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Centres Italy |
| Prof. Alberto Martini | |
| Personal | Alberto Martini is Professor of Pediatrics in the University of Genoa and Head of Pediatria II, Reumatologia at the G. Gaslini Research Institute in Genoa, Italy. The Unit is an academic national referral tertiary centre for paediatric rheumatic diseases with 12 outpatient beds and 17 beds for inpatient care. A dedicated fellowship training program is in place. Since 2002 the Unit has hosted 70 fellows from 23 countries. The G. Gaslini Research Institute is the biggest paediatric hospital in Italy with all paediatric specialties represented. The Unit trains around 7 fellows in pediatrics and 4 in pediatric rheumatology per year. There are teaching opportunities in clinical management, clinical trials methodology, applied basic and intermediate biostatistics, basic and clinical immunology. |
| Interests | Professor Martini’s clinical interests focus on pediatric rheumatic diseases as well as autoinflammatory diseases; the institute represents a supraregional referral center; over 90% of the patients come from other Italian regions. His research focuses on: a) Controlled clinical trials. The unit is the headquarter of the Paediatric Rheumatology International Trials Organisation (PRINTO) (www.printo.it). PRINTO is composed of more than 200 centres from 51 countries and represents the largest paediatric rheumatology network in the world. PRINTO’s main goal is to coordinate, foster and facilitate multi-centers, international controlled clinical trials. PRINTO has performed many industry-sponsored as well as investigator-initiated clinical trials b) Quantitative clinical assessment. This area of research is aimed to develop and validate new clinical measures for the assessment of disease activity, functional ability, clinical damage, pain, and health-related quality of life in children with pediatric rheumatic diseases. c) Imaging. The aim is to provide standardized methods to evaluate the role of conventional radiology, magnetic resonance and ultrasonography in the evaluation of articular damage in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. d) Immunology of rheumatic diseases. Present research projects include the influence of innate immunity on the development of TH17 cells, the characterization of the immunological and functional phenotype of the different B cell populations and the role of TLRs and purinergic receptors during central and peripheral B cell development . e) Autoinflammatory diseases. The unit is a national referral center for the diagnosis and treatment of autoinflammatory diseases. Laboratory activities are focused on the pathogenesis of CIAS1-related diseases and of TNF-receptor-associated periodic syndrome (TRAPS). |
| Research Projects |
1. Quantitative clinical assessment of pediatric rheumatic diseases 2. Role of imaging in the assessment of damage in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. 3. Role of B cell in the pathogenesis of pediatric rheumatic diseases 4. Role of TLRs and purinergic receptors during central and peripheral B cell development 5. The innate immunity and the pathogenesis of autoinflammatory diseases. |
| Recent Publications |
Ruperto N, Lovell DJ, Quartier P, Paz E, Rubio-Pérez N, Silva CA, Abud-Mendoza C, Burgos- Vargas R, Gerloni V,. Melo-Gomes JA, Saad-Magalhães C, Sztajnbok F, Goldenstein-Schainberg C, Scheinberg M, Calvo Penades I, Fischbach M, Orozco J, Hashkes PJ, Hom C, Jung L, Lepore L, Oliveira S, Wallace C, Sigal LH, Block AJ, Covucci A, Martini A, Giannini EH: Efficacy and safety of abatacept in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled withdrawal trial. Lancet 2008; 372: 383–91 Lovell DJ, Ruperto N, Goodman S, Reiff A, Jung L, Jarosova K, Nemcova D, Mouy R, Sandborg C, Bohnsack J, Elewaut D, Foeldvari I, Gerloni V, Rovensky J, Minden K, Vehe RK, Weiner LW, Horneff G, Huppertz H-I, Olson NY, Medich JR, Carcereri-De-Prati R, McIlraith MJ,. Giannini EH, Martini A. A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Adalimumab with and without Methotrexate in Children with Polyarticular Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. N Engl J Med 2008;339:810-820 Malattia C, Damasio MB, Magnaguagno F, Pistorio A, Valle M, Martinoli C, Viola S, Buoncompagni A, Loy A, Ravelli A, Tomà P, Martini A: Magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonography and conventional radiography in the assessment of bone erosions in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Arthritis Rheum 2008;59:1764-1772 Gattorno M, Piccini A, Lasigliè D, Tassi S, Brisca G, Carta S, Delfino L, Ferito F, Pelagatti MA, Caroli F, Buoncompagni A, Viola S, Loy A, Sironi M, Vecchi A, Ravelli A, Martini A, Rubartelli A. The pattern of response to anti IL-1 treatment distinguishes two subset of patients with systemic onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Arthritis Rheum 2008; 58:1505-1515 |
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