laryngoscopy).
  • Kidney tests.
  • Lung tests.
  • And more.

Vasculitis treatments

We provide every kind of treatment to stop the immune system from attacking healthy blood vessels.

These include:

  • Biologic drugs, like monoclonal antibodies.
  • Corticosteroids.
  • Immune-suppressing drugs.

We carefully tailor treatment plans to each person's health. Our goals are to reduce side effects and improve your health in the short and long term.

We also treat health problems that may arise from having vasculitis. We partner with other experts, like kidney, lung, and ENT doctors.

Unique Programs for People with Vasculitis

Our team started two unique clinics to improve the care for people with vasculitis.

Joint Renal and Rheumatology Clinic

When you visit this clinic, you see a rheumatologist and a kidney doctor.

Because kidneys have many small blood vessels, they are more prone to damage from vasculitis than other organs.

People with this health issue should get regular checks for kidney damage. This keeps their kidneys working well throughout their lives.

Giant Cell Arteritis Fast-Track Program

Giant cell arteritis is the most common type of vasculitis. It can lead to blindness if you don't catch it early.

If doctors suspect you have this health problem, they can call our fast-track program.

The program brings together many experts. Eye, brain, and nervous system doctors work with rheumatologists and PCPs.

Together, they make sure people who may have this disease get all tests needed for a diagnosis within one week.

Why Choose UPMC for Vasculitis Care?

Our team of experts

UPMC brings together every type of expert who fully cares for people with vasculitis. People travel from all over Pa. and nearby states for our expertise.

The doctor overseeing your care has focused their career on improving vasculitis treatment. Every expert we work with has a thorough knowledge of this disease. So you will know you're in good hands.

For those who live far away, we will co-manage your care with your local doctor. This means we can help you heal while you stay close to home.

Vasculitis research and patient education

As a leading U.S. vasculitis research center, our clinical trials aim to find better ways of treating this disease. Through our trials, we can offer cutting-edge treatments that are not yet widely available.

We also work with the Vasculitis Foundation to teach and empower people living with these diseases.

Make a Vasculitis Appointment at UPMC

Call 1-888-349-1506 to make an appointment at a UPMC rheumatology location near you.

If you're seeing us for the first time, please give us your main doctor's contact details. This way, we can learn more about your health before your visit.

On the day of your visit, be sure to have your:

  • Health records.
  • Past test results.
  • Current or past treatments.
  • Any doctor's notes.