The specialists at the Rheumatology Clinic at UMHAT "St. Marina" – Varna place an emphasis on early diagnosis and timely commencement of treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. "Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that must be detected and treated as early as possible, and this is the key enabling remission and prevention of disabilities," explains the head of the Clinic, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tsvetoslav Georgiev.
"Early diagnosis and treatment can stop disease progression, prevent irreversible joint damage, and ensure long-term remission and a good quality of life for our patients," underscores Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tsvetoslav Georgiev. "Modern treatment, including biological and targeted synthetic agents, allows for remission in a significant proportion of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Nevertheless, the major challenge is misinformation, which often results in postponing proper therapy and undermining trust in proven medical approaches. Hence, it is of crucial importance for patients to seek competent help and treatment in a specialised University centre."
Despite the fact that modern medicine provides precise methods for diagnosing joint diseases in the early stages, diagnostic process in Bulgaria frequently takes place too late - when irreversible damages to the musculoskeletal system have already occurred.
The Rheumatology Clinic applies cutting-edge diagnostic equipment for early diagnosis and staging of joint diseases - a top-class ultrasound machine, adapted for the needs of ultrasound diagnostics of the musculoskeletal system. It allows for visualisation of the earliest changes at microstructural level, and the two magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) machines available at UMHAT "St. Marina" – Varna detect inflammatory changes even before the occurrence of radiographic changes. High-resolution computed tomography and DECT (dual-energy computed tomography) technique expand the opportunities for precise differential diagnosis, including the diagnosis of crystal arthropathies. Polarisation microscopy also contributes to the differentiation of patients with pseudogout. Capillaroscopy is used for diagnosis of systemic connective tissue diseases, which are included in the differential diagnosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Based on the accurate diagnosis, patients at the Varna University Hospital have access to the full spectrum of modern disease-modifying agents - from classical medications to biological and targeted synthetic therapies. "These medications enable remission and significantly improve the quality of life of people with rheumatoid arthritis. Our goal is to provide each patient with an individualised therapeutic plan, consistent with the latest achievements and world recommendations in rheumatology," elaborates Assoc. Prof. Georgiev.
The combination of state-of-the-art diagnostics, access to innovative therapies and the multidisciplinary approach applied at the University Hospital has transformed the Rheumatology Clinic at UMHAT "St. Marina" – Varna into a national centre for modern treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The message is clear: Thanks to modern medicine, patients can now live life to the full, despite their diagnosis.
