13.15
Address of the chairmen

13.30  
Opening Lectures
Chairman: T Medsger (USA)

• C Black (UK)
  Scleroderma - history and prospects

• F van den Hoogen (NL) on behalf of J Pope (CA) co-principal investigator and of the EULAR/ACR criteria for classification of Systemic Sclerosis task  force
  The EULAR/ACR criteria for the classification of systemic sclerosis

The main objectives of the session are

• To describe the current overview of pathogenesis, integrating vascular and fibrotic processes
• To highlight recent advances in identifying molecular and cellular mediators of fibrosis
• To discuss recent and future treatment of vasculopathy from the molecular and cellular basis
• To describe the involvement of the mifrco and macrovascular system in systemic sclerosis

Chairmen:  BM Kahaleh (USA),   K Takehara (JPN)

• J Varga (USA)
  Mechanisms of fibrosis in Systemic Sclerosis

• O Distler (CH)
  Vasculopathy in the pathogenesis of Systemic Sclerosis

• Y Shoenfeld (Isr)
  Atherosclerosis and systemic sclerosis: Myth or reality

 ABSTRACT SESSION-Chairmen:  U Walker (CH), M Inanc (Tr)

• JÜNGEL A. (Zurich, SWITZERLAND)
  Modulation of Fibrosis and Angiogenesis in Systemic Sclerosis (SSC) by single Histone Deacetylases (HDACS)) 

• WEI J. (Chicago, USA)
  Negative regulation of nuclear receptor PPAR-gamma expression and activity by TGF-beta: implication for fibrosis in scleroderma 

• KAHALEH B. (University of Toledo, USA)
  Decrease Expression of Bone Morphogenetic Protein Type II Receptor in Systemic Sclerosis Tissues And in Endothelial Cells Leading to Enhanced Susceptibility to Apoptosis

• ASANO Y.  (Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, JAPAN)
  Altered Dynamics of TGF-BETA Receptors in Scleroderma Fibroblasts

The main objectives of the session are

• To be able to evaluate intersititial lung disease as it presents in Systemic Sclerosis.
• To understand the pathogenesis of interstital lung disease in Systemic Sclerosis
• To understand approaches to the management of interstitial lung disease in Systemic Sclerosis

Chairmen:  A Wells (UK), O Kowal Bielecka (PL)

• R Silver (USA)
  Interstitial lung disease in Systemic Sclerosis: Current Concepts and Future Directions

• J Goldin (USA)
  Quantitative Imaging of High Resolution Computed Tomography of the chest

ABSTRACT SESSION
Chairmen:  R Moots (UK), S Rednic (RO)

• KOMURA K. (Nagasaki, JAPAN )
  CD19 regulates the development of Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis

• ALLANORE Y. (Université Paris Descartes,  Paris, FRANCE)
  Genotype-Phenotype correlation in systemic Sclerosis: STAT4 RS7574865 IS A Relevant Marker For Interstitial Lung Disease

• KHANNA D. (UCLA, Los Angeles, USA)
  Open labeled study of Imatinib Mesylate (GLEEVEC) in the treatment of Systemic Sclerosis- Associated Active Interstitial Lung Disease (SSC-ILD): preliminary results

19.00  
Opening Ceremony
Welcome Cocktail

The main objectives of the session are

• To be able to evaluate and manage pulmonary vascular disease and pulmonary hypertension as they present in Systemic Sclerosis.
• To discuss progress in  the efforts to develop non-invasive, valid measurements of PAH in Systemic Sclerosis  through the EPOSS group

Chairmen:  D Furst (USA),  O Distler(D)

• M Humbert (F)
  Pulmonary Hypertension in Systemic Sclerosis

• P Nash (Aus)
  EPOSS for Pulmonary Hypertension: working toward  reliable, valid, non-invasive measurements of pulmonary hypertension in Systemic Sclerosis 

ABSTRACT SESSION
Chairmen:  L Mouthon (F), R Simms (USA)

• STEEN V. (UMDNJ, New Brunswick, USA)
  Pulmonary Hypertension Assessment and recognition of outcomes in Scleroderma (PHAROS):two-year Outcomes for Pre-Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH)

• STEVENS W. (St Vincents Hospital, Department of Rheumatology, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA)
  Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in an Australian Systemic Sclerosis cohort

• KHANNA D. (UCLA, Los Angeles, USA)
  Exercise induced Pulmonary Hypertension Associated Systemic Sclerosis: four distinct entities

The main objectives of the session are

• To review the pathology and clinical progression of the GI tract and its impact on patient functioning;
• To review the current therapeutic approaches for GI dysmotility;
• To discuss novel therapeutic approaches to improve GI dysmotility in systemic sclerosis
• To learn about prevalence, characteristics, risk factors and treatment of the different osteo-articular involvements that can occur in systemic sclerosis.

Chairmen: P Sampaio Barros (BR),  P Emery (UK)

• Y Allanore (F)
  Update on Musculoskeletal Involvement in Systemic Sclerosis

• T McNearney (USA)
  Gastrointestinal Dismotility in Systemic Sclerosis

ABSTRACT SESSION
Chairmen:  J Rovensky (Sk), J Angulo (Peru)

• DUMA D. (Cluj Napoca, ROMANIA)
  Cutaneous Free-Hand Ultrasound Elastography of Scleroderma Patients: potential tool for future measurements

• LINDBECK B. (São Paulo BRAZIL)
  Self-Administered hand and facial muscles stretching are effective in Systemic Sclerosis

• FROMMER K (Giessen, Germany)
  Systemic Sclerosis Organ Involvement is Associated with Increased Adipokine Expression

The main objectives of the session are:

• To learn the spectrum of  scleroderma like diseases
• To learn the differential diagnosis of scleroderma like diseases
• To learn about new scleroderma like diseases

Chairmen: N Hunzelmann (D), R Ionescu (RO)

• L Czirjak (H)
  The spectrum of scleroderma like diseases

• J Kay (USA)
  Nephrogenic System Fibrosis: A Gadolinium-Induced Fibrosing Disorde

11.50-14.00 
Poster viewing

Objectives of the session are

• To understand the pathogenesis of renal crisis
• To review the  epidemiology, risk factors and outcomes of scleroderma renal crisis and kidney involvement
• To be able to treat  renal crisis including novel therapies
• To understand, the place for renal transplantation in Systemic Sclerosis-related renal disease

Chairmen:  P Clements (USA), D Veale (IRL)

• V Steen (USA)
  Epidemiology, risk factors and outcomes of renal scleroderma

• C Denton  (UK)
  Pathogenesis and treatment of  scleroderma renal crisis

ABSTRACT SESSION
Chairmen:  M Baron (CA), J Scali (Arg)

• TARABORELLI M. (U.O. Reumatologia e Immunologia Clinica, Spedali Civili Brescia, ITALY)
  Pregnancy and Systemic Sclerosis: an Italian prospective multicentric study

• VETTORI S (Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Rheumatology Section, Second University of Naples, ITALY)
  Impact of the European Scleroderma Study Group activity index on survival of Systemic Sclerosis patients from a single Italian center        

• POPE J. (University of Western ON, London, CANADA)
  C-Reactive Protein (CRP) is associated with high disease activity in SSC.  Results from the Canadian Scleroderma Research Group (CSRG)

The main objectives of the session are

• To explain the different pathways and molecules that are involved in the excessive matrix synthesis in  Systemic Sclerosis
• To outline the alterations of the immunological responses observed in Systemic Sclerosis  and their impact on pathogenesis

Chairmen: R Lafyatis (USA), A Gabrielli (I)

• K Elkon (USA)
  The role of the immune system in Systemic Sclerosis

• A Aliprantis (USA)
  IL-13 and Scleroderma in mouse and man

ABSTRACT SESSION
Chairmen:   C Chizzolini (CH), F Del Galdo (UK)

• RUEDA B. (Instituto de Parasitologia y Biomedicina Lopez-Neyra, Granada, SPAIN)
  Bank1 functional variants are associated with susceptibility to diffuse Systemic Sclerosis in Caucasians            

• NIKPOUR M. (University of Melbourne,   AUSTRALIA)
  Prevalence and correlates of antibodies to RNA POLYMERASE III in Systemic Sclerosis

• RADSTAKE T.R.D.J (Radboud University Nijmegen. THE NETHERLANDS)
  Modulating TLR Responses in Systemic Sclerosis via Heme Oxygenase-1

The main objectives of the session are:

• To identify and consider the incorporation of outcome measures in clinical care of patients with scleroderma.
• To identify core psychosocial concerns of patients with scleroderma.
• To identify and to encourage implementation of simple, concrete steps in their practice to improve psychosocial care of patients with scleroderma.

Chairmen: G Valentini (I),L Guillevin (F)

• D Khanna  (USA)
  Minimum Standards of Care in Systemic Sclerosis: what every doctor should do when caring for a Systemic Sclerosis patient

• B Thombs (CAN)
  How to improve health-related quality of life of patients with scleroderma

ABSTRACT SESSION
Chairmen:  MT Li (China),  A Dinç (Tr)

• WALKER U. ( Basel, SWITZERLAND)
  Causes of death in Systemic Sclerosis- a report from the Eustar data base.

• DOVERI MARICA (Pisa, ITALY)
  Systemic Sclerosis: outcome and long-term follow-up of 337 patients from a single Italian Centre

• NIHTYANOVA S. (London, UK)
  Mortality in Systemic Sclerosis – Autoantibody Associations and benefit of early detection of internal organ complications  

• ASSASSI (Texas, USA)
  A Polymorphism In The Psors1c1 Gene Is Associated With Mortality In Systemic Sclerosis

The main objectives of the session are

• To describe the techniques to develop conditional knock-out mice for different applications
• To discuss the strengths and drawbacks of current methods of proteomics
• To identify potential applications of proteomics and conditional knock-out mice for Systemic Sclerosis

Chairmen: D Abraham (UK),  T Krieg (D)

• J Distler (D)
  Animal models and biomarker identification in Systemic Sclerosis

• B de Crombrugghe (USA)
  Novel genetic mouse models of fibrosis

• B Domon (CH)
  Novel developments in proteomics and their application for disease

ABSTRACT SESSION
Chairmen:  K Nishioka (Jpn),  M Vonk (NL)

• DERRETT-SMITH E.( UCL Medical School, London, UK)
  Aortic smooth muscle cells show a Pro-Fibrotic Phenotype in a TGF-beta Dependent Mouse Model of Systemic Sclerosis    

• YOSHINARI N.H. (Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, BRAZIL)
  Characterization of a novel Systemic Sclerosis model induced by Type V collagen immunization in rabbits       

• MAURER B. (Univ Zurich, SWITZERLAND)
  Fra-2 Transgenic Mice Represent a Novel Model of SCS that displays simultaneously loss of Microvessels and Proliferative Vasculopathy

The main objectives of the session are:

• To define the mechanisms of vascular involvement in primary scleroderma myocardial disease
• To understand the techniques used to detect cardiovascular involvement 
• To consider the therapies used in vascular involvement in primary scleroderma myocardial disease

Chairmen: R Hesselstrand (S), N Damjanov  (SRB)

• A Kahan (F)
  Microvascular involvement in primary scleroderma myocardial disease

• O Vignaux (F)
  Cardiac and Vascular MRI

ABSTRACT SESSION
Chairmen  A Pignone (I), L Ananieva (Ru)

• LAUNAY D (Univ Lille, France)
  Characteristics, Survival and Prognosis Factors in Interstitial Lung Disease-Associated Pulmonary Hypertension in Systemic Sclerosis

• SCHIOPU E.(Ann Arbor, USA)
  Pulmonary Artery Diameter is Associated with Pulmonary Hypertension in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis (Ssc)

• CATAR R.(Berlin, Germany)
  Agonistic Autoantibodies Targeting Eta- And At1 Receptors Act SynergisticallyiIn Systemic Sclerosis Patients

The main objectives of the session are:

• To understand what is very early and early systemic sclerosis
• To understand the role of antibodies in early systemic sclerosis
• To understand the utility of videocapillaroscopy for the early detection of systemic sclerosis

Chairmen:  U Muller Ladner (D) , P Carreira (E)

• J Avouac (Fr). Fransen J (Nl), Walker U (CH), M Matucci Cerinic (I)
  Defining preliminary criteria for the diagnosis of very early Systemic Sclerosis (VEDOSS): results of a delphi consensus study from EUSTAR

• M Kuwana (Jpn)
  Autoantibodies in the early diagnosis of  Systemic Sclerosis  

• M Cutolo (I)
  Capillaroscopy: Does it makes the difference for an early diagnosis ?

ABSTRACT SESSION

• CARREIRA PE (Servicio de Reumatologia, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid SPAIN)
  Influence of Age on clinical expression of early Systemic Sclerosis patients: a report from the Eular Scleroderma Trials and research group (EUSTAR) database

• FRANSEN J. (Radboud University Nijmegen, THE NETHERLANDS)
  Clinical Prediction of 5-year survival in early Scleroderma: validation of a simple prognostic model in a Multi-Centre Study in EUSTAR Centres

The main objectives of the session are

• To understand the mechanisms regulating vascular tone dysfunction in  Systemic SclerosisTo learn  about the contemporary treatment of Raynaud’s phenomenon
• To understand the surgical management of digital ulcers and its use in  Systemic Sclerosis

Chairmen:    E Hachulla (F),   A Herrick (UK) 

•  F Wigley (USA)
  Raynaud’s phenomenon: from pathophysiology to treatment

• R Spence (USA)
  Surgical  Management of Scleroderma Digital Ulcers

ABSTRACT SESSION
Chairmen:  P Merkel (USA),    S Ullmann (DK) 

• POPE J. (University of Western ON, London, CANADA)
  Associations with Digital Ulcers (DU) in a large cohort of Systemic Sclerosis: results from the Canadian Scleroderma Research Group (CSRG)     

• ROLLANDO D. (Unit of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, ITALY)
  Endothelial-dependent flow mediated dilation of the brachial artery correlates with nailfold microvascular involvement and identifies endothelial dysfunction in Systemic Sclerosis       

• MATUCCI-CERINIC M. (University of Florence, ITALY)
  Demographics and previous complications/interventions in patients with digital ulcers and different subsets of Scleroderma: preliminary findings from the DUO Registry
  

12.30-14.30 
Poster viewing

14.30 
Lecture
Chairman: F Wollheim (S)

S Gay (CH):
Novel Targeted Therapies and Epigenetic Strategies in the future of Systemic Sclerosis

The main objectives of the session are

• To learn about stem cell transplantation in autoimmune diseases
• To learn about the utility and safety of  stem cell transplantation in systemic sclerosis

Chairmen: A Tyndall  (CH), R Saccardi (I)

• A Tyndall (CH)
  Adult stem cell transplantation in Systemic Sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases - update

• D Farge (F)
  Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Systemic Sclerosis –ASTIS trial  

• D Furst (USA)
  Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Systemic Sclerosis - SCOT trial

ABSTRACT SESSION

• WEI J. ( Chicago, USA)
  Profibrotic WNT signaling in human Mesenchymal Cells: implications for Scleroderma

• GUIDUCCI S (Florence, Itay)
  Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Diffuse Systemic Sclerosis (Ssc) Present a Proangiogenic Machinery

• BATTCHARYYA (Chicago, USA)
  The Transcriptional Cofactor Nab2 is Induced by Tgf-Beta and Suppresses Fibroblast Activation via Epigenetic Mechanisms: Physiological Roles and Impaired Expression in Scleroderma

The main objectives of the session are

•  To appreciate  the diverse and often separate strategies aimed at improving mirocirculation and healing existing ulcers.
•  To explore the immuno /inflammatory aspects of Systemic Sclerosis on which immunosuppresive agents may impact, as well as the toxicity and " benefit / risk" ratio of their treatment.
•  To be introduced to the emerging concept of  immunoablation and " resetting " of autoimmunity and its impact on the natural history of fibrosis and small vessel remodelling.
• To discuss the development of rationally designed anti-fibrotic therapeutic strategies

Chairmen:  G Riemekasten (D),   M Mayes (USA)

• J Seibold (USA)
  Management of Systemic Sclerosis according to stage and subset  of disease

•  J Van  Laar (UK)
  Immunesuppression in Systemic Sclerosis: Past, Present and Future

ABSTRACT SESSION
Chairmen:  R Giacomelli (I), A Balbir Gurman (Isr)

• FURST DANIEL (University of Los Angeles California, USA)
  Patients with Systemic Sclerosis (SSC) enrolled in the Scleroderma Lung Study (SLS) have a high mortality within 5 years of Stopping Cyclophosphamide (CYC)

• KAYSER C (Universidade Federal de São Paulo São Paulo BRAZIL)
  Oral n-acetylcysteine in the treatment of Raynaud's phenomenon secondary to systemic sclerosis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial

• POPE J. (University of Western ON,   CANADA)
  A proof of concept trial of GLEEVEC (Imatinib) in active diffuse Scleroderma (DSSC)

18.15  
Closure of the Congress