Dermatomosite, what is the rare disease of which Giovanni Terzi suffers, Simona Ventura’s husband

«In life the tests come, and you have to know how to overcome them. When this disease was diagnosed in John in 2020, which his mother also had, I told him: you will see that we can stop it. And in fact the disease, even if it cannot regress, is slowing down, thanks to the therapies and treatments received from the San Matteo hospital in Pavia ».

Simona Ventura said so, speaking of her husband Giovanni Terzi: the pathology to which the presenter has made the referment dermatomositeone autoimmune disease causes muscle inflammation and on the skinbut which can also involve other organs, such as i lungs and the Heart. Thirds had already talked about it in oneinterview to Today of 2024: «After a long series of visits, the diagnosis arrived. I tried absolute despair: 45 percent of my lungs were now compromised. At 60 I probably should have a transplant, with all the risks it entails ». But “after a month of great sadness, the strength to overcome this trauma came forward in me. I face the newspaper and care like a gendarme … ».

The same disease had also affected his mother: “She manifested herself in June 2006 and in July 2010 she missed”. But today, compared to then, new therapies are available: «The drugs I take had not yet been tested. My mother died after four years, but already eight months after the diagnosis she could no longer walk and fed on the tube ». Currently, instead “it worsens, because it is an irreversible disease, but much more slowly than before”.

Dermatomosite: What is it?

“Dermatomosite is one inflammatory disease of origin autoimmune, characterized by oneinflammation of the muscles, and from the lesions typical of the skin », We read on the site Isalute of Higher Institute of Health. «In some cases internal organs such as lungs and esophagus And consequently, breathing difficulties and swallowing and digestion problems may appear. Sometimes the Heart. It is also one rare disease (4 cases out of 100,000 people) and can occur both in adultand in children. In adults, it usually appears between 40 and 60 years of age; In children, it appears more often between 5 and 15 years. Dermatomosite hits More women that men, with a relationship of about 3 to 1 “.

“There are many variantof illness and may have different names. The form of which Giovanni Terzi suffers, specifically, is one amiopathic dermatomosite“, explains Lorenzo Cavagna, Associate professor of rheumatology at the University of Pavia And IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation, outpatient manager Connectives.

What are the therapies?
“There dermatomosite is one chronic disease which progresses slowly and can also have phases of remission. It is therefore not a question of taking care definitively, rather of keeping it under monitoring and continuous control. It generally starts from the use of cortisonewhich however is reduced as soon as possible, trying to eliminate it completely. They then associate various types of Immunosoppressorie, in cases where it is possible, anti -Fibrosant therapieswhich reduce the progression of fibrosis ».

At San Matteo you have adopted a particular therapeutic approach, which has become an international model: talking about it?
“We use a multidisciplinary approachcharacterized first by a collection of clinical and laboratory data, defining which organs are affected by the disease, then by a discussion of the case and therefore by a specialist visit together with the colleagues concerned. Terzi has been assessed at the multidisciplinary pneumo-recaling clinic, which is in operation in our hospital since 2018 (with Professor Pneumologists Angelo Corsico, director of pneumology, Dr. Federica Briganti and Dr. Valentina Vertui; Rheumatologists are, in addition to Professor Cavagna himself, Dr. Veronica Codullo and Dr. Giovanni and Dr. Zanframundo). We believe a lot in the multidisciplinarity because several organs can often be involved in these systemic diseases. For those who follow the patient it is crucial therefore having a holistic approach and we were among the first in the world to create anmultidisciplinary clinic who deals with patients with different cases of Interstiziopathy pulmonary. We have evaluated more than more than 500a very large number. We are a expert And we are also involved in researchThank you to the joint action Of Polyclinic and University».

How is a amiopathic dermatomosite (like the one of which Giovanni Terzi suffers) is treated specifically?
«Clearly, the therapies are personalized from patient to patient. Generally, like first approach faces the inflammatory phase by treating it with corticosteroids. They are used then immunosuppressors and drugs antifibrotic to stabilize the disease and prevent fibrosis from progiscoming. If you can slow down its progression, then a taperingthat is, a reduction of what are the treatments: in this case the therapy involves only a immunosuppressor and one low dose of cortisone. During the stabilization phase obviously the patient follows a follow -up of monitoring At very close deadlines, so that we can immediately intervene in the event that a new modification of the therapy is necessary ».

What do you think can be the time to determine a cure capable of making this pathology as harmful as harmless?
«I think a few years. We think that while on the one hand we are experimenting drugs already on the market for the treatment of other autoimmune diseases but for which there seem to be evidence that they can also work in the treatment of interstitial lung diseaseson the other we have the possibility of be able to study preview experimental drugs, through clinical trials Which represent more therapeutic efficacy options for patients, hoping that these drugs can be decisive on some and be put on the market, making them available for everyone ».