- Docente: Jacopo Ciaffi
- Credits: 2
- SSD: MED/16
- Language: English
- Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
- Campus: Bologna
- Corso: Single cycle degree programme (LMCU) in Medicine and Surgery (cod. 9210)
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from Oct 27, 2025 to Dec 11, 2025
Learning outcomes
Describe the clinical manifestations, etiology, epidemiology, risk factors, natural history, diagnosis, staging, prognostic indicators and management of the major rheumatologic diseases, with emphasis on those most commonly encountered in the clinical practice. Identify the major diagnostic and therapeutic options for each encountered clinical scenario, and discuss their benefits and limitations. Demonstrate an understanding of the overlap of rheumatology with other disciplines. Present and critically analyze clinical cases, discuss the differential diagnosis, and formulate appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for each case (Problem-Based Learning).
Course contents
- Outline of anatomy, histology and physiology of the musculoskeletal system
- Pathophysiology of rheumatic diseases
- Semeiotics of inflammatory and non-inflammatory joint diseases
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Axial spondyloarthritis (SpA)
- Peripheral spondyloarthritis (SpA)
- Infectious arthritis
- Crystal-induced arthritis (gout, CPPD)
- Inflammatory myopathies
- Polymyalgia rheumatica
- Connective tissue diseases
- Fibromyalgia
- Osteoporosis
- Vascular bone diseases
- Paget's disease
Readings/Bibliography
EULAR Textbook on Rheumatic Diseases (3rd edition, 2018)
Teaching methods
Classroom lectures
Assessment methods
The assessment of learning will be carried out through a written examination aimed at evaluating the achievement of the course’s learning objectives.
In the written test, the Rheumatology module will consist of 10 questions, each with 4 answer options, only one of which is correct. The time allocated for the test will be cumulative with that of the other modules within the integrated course.
Each correct answer will be awarded 1 point, while incorrect or unanswered questions will receive no points.
Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.
Teaching tools
The didactic material (slides) presented during the lesson will be made available to students on the Virtual portal. In addition, the slides of the lessons are provided with a bibliography in the margin, in order to allow the student any further information.
Office hours
See the website of Jacopo Ciaffi