The program is jointly staffed by physicians in Pediatric Nephrology and Pediatric Rheumatology at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. We use an interdisciplinary approach to evaluate and treat all children with these combined diseases, offering them access to the latest treatments and clinical trials.

Although the majority of the children seen in this program have lupus or lupus with lupus nephritis, we also specialize in other diseases that cause blood vessel inflammation including:

• Wegener's granulomatosis – an uncommon disorder in which inflammation affects several different tissues in the body
• Polyarteritis nodosa – inflamed blood vessels that may be related to infection with Hepatitis B virus
• Henoch-Schoenlein purpura – blood vessel inflammation that causes bleeding in the capillaries of the skin, kidneys and other organs, also known as HSP

We also co-manage side effects of treatments for other diseases, including children with primary rheumatologic diseases who develop high blood pressure.

Patients from the program are seen in our Interdisciplinary Systemic Inflammation Clinic, which allows patients to see providers from both rheumatologic and kidney specialties at one clinic visit. The team of specialists collect a thorough patient history, perform a physical examination, and order blood and urine tests. 

At the end of the visit, the team — which also includes a dedicated nurse, a dietician and a social worker – presents a plan to the family that often includes a variety of medications as well as lifestyle changes that can help you and your child to manage their disease.

Schedule an appointment by calling us at 734-764-2224.

The University of Michigan Health lupus research group is dedicated to learning more about what causes lupus, how flares can be reduced or prevented, how to predict disease progression and activity, and how to prevent permanent organ damage. By learning more about the development of and risk factors for lupus it may be a step towards finding new prevention and treatment strategies. Clinical trials are available for eligible patients, including investigational drug therapies.