Short Bio

Dr Irma Convertino is working in the research group coordinated by Dr Marco Tuccori dealing with pharmacoepidemiological studies, funded by the National agency of drug (AIFA) and the Tuscan Region, evaluating the utilization, effectiveness and safety of biologic drugs in the immune mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) by assessing real world data. In her PhD program, she is evaluating the utilization patterns over time of biologic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in the Tuscan population by using data collected in the Regional healthcare administrative database. She is trying to identify adherence predictors and related effectiveness and safety endpoints

Publications

S Ferraro, M Tuccori, I Convertino, G Valdiserra, E Cappello, F Maggi, C Blandizzi, D Focosi. Olfactory and gustatory impairments in COVID-19 patients: role in early diagnosis and interferences by concomitant drugs. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2021 May;87(5):2186-2188. doi: 10.1111/bcp.14634. Epub 2020 Nov 13.

Convertino I, Lucenteforte E, Gini R, Lorenzoni V, Cazzato M, Turchetti G, Trieste L, Ferraro S, Leonardi L, Roberto G, Luciano N, Blandizzi C, Mosca M, Tuccori M. Utilisation patterns and clinical impact of the introduction of infliximab-biosimilar in Tuscany, Italy: real world evidence following the recommendation of switching for non-medical reasons. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2020 Aug 5. PMID:32828145

Convertino I, Tuccori M, Ferraro S, Valdiserra G, Cappello E, Focosi D, Blandizzi C. Exploring pharmacological approaches for managing cytokine storm associated with pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome in COVID-19 patients. Crit Care. 2020 Jun 11;24(1):331.

M Tuccori, S Ferraro, I Convertino, E Cappello, G Valdiserra, C Blandizzi, F Maggi, D Focosi. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing monoclonal antibodies: clinical pipeline. mAbs Jan-Dec 2020;12(1):1854149. doi: 10.1080/19420862.2020.1854149.

Tuccori M, Convertino I, Ferraro S, Cappello E, Valdiserra G, Focosi D, Blandizzi C. The Impact of the COVID-19 “Infodemic” on Drug-Utilization Behaviors: Implications for Pharmacovigilance. Drug Saf. 2020 Aug;43(8):699-709. doi: 10.1007/s40264-020-00965-w

Contributions to courses and congresses

National Congress of Società Italiana di Farmacologia (SIF)

  • Oral communication “Adherence trajectories of biologic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs recorded in Tuscan administrative healthcare database: the Pathfinder study” and contributions to “Diagnostic delay and drug utilization patterns in patients with Crohn’s disease: analysis of an Italian regional administrative healthcare database” 40th SIF National Congress, March 13-15, 2021 webinar
  • Posters: “Switching from infliximab-originator to infliximab-biosimilar in rheumatologic patients: the clinical impact in Tuscan Region” and “The usefulness of listening social media for pharmacovigilance purposes” 39th SIF National Congress “Ricerca, innovazione, sostenibilità, appropriatezza, insegnamento” From 19th to 23rd November, 2019, Florence

International Congress of the International Society of Pharmacoepidemiology (ISPE), ICPE All Access

  • 35 years of real-world science, From 15th to 17th September 2020. Poster presentation via web “(PO-4278) Trajectories of use of biologic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in rheumatoid arthritis: a cohort study of tuscan patients, Italy”
  • Contributions to the following poster “(PO-4319) Time to biologic treatment and to total colectomy associated with diagnostic delay in ulcerative colitis: analysis of an italian regional administrative healthcare database”.

“Rapporto Farmaci Toscana”, organized by Agenzia Regionale di Sanità Toscana.

  • Oral communication “Validation of algorithms for selecting rheumatologic patients in the Tuscan administrative databases and adherence trajectories to biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in rheumatoid arthritis” December 15th, 2020 Florence
  • Oral communication “Inflammatory bowel disease patients in the Tuscan administrative healthcare databases: Pilot study on diagnostic delay”. December 11th, 2019 Florence

“New insights in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment: a translational approach”, webinar organized within the PhD program “INIZIATIVE SCIENTIFICHE ORGANIZZATE DAI DOTTORANDI bando 2020”, funded by University of Pisa. She was part of the Scientific Committee. Oral communication “Treatments tor breast cancer: a drug utilization overview” December 4th, 2020, Pisa

Un approccio traslazionale alle malattie infiammatorie croniche intestinali”, organized within the PhD program “INIZIATIVE SCIENTIFICHE ORGANIZZATE DAI DOTTORANDI bando 2019”, funded by University of Pisa. She was part of the Scientific Committee. Oral communication “Inflammatory bowel disease patients in the Tuscan administrative healthcare databases: Pilot study on diagnostic delay” December 7th, 2019, Pisa

Contacts