OVERVIEW

The Rheumatology Module, within the Integrated Course of Dermatology, Clinical Immunology, and Rheumatology, aims to address the epidemiology, etiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, differential diagnosis, and therapeutic insights of the main rheumatologic diseases.
Some lessons will be delivered in a multidisciplinary format, as several diseases present clinical features common to all three disciplines.

The lectures will include and explore only a selection of clinical topics, as it is not feasible to cover all rheumatologic diseases within the available teaching hours.

However, all rheumatologic diseases within the field will be subject to examination.
Lectures will be delivered in-person and will include both theoretical discussion and the presentation of clinical cases to be discussed interactively.

The final exam will be oral.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Cognitive acquisition of knowledge regarding the main rheumatologic diseases. Students must be able to recognize the pathophysiological bases, morphological changes, and clinical manifestations of the main diseases and their complications. They must also be able to define an appropriate diagnostic pathway and determine the prognosis.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The Rheumatology Module, within the Integrated Course of Dermatology, Clinical Immunology, and Rheumatology, covers the epidemiology, etiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, differential diagnosis, and therapeutic aspects of the main diseases within the field of Rheumatology.
The student will be able to identify the pathophysiological mechanisms, morphological alterations, and clinical signs of the primary diseases and their complications, and define diagnostic and prognostic pathways.

PREREQUISITES

Knowledge of basic immunology and immunoinflammatory processes, as well as a thorough understanding of human anatomy.

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures will be conducted in-person. For those interested, tutorial sessions may be held at the bedside or in outpatient settings with discussion of clinical cases.

Students with valid certifications for Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), disabilities, or other educational needs are encouraged to contact the instructor and the department’s/school’s disability coordinator at the start of the course to agree on any suitable teaching methods that meet individual learning styles while maintaining the educational objectives of the course.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

• Approach to the patient with rheumatologic diseases: physical examination, rheumatologic semiotics, and inflammatory markers
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Ankylosing spondylitis and spondyloarthritis, Psoriatic arthritis, Reactive arthritis, Lyme disease, Acute rheumatic fever, Enteropathic arthritis
• Septic arthritis
• Primary and secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon
• Connective tissue diseases: (Systemic lupus erythematosus, Systemic sclerosis, Mixed connective tissue disease, Overlap syndromes, Dermatomyositis and Polymyositis)
• Sjögren’s syndrome
• Vasculitis
• Crystal-induced and metabolic arthropathies
• Osteoarthritis
• Extra-articular and soft tissue diseases
• Fibromyalgia
• Polymyalgia rheumatica
• Osteoporosis, osteomalacia, rickets, and the skeletal and extra-skeletal roles of vitamin D
• Paget’s disease of bone
• Hereditary connective tissue disorders
• Nerve compression syndromes
• Synovial fluid analysis
• Imaging techniques in Rheumatology

Recommended textbook:

UNIREUMA. Rheumatology for Students and General Practitioners, Ed. Gnocchi 2021.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

UNIREUMA. Rheumatology for Students and General Practitioners, Ed. Gnocchi 2021.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

See the academic calendar on the EasyAcademy portal

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The assessment is part of the integrated course. It consists of an oral exam with questions based on the Rheumatology syllabus and aims to evaluate the student’s achievement of the course/module objectives.
The final grade is expressed in thirtieths and will be averaged with the grades of Dermatology and Clinical Immunology for a single final mark, with honors if applicable. A minimum score of 18/30 is required to pass.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Learning assessment is carried out through the final exam only, which is designed to evaluate the student’s actual achievement of the expected learning outcomes.