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Precision Medicine in Systemic Sclerosis and Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies
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Precision Medicine in Systemic Sclerosis and Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies

A special issue of Journal of Personalized Medicine (ISSN 2075-4426). This special issue belongs to the section "Personalized Therapy and Drug Delivery".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2026) | Viewed by 1639

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Silvia Bellando Randone

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Careggi University Hospital, University of Florence, 50141 Florence, Italy
Interests: rheumatic diseases; early diagnosis; microbiota; biomarkers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Lorenzo Cavagna

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Rheumatology, University and IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo Foundation Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Interests: rheumatic diseases; myositis; antisynthetase syndrome; systemic lupus erythematosus

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce a Special Issue on "Precision Medicine in Systemic Sclerosis and Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies" in the Journal of Personalized Medicine. This Issue will focus on the emerging role of precision medicine in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of systemic sclerosis (SSc) and idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs).

Systemic sclerosis and idiopathic inflammatory myopathies are chronic autoimmune diseases characterized by a  complex pathophysiology and variable clinical outcomes. As the burden of these diseases grows, personalized approaches to treatment and diagnosis are becoming increasingly important.

Over the past decade, significant strides have been made in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying SSc and IIMs, but challenges remain in translating these findings into clinical practice. Precision medicine, through the use of biomarkers, genetic profiling, and tailored therapies, holds promise for improving patient outcomes.

This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances in precision medicine as applied to SSc and IIMs. We seek to explore novel diagnostic tools, personalized treatment strategies, and the role of genetic, environmental, and immune factors in disease progression.

Cutting-edge research:

We are looking to feature cutting-edge research that integrates novel biomarkers, innovative therapeutic approaches, and strategies for personalized care. The Special Issue will emphasize research that brings precision medicine to the forefront of clinical practice for these autoimmune diseases.

What kind of papers we are soliciting:

We invite submissions of original research articles, clinical studies, and comprehensive reviews addressing any of the following themes:

  • Precision medicine overview;
  • Internal organ involvement (lung, heart, gastrointestinal, muscle) and precision medicine in SSc and IIMs;
  • Early diagnosis and prognostic biomarkers in SSc and IIMs;
  • Precision treatment strategies and personalized therapies;
  • Advances in targeted therapies and immunomodulatory approaches;
  • Genetic and epigenetic factors influencing disease progression;
  • Clinical applications of precision medicine in the management of SSc and IIMs.

We look forward to receiving your contributions and to advancing the field of precision medicine for these complex diseases.

Dr. Silvia Bellando Randone
Dr. Lorenzo Cavagna
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Personalized Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • systemic sclerosis
  • idiopathic inflammatory myopathies
  • precision medicine
  • autoimmune diseases
  • biomarkers
  • genetic

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 487 KB  
Article
Tocilizumab and Rituximab in Systemic Sclerosis: A Real-Life Retrospective Observational Study Across Different Clinical Phenotypes
by Silvia Cavalli, Maria Rosa Pellico, Giorgia Trignani, Manuel Sette, Claudia Iannone, Roberto Caporali and Nicoletta Del Papa
J. Pers. Med. 2026, 16(4), 186; https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm16040186 - 30 Mar 2026
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Abstract
Objectives: To describe the efficacy and safety of tocilizumab (TCZ) and rituximab (RTX) in real-world patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), across different clinical phenotypes and lines of therapy, evaluating both global clinical outcomes and lung function. Methods: SSc patients treated with [...] Read more.
Objectives: To describe the efficacy and safety of tocilizumab (TCZ) and rituximab (RTX) in real-world patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), across different clinical phenotypes and lines of therapy, evaluating both global clinical outcomes and lung function. Methods: SSc patients treated with TCZ (n = 27) or RTX (n = 23) were retrospectively followed for 12–24 months. Clinical measures, including modified Rodnan Skin Score (mRSS), C-reactive protein (CRP), and revised EUSTAR activity index 2017 (RAI), as well as spirometric parameters, were recorded at baseline and 6, 12, and 24 months. Statistical methods for repeated measures were applied to investigate outcome trends. Given the baseline differences, between-group comparisons were considered exploratory. Results: RTX was used earlier in disease course, while TCZ was mainly used as a rescue therapy. In both groups, mRSS, CRP levels and RAI significantly decreased over time. RTX-treated patients showed a greater absolute mRSS improvement, in line with higher baseline skin scores. No treatment discontinuations due to adverse events occurred in either group; one death and one discontinuation due to inefficacy were observed in the TCZ group. Among SSc-ILD patients, FVC% showed a modest decline in both groups, while DLCO% remained overall stable, and only a few patients met the OMERACT criteria for functional progression. Conclusions: In this real-world, single-center cohort of SSc patients, both agents were associated with a positive impact on disease activity, with a low rate of lung progression and with favorable safety profiles. Owing to substantial baseline imbalances and confounding by indication, between-group comparisons do not allow firm conclusions on comparative effectiveness. Overall, these data support the use of both agents in different clinical scenarios. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Medicine in Systemic Sclerosis and Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies)
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17 pages, 881 KB  
Article
The Role of Ultrasound Pleural Irregularities in the Identification of Interstitial Lung Disease in Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies
by Linda Carli, Simone Barsotti, Chiara Romei, Andrea Delle Sedie, Federico Fattorini, Michele Diomedi, Elisa Cioffi, Elenia Laurino, Chiara Cardelli, Gaetano La Rocca and Marta Mosca
J. Pers. Med. 2026, 16(3), 162; https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm16030162 - 14 Mar 2026
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Abstract
Background: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the most frequent extra-muscular manifestation in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs). Although high-resolution chest tomography (HRCT) represents the gold standard for the evaluation of ILD, lung ultrasound (LUS) might be a useful tool for its [...] Read more.
Background: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the most frequent extra-muscular manifestation in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs). Although high-resolution chest tomography (HRCT) represents the gold standard for the evaluation of ILD, lung ultrasound (LUS) might be a useful tool for its assessment. The aim of our study was to evaluate the number and distribution of pleural irregularities (PIs) identified by lung US in a cohort of patients with IIMs and to find possible correlations with clinical, serological and HRCT data to verify the potential usefulness of lung US for the study of ILD in patients with IIM. Patients and methods: Fifty-three patients with IIM according to EULAR/ACR classification criteria were enrolled. All patients underwent a clinical evaluation with measurement of disease activity and myositis-specific autoantibodies, pulmonary function tests, HRCT evaluated with the Warrick score, and lung US for the measurement of PIs. Results: The number of PIs was higher in patients with myositis-specific autoantibodies, particularly those with anti-synthetase autoantibodies (p < 0.001) and in patients with high-grade dyspnea (p < 0.03). A negative correlation was identified between PIs and pulmonary function tests, particularly TLC (r = −0.74; p < 0.001) and DLCO (r = −0.56; p < 0.001). Interestingly, PI score was higher in patients with ILD identified with HRCT (p = 0.015) and a positive correlation between PIs and Warrick score (r = 0.542; p < 0.001) was also found. Conclusions: The study of PIs with lung US represents a promising diagnostic tool for the bedside evaluation of patients with IIMs. This can possibly allow for a reduction in unnecessary HRCTs, reducing the exposition of patients to ionizing radiations, optimizing resources and reducing the costs of patients’ management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Medicine in Systemic Sclerosis and Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies)
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