Rheumatology

Rheumatology
Rheumatology & Autoimmune Disease Centre

Precision Care for Arthritis & Autoimmune Conditions

KG Hospital's Rheumatology department offers expert diagnosis, biologic and JAK inhibitor therapies, joint injections, and long-term disease management for the full spectrum of inflammatory arthritis and autoimmune disease — helping you achieve and sustain remission.

Conditions We Treat
Rheumatoid ArthritisEarly diagnosis & biologic therapy
Lupus (SLE)Organ-specific & systemic management
Ankylosing SpondylitisTNF & IL-17 biologic therapy
Gout & Crystal ArthritisUrate-lowering therapy
Vasculitis & MyositisComplex autoimmune care
Access
BiologicsFull biologic & JAK inhibitor formulary
Expertise
DMSuper-specialist DM Rheumatology
Procedures
US-guidedJoint injection & aspiration clinic
Care
MDTMultidisciplinary autoimmune team
Department Overview

Why Choose a Rheumatologist?

Rheumatic diseases involve joints, skin, kidneys, lungs, eyes, and the nervous system simultaneously. A rheumatologist holds the DM Rheumatology degree — super-specialist training enabling accurate diagnosis and access to advanced therapies including biologics that GPs and orthopaedic surgeons do not prescribe.

At KG Hospital Coimbatore our Rheumatology team works within a multidisciplinary framework — with Nephrology for lupus nephritis, Dermatology for psoriatic arthritis, and Ophthalmology for uveitis.

When Should You See a Rheumatologist?

Seek a review if you have persistent joint pain or swelling for >6 weeks, morning stiffness >30 minutes, positive ANA/RF/anti-CCP, a rash with joint pain, recurrent mouth ulcers, or unexplained fatigue with musculoskeletal symptoms.

Conditions We Treat

Autoimmune & Rheumatic Conditions

01

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Autoimmune joint disease causing synovial inflammation, erosion, and disability. Early DMARDs and biologics achieve remission in most patients.

02

Systemic Lupus (SLE)

Multi-organ autoimmune disease affecting skin, kidneys, joints, and brain. Careful monitoring and organ-specific immunosuppression are essential.

03

Ankylosing Spondylitis

Inflammatory spinal disease causing progressive stiffness. Early biologic therapy prevents fusion and preserves full mobility.

04

Psoriatic Arthritis

Affects peripheral joints, entheses, and spine in up to 30% of psoriasis patients. Requires combined Rheumatology–Dermatology management.

05

Gout & Crystal Arthropathies

Uric acid crystal deposition causing severe acute attacks. Managed with urate-lowering therapy and dietary modification after the acute phase.

06

Sjögren's Syndrome

Autoimmune exocrine gland disease causing dry eyes and mouth. Can involve kidneys, lungs, and nerves in systemic forms.

07

Systemic Vasculitis

Inflammation of blood vessels — ANCA-associated vasculitis, giant cell arteritis. Managed with high-dose steroids, cyclophosphamide, or rituximab.

08

Inflammatory Myositis

Autoimmune muscle inflammation — polymyositis, dermatomyositis. Treated with steroids, methotrexate, and IVIG where required.

Clinical Services

Our Rheumatology Services

🧬

Autoimmune Clinic

Dedicated weekly clinic for complex multi-organ disease — lupus, vasculitis, antiphospholipid syndrome, and undifferentiated connective tissue disease.

💉

Biologic Infusion Day Care

Dedicated infusion suite for IV biologics — rituximab, tocilizumab, abatacept, cyclophosphamide, and IVIG with nursing supervision.

🦴

Early Arthritis Clinic

Fast-track assessment within 2 weeks. Early treatment of inflammatory arthritis prevents joint damage, disability, and systemic complications.

🔬

MSK Ultrasound Clinic

Real-time assessment of synovitis, effusions, and erosions. US-guided joint injections for precise needle placement.

🩺

Lupus Nephritis Monitoring

Coordinated nephrology–rheumatology review — monthly urinalysis, creatinine, complement, anti-dsDNA, and renal biopsy when indicated.

🦵

Gout & Crystal Clinic

Structured urate-lowering therapy, dietary counselling, serum uric acid monitoring, and aspiration of tophaceous deposits.

Advanced Therapeutics

Biologic & Targeted DMARD Therapy

Biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs) and targeted synthetic DMARDs (tsDMARDs) have transformed rheumatology — enabling remission in conditions that previously caused relentless disability. KG Hospital provides a full biologic formulary supervised by our DM Rheumatologist.

01
TNF Inhibitors
Adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab — for RA, AS, PsA
First-line Biologic+

TNF inhibitors block a key pro-inflammatory cytokine with 20+ years of safety data. Used for RA, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, and uveitis when conventional DMARDs (methotrexate) are insufficient. Biosimilars are available reducing cost significantly.

Adalimumab: self-injected fortnightly; biosimilars available
Infliximab: IV infusion every 6–8 weeks
TB screening and hepatitis B testing required before starting
Halts radiological joint erosion progression in RA
02
IL-6 Inhibitors — Tocilizumab
For RA, giant cell arteritis, and cytokine storm
IV & SC Available+

Tocilizumab blocks the IL-6 receptor, a key driver of systemic inflammation and acute-phase response. Highly effective for RA when TNF inhibitors fail, giant cell arteritis (steroid-sparing), and adult-onset Still's disease.

IV infusion every 4 weeks or subcutaneous weekly
Normalises CRP and ESR rapidly within weeks
GCA: dramatically reduces steroid dose and relapse risk
03
JAK Inhibitors
Tofacitinib, baricitinib — oral targeted therapy once or twice daily
Oral Tablet+

JAK inhibitors are oral small molecules blocking intracellular JAK/STAT pathways driving autoimmune inflammation. Approved for RA, PsA, AS, and alopecia areata. Once- or twice-daily tablets — preferred when injections are not feasible or biologic therapy has failed.

Tofacitinib: twice daily for RA and psoriatic arthritis
Baricitinib: once daily; cardioprotective data in RA
Monitoring: VTE, lipids, haematology, infections
04
Rituximab & Belimumab
For lupus, vasculitis, and refractory RA
B-Cell Targeted+

Rituximab (anti-CD20 B-cell depletion) is used for ANCA-associated vasculitis, refractory RA, and severe lupus nephritis. Belimumab (anti-BLYS) is the only lupus-specific biologic — reducing disease activity, flares, and nephritis relapses. Both available at KG Hospital's infusion suite.

Rituximab: 1g IV infusion — 2 doses 2 weeks apart
Belimumab: monthly IV or weekly subcutaneous
Belimumab: reduces lupus nephritis renal progression
Procedures

Joint Injections & Aspiration Clinic

KG Hospital's rheumatology team performs diagnostic and therapeutic joint procedures using ultrasound guidance for precision and patient safety.

💉 Therapeutic Injections
Intra-articular steroid — knee, shoulder, hip, wrist, ankle
US-guided small joint injection for RA flare
Enthesis injection — tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis
Trochanteric bursa and subacromial bursa injection
Carpal tunnel corticosteroid injection
🔬 Diagnostic Aspiration
Synovial fluid aspiration — crystal analysis for gout/pseudogout
Cell count and culture to exclude septic arthritis
US-guided aspiration of tophaceous gout deposits
Bursa aspiration — olecranon, prepatellar
Pleural/pericardial aspiration in autoimmune disease
Diagnostic Work-up

Autoimmune Blood Tests & Imaging

KG Hospital's NABL-accredited laboratory processes all rheumatology autoimmune panels in-house with same-day reporting for urgent cases and specialist interpretation by our rheumatologist.

TestWhat It DetectsUsed For
ANA (Antinuclear Antibody)Autoimmune disease screenLupus, Sjögren's, scleroderma, myositis
Anti-dsDNALupus-specific antibodySLE diagnosis & disease activity monitoring
RF + Anti-CCPRA-specific markersRA diagnosis, prognosis, treatment decisions
ANCA (PR3 / MPO)Vasculitis markersGPA, microscopic polyangiitis
Complement C3, C4Immune complex consumptionLupus activity monitoring
Serum Uric AcidHyperuricaemiaGout diagnosis & treatment monitoring
HLA-B27Genetic SpA markerAnkylosing spondylitis, reactive arthritis
MRI Sacroiliac JointsBone marrow oedemaEarly axial SpA before X-ray changes
Your Care Journey

Your Rheumatology Care Pathway

1
New Patient Consultation (60 min)
Full history including joint symptoms, systemic features, and family history. Complete musculoskeletal examination with disease activity score (DAS28/SLEDAI).
Week 1
2
Autoimmune Panel & Imaging
Same-day NABL-accredited autoimmune bloods, X-rays, and musculoskeletal ultrasound. MRI for complex cases arranged within the week.
Week 1–2
3
Diagnosis & Treatment Plan
Results reviewed using ACR/EULAR classification criteria. Personalised plan — conventional DMARDs, biologics, or JAK inhibitors — discussed collaboratively.
Week 2–4
4
Therapy & Monitoring
DMARD or biologic started with pre-treatment safety screening. Monthly monitoring visits initially, then 3-monthly with treat-to-target disease activity assessments.
Month 1 onwards
5
Remission & Long-term Partnership
Target: sustained clinical remission (DAS28 <2.6). Annual imaging to confirm no progression. Joint injections for flares. Patient self-monitoring education.
Long-term partnership
Patient FAQs

Your Rheumatology Questions Answered

What conditions does a rheumatologist treat? +
A rheumatologist treats autoimmune and inflammatory diseases affecting joints, muscles, and connective tissue — RA, lupus, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, gout, Sjögren's syndrome, vasculitis, myositis, and fibromyalgia.
Are biologic therapies available at KG Hospital? +
Yes. We provide TNF inhibitors, IL-6 inhibitors (tocilizumab), IL-17 inhibitors (secukinumab), JAK inhibitors (tofacitinib, baricitinib), rituximab, and belimumab — the complete modern biologic and targeted DMARD formulary.
What is the difference between rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis? +
RA is an autoimmune disease attacking joints causing inflammation, erosion, and systemic effects — diagnosed with RF/anti-CCP blood tests. Osteoarthritis is age-related cartilage wear without a systemic immune component, affecting weight-bearing joints.
How is lupus (SLE) treated at KG Hospital? +
All lupus patients receive hydroxychloroquine. Additional immunosuppression (mycophenolate, azathioprine) is added for organ involvement. Refractory nephritis is treated with rituximab or belimumab. Kidney biopsies are performed with Nephrology when indicated.
Is ankylosing spondylitis treatable? +
Yes. With physiotherapy, NSAIDs, and biologics (TNF inhibitors, IL-17 inhibitors like secukinumab), AS is highly manageable. Early treatment before spinal fusion preserves full mobility and quality of life.
What is gout and how is it treated? +
Gout is caused by uric acid crystal deposition in joints causing sudden severe attacks. Acute attacks are managed with colchicine, NSAIDs, or steroids. Long-term urate-lowering therapy (allopurinol, febuxostat) prevents recurrence and tophus formation.
Are joint injections available at KG Hospital? +
Yes. Intra-articular corticosteroid injections for knee, shoulder, hip, and small joints; ultrasound-guided injections for precision; and joint aspiration for synovial fluid crystal analysis and culture.

Our Rheumatology Specialists
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Joint Pain or Suspected Autoimmune Disease?

Don't wait for joints to be damaged. Early rheumatology review leads to better outcomes. No GP referral required.