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The UNC Multidisciplinary Vasculitis and Connective Tissue Diseases Clinic provides coordinated care for adult patients with all forms of vasculitis, lupus or other complex connective tissue disorders. Our mission is to provide timely access to up-to-date, compassionate, comprehensive care so that our patients have the best possible outcomes. For decades, UNC has been a worldwide leader in vasculitis and connective tissue disease clinical care, research, and education.

Many of the conditions that we see in the clinic are autoimmune disorders in which the body’s immune system attacks itself. One form of these disorders is Vasculitis, in which the immune system causes inflammation that damages blood vessels and can vary in the size of blood vessels affected (i.e. large, medium and/or small). This inflammation can cause damage in many parts of the body, including the joints, lungs, skin, nose and sinuses, the kidneys and others. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, or Lupus, is another autoimmune disorder in which a person’s immune system makes many antibodies against their own body, also potentially causing damage in several parts of the body.

We see many patients with these kinds of disorders including but not limited to the following:

  • ANCA (Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody) Vasculitis
    • Microscopic Polyangiitis (MPA)
    • Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA, previously called Wegener’s Granulomatosis)
    • Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (EGPA, previously called Churg-Strauss Disease)
  • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE, Lupus)
  • Anti-GBM (glomerular basement membrane) Disease / Goodpasture’s Disease
  • Cryoglobulinemic Vasculitis
  • IgA Vasculitis / IgA Nephropathy
  • Polyarteritis Nodosa (PAN)
  • Giant Cell Arteritis (Temporal Arteritis)
  • Takayasu Arteritis
  • Drug or Infection Related Vasculitis

Services

A visit to our clinic includes access to the following services:

  • Expert faculty trained in the management of complex autoimmune disorders
  • Referrals to additional UNC faculty medical and surgical specialists with expertise in vasculitis and connective tissues diseases
  • Specialized pharmacy and nursing support
  • World-class laboratory, pathology and radiology support
  • State-of-the-art medical therapies including medical infusions
  • Opportunity to participate in research programs
  • Clinical trials

Our Approach

We provide appointments with UNC faculty specialists from multiple disciplines including nephrology, rheumatology, and pulmonary medicine who evaluate patients together in a single visit encounter to provide timely, comprehensive and integrated care and outstanding experiences. For those patients with sinus involvement, we also work closely with our Otolaryngologists (ear, nose, and throat specialists / ENT providers) to expedite evaluations and plan treatment options.

Through provider and patient education, we strive to increase understanding and awareness of the importance of early recognition and early referral for autoimmune disorders. Research is a part of our daily mission and is embedded in our clinical work, always with a goal of gaining a better understanding of the diseases we treat, to improve the lives of our patients.


Locations

UNC Eastowne Medical Office Building
100 Eastowne Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Ph: 984-974-5706
Fax: 984-974-5751

Our Team

Other Staff

Nurses: Raquel Matias
Research Staff: Anne Froment, Mary Mac Collie, Maggie D’Angelo, Sara Kelley, Fernanda Ochoa Toro, Tashas Cameron-Wheeler
Additional Staff: Latoya Hilliard (lead scheduler)

Patient Quotes & Resources

“I am absolutely thrilled with this clinic” and “This clinic has changed my treatment plan and my life! I would rate the clinic off the charts!”

“It was enriching to contribute something back and my experience gives some value, since the drug will be tested in other kidney diseases”