Lupus Integrated Nephritis Clinic (LINC)

Lupus is a multi-system autoimmune disorder that can affect any part of the body. One of the most common, organ-specific manifestations of the disease is inflammation of the kidneys, also known as nephritis.

In children and teens, nephritis can lead to varying degrees of kidney dysfunction from mild to severe. Because lupus can present in different parts of the body at once, patients and families often need to schedule multiple appointments with different specialists.

Combined clinics like the Lupus Integrated Nephritis Clinic (LINC) at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) seek to improve the quality of patient care by integrating treatment across areas of specialty into one patient visit.  The clinic will minimize the number of visits a child and family must schedule throughout the year, and increase communication across specialists.

Conditions we treat

The LINC clinic integrates and standardizes the approach to care for children and young adults diagnosed with lupus or mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) affecting their kidneys. We treat patients within the divisions of Rheumatology and Nephrology at CHOP as well as new patients.

The Lupus Integrated Nephritis Clinic offers a “one-stop shop” for patients by:

  • Assessing patients who have lupus and may have kidney involvement
  • Treating patients with lupus in the kidney and outside of the kidney
  • Providing access to psychologists and social workers who can provide social and emotional support

What we offer

Our clinic combines clinical, social and emotional needs of patients in one visit. Patients are able to meet with a rheumatologist and a nephrologist as well as consult with a psychologist and social worker. Patients can discuss any of the challenges they face with medications, school, managing their treatment and appointments. The clinic will provide advice for patients and families when the times comes to transition to an adult nephrologist and rheumatologist.

When

The LINC clinic was launched in September 2018 and is located in the Buerger Center for Advanced Pediatric Care, on the Raymond G. Perelman Campus.
Contact 215-590-2547 to learn more about clinic dates and to schedule an appointment.

Research

The LINC clinic will be recruiting patients for ongoing lupus clinical studies and working with research coordinators at CHOP and elsewhere.


Next Steps