Dr Clarissa Pilkington

Dr Clarissa Pilkington
Paediatric Rheumatologist
Central London


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Dr Clarissa Pilkington

Paediatric Rheumatologist in
London

MB BS MRCP MBBS BSc(Hons) CCST

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Dr Clarissa Pilkington areas of expertise:

Professional statement

Dr Clarissa Pilkington is one of London's leading rheumatologists. Specialising in paediatric rheumatology, systemic lupus erythematosus, juvenile dermatomyositis, juvenile arthritis, hypermobility and pain syndromes she is based at University College Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital. She is President of the British Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Rheumatology (BSPAR) and is a founding member of the UK paediatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus study group, through which she has been dedicated to advancing medical knowledge in this area.

 Credentials

GMC: ‍2930189

 Professional experience

• More than 30 years of experience
• Consultant in Adolescent and Paediatric Rheumatology, University College Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital (2001 - present)
• Consultant in Adolescent and Paediatric Rheumatology, University College Hospital (present)

 ...

 Sub-specialties

• Paediatric rheumatology
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Juvenile dermatomyositis
• Juvenile arthritis

 ...

 Education

• BSc (Hons) Class 1, UCL: Neuroanatomy and Immunology (1981)
• MMBS, Middlesex Hospital Medical School (1984)
• MRCP Paediatrics (1989)
• CCST Paediatrics and Paediatric Rheumatology (2000)

 ...

 Publications and conferences

• Clinical Director of Juvenile Dermatomyositis Research Centre (ICH) (2002-present)
• Founder member of the UK paediatric systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) study group
• Principal investigator for the Biologics and Extended Biologics Registry and for the PLUTO belimumab SLE trial at GOSH
• More than 130 articles
• 20 conference papers

 ...

 Professional membership

• Chair of Dermatomyositis Group of Paediatric Rheumatology European Society (2004-2010)

Languages spoken

  • English

Patient reviews for Dr. Clarissa Pilkington

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All reviews are from verified patients booked through Top Doctors.

Patient reviews

Verified Patient
06/03/2018

Would you recommend this doctor?

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Patients comments

Dr pilkington is very approachable and very thorough. she explained everything to us and answered all of our questions.

Verified Patient
31/01/2018

Would you recommend this doctor?

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Verified Patient
12/10/2017

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Verified Patient
02/02/2017

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Diseases, Medical Tests and Treatments

Arthritis

What is arthritis? Arthritis is a disease that causes inflammation of the membrane that covers the joints. There are more than 100 different types ...

Dermatomyositis

Dermatomyositis is a disease characterized by inflammation of the muscles and the presence of skin rashes. Symptoms may include pain and stiffness in ...

Hypermobility

What is joint hypermobility? Joint hypermobility, also called hypermobility or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a hereditary disorder that occurs when a p ...

Juvenile arthritis

What is juvenile arthritis? Juvenile arthritis, otherwise known as paediatric rheumatic disease, is a term used to describe a number of autoimmune ...

Lupus

What is lupus? Lupus is a disease that damages the immune system; that is, your own immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells and tissues. This can cause damage to many parts of the body, including the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels, and brain. There are different types of lupus: Systemic lupus erythematosus: This is the most common type and it may be mild or acute and can damage many parts of the body. Discoid lupus: This type of lupus causes a rash on the skin that won't go away. Subacute cutaneous lupus: Causes blisters after exposure to the sun. Drug-induced lupus: This is caused by some medications. The disease usually disappears when you stop taking the medication in question. Neonatal lupus: This affects newborns, but it is not common. It may be caused by certain antibodies in the mother’s body. Prognosis of the disease: We have not yet found a cure for lupus; a disease that can still be fatal for some. However, if treatment is successful it is rare for a person to die from lupus. Around 80-90% of people diagnosed with lupus live for more than 10 years after learning they have the disease. In addition, people who have some organs affected by the disease, but whose life is not at risk, usually live a completely normal life if they follow the advice of their specialist, which is to take prescription medications and to seek help if there are undesirable side-effects, or if new symptoms of the disease appear. Symptoms of lupus: Lupus can have a variety of symptoms depending on the individual. The most common symptoms are: Pain or swelling in the joints Muscle pain Fever Red rashes on the skin, mostly on the face and in the form of a butterfly Chest pain when breathing deeply Hair loss White or purple fingers or toes Sunlight sensitivity Swelling in the legs or eye area Sores in the mouth Swollen glands Feeling of tiredness. These symptoms can be intermittent and are referred to as “outbreaks”. These outbreaks may be mild or severe and new symptoms may appear at any time. Medical tests for lupus: As with the symptoms, there is no single test to diagnose lupus, because it can sometimes be confused with other diseases. It can take months or years for a specialist to diagnose lupus. Some of the medical tests that the specialist may use to diagnose lupus include: A detailed evaluation of someone’s medical history Full physical examination Blood tests Skin biopsy Kidney biopsy What causes lupus? The cause of lupus and its risk factors are currently unknown. Anyone can get lupus, but women are at a higher risk for the disease. Lupus is two to three times more common in African-American women than in white women. Hispanic, Asian and Native American women are also more likely to develop lupus. African-American and Hispanic women are more susceptible to the most severe types of lupus. Can lupus be prevented? Lupus can occur without any symptoms, so it is difficult to know if it can be completely prevented during a person's lifetime. The best thing you can do to reduce the chances of developing lupus is to follow a balanced diet and to exercise regularly, i.e. have a healthy lifestyle. Taking care of your diet: By eating the right foods and eating a healthy diet you can prevent inflammation of the organs, which is one of the main symptoms of lupus. Exercise: Staying active and avoiding a sedentary lifestyle can help you build strength, control your weight and even improve your mood. Check with your specialist about the type of exercise you can do, because the organs affected by lupus could complicate the practice of some exercises. Take supplements: These can add nutritional value to your diet and can also help reduce inflammation throughout your body. Krill oil, for example, contains nutrients that can improve your cardiovascular health if taken regularly. Treatments for lupus: There is no treatment to cure lupus, but medication and lifestyle changes can help control the disease. The aims of each treatment are to: Prevent outbreaks Treat symptoms as soon as they appear Reduce organ damage and other problems. Treatments may be accompanied by medication for: Reducing inflammation and pain Preventing or reducing outbreaks Boosting the immune system Preventing or reducing joint damage Balancing hormones. In addition to taking medicine for lupus, you may need to take medicine for other problems related to lupus, such as high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, or infections. There are alternative treatments that take a completely different path to conventional treatments. However, there is currently no medical research regarding current, useful alternative therapies to combat lupus. Some alternative or complementary approaches may help improve the quality of life of those with a chronic illness like this. Before undertaking any alternative treatment, you should consult a specialist. Which specialist treats lupus? People with lupus will see several different doctors. Including, a primary care doctor, dermatologists, cardiologists, pain specialists, to name a few. ...

Pain treatment

What is pain management? Pain management is an interdisciplinary branch of medicine, which aims to improve quality of life for patients with chronic pain by reducing their suffering. It aims to relieve long-term pain, and may be administered by a single doctor, or a pain management team, consisting of different specialists. It can involve pharmacological or psychological treatments, or a combination of both. Why would you need pain management? While many branches of medicine focus on diagnosing and treating injuries and pathologies and treating the symptoms and pain during the healing process, pain management is needed when the pain persists after the injury or disease has healed. If the cause of the pain is not clear, relieving it becomes the objective. Patients with chronic (long-term) pain are the usual recipients. Types of pain that often require management include chronic back pain and headaches.   What does it involve? There are many types of treatments to manage pain, which can be roughly divided into three categories: physical, psychological, and medicinal. Physical treatments include physiotherapy, therapeutic physical exercise, the application of heat and/or ice, acupuncture, electrotherapy, and various interventional procedures, such as facet joint injections and spinal cord stimulation. Different sufferers may find different things help relieve their pain, such as massage therapy. Some treatments may have a psychological element, including the placebo effect. Psychological treatments, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and hypnosis have been used to treat pain, with varying reports on the efficacy. Studies have shown a small improvement in mood after CBT, but there is insufficient evidence to definitively say that it relieves pain. Similarly, studies on the effects of hypnosis have been limited, but shows signs of improvement. Some believe it the effectiveness of psychological treatments may be based on the placebo effect. Medicinal treatments involves different kinds of drugs – mainly painkillers and anti-inflammatories. The type of drug depends on the location, severity, and probable cause of the pain. For example, mild pain can be managed with over-the-counter painkillers, while severe pain (after injury or surgery, for example) may be treated with opioids. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used, and for conditions like fibromyalgia, antidepressants may be prescribed. Due to the multi-disciplinary nature of the specialty, a pain management team can consist of medical practitioners, nurse practitioners, physiotherapists, psychologists, and other mental health therapists. ...

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