[Autoimmune diagnostics in nephrology and rheumatology].

Autoimmune diagnostics plays a central role in the detection of various acute and/or chronic diseases in both nephrology and rheumatology, which are associated with high morbidity and mortality if left untreated or not detected in time. Patients are threatened with significant limitations in everyday skills and quality of life due to loss of kidney function and dialysis, immobilizing and destructive joint processes or also significant damage of organ systems. In all of these autoimmune diseases, early diagnosis and treatment is of central importance for the further course and prognosis of disease.

[Current patient care of giant cell arteritis in Rhineland-Palatinate].

Background: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is one of the most common forms of inflammatory vasculitis in older patients. Because of possible irreversible vision deterioration, a fastest possible diagnosis and therapy is of absolute importance. To date, there are still no reliable data to obtain an initial assessment of the outpatient health care situation of patients diagnosed with GCA in Rhineland-Palatinate.