CITTER INTERNATIONAL CENTRE OF RHEUMATOLOGY & SKIN DISEASE

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“Rheumatic diseases are more than just aches and pains. They can affect all age groups and vary in severity. They often involve body-wide immune dysregulation and systemic inflammation, in addition to specific flares.”

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Rheumatic diseases are inflammatory, autoimmune, and degenerative diseases that can affect the whole body. RA is a systemic disease and can affect major body organs such as the eyes, lungs, skin, heart, kidneys, and nervous and gastrointestinal systems. It can also affect the blood and cause anemia.

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Unlike the wear-and-tear damage of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis affects the lining of your joints, causing a painful swelling that can eventually result in bone erosion and joint deformity.

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CICRS is an independent centre at Chidambaram reflecting on the progress of Rheumatology in the research, diagnosis and treatment of the various rheumatic diseases.

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It serves now as an international, interdisciplinary group of workers involved in problems of rheumatic diseases. Coverage includes the management and treatment of rheumatic diseases, and extends to all modern trends in clinical research.

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CICRS also looks into skin conditions associated with rheumatic diseases and ensures accurate diagnosis and management working with clinician familiarity with the dermatological manifestations of rheumatic conditions and providing such needed treatments based on ancient Citta systems of treatment and therapy.

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The most common finding in patients with rheumatoid arthritis is rheumatoid nodules. These typically present as skin-coloured, firm, painless subcutaneous nodules of varying size over the extensor surface of the peripheral limbs and trauma-related areas. Internal organs, such as the lungs, can also be involved. Histopathology is distinctive, with granulomatous tissue changes within the dermis with surrounding histiocytes, lymphocytes and giant cells. Rheumatoid nodules are closely associated with severe disease, rheumatoid factor positivity and titre. Lesions may progress to infection or ulceration.

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We address the skin manifestations of lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, dermatomyositis and scleroderma, including their implications in diagnosis, prognosis and treatment.

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Several skin manifestations have been described in the progression of various rheumatic diseases. In addition to their medical implications, these skin manifestations can be a source of patient distress as a result of symptomatology and cosmesis. Cutaneous features may precede, co-exist with or follow development of the rheumatic disease. Cutaneous manifestations allow diagnosis of rheumatological disorders. An understanding of skin conditions associated with rheumatic diseases ensures accurate diagnosis and management. Cutaneous manifestations of rheumatological disease are legion.