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Ten Topics in Rheumatology ASIA 2009 |
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Written by Ramon Miguel Molina
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Tuesday, 08 December 2009 |
 “A 69 year old female, known hypertensive was seen at the clinic for acute onset of eye and mouth dryness with a bilaterally enlarged parotid glands and edema. Initial diagnosis at that time was Sjogren’s syndrome with glomerulonephritis. Two months later, she returned with an enlarging mass on the right breast and modified mastectomy was performed with a diagnosis of Breast Lymphoma. After seven months, she experienced sudden monocular blindness of the Right eye and MRI of the orbits revealed swelling and enhancement of the intracanalicular and prechiasmatic segments of the right optic nerve.”
No. This is not an episode of House M.D. or something you normally read in Harrison’s Textbook of Internal Medicine. This is real life Medicine. And this is what Ten Topics in Rheumatology is all about.
 It all started in 1985 at the Lupus Unit of St. Thomas’ Hospital in London UK, where the renowned rheumatologist, Professor Graham Hughes brilliantly organized an innovative 2-day postgraduate rheumatology course aimed to bring together the best minds in the field of Rheumatology to discuss advances in Lupus and connective tissue diseases as well as to present interesting updates and rare or “hot” topics encountered in the clinics. Originally limited to the United Kingdom, the symposium has immensely grown in popularity and has reached past its borders with the efforts of Professor Hughes’ Singaporean counterpart, Professor Feng Pao Hsii who pioneered and hosted the successful Ten Topics in Asia Conference last September 2008.
This year, equally renowned Filipino Rheumatologist and founding president of Rheumatology Educational Trust Foundation, and the current head of the Section of Rheumatology of the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, our very own Professor Sandra V. Navarra M.D. successfully organized the 2nd leg of the Ten Topics in Asia here in our very own campus last November 28 and 29, 2009.
The symposium was attended by delegates and guests from all around the globe including the founder of the 10 Topics in Rheumatology, the father of the antiphospholipid syndrome, Professor Graham Hughes.
The conference was officially opened by Professor Sandra Navarra who delivered her welcoming remarks followed by a talk by Professors Hughes and Hsii who both gave a brief history of the scientific meeting.
Other notable delegates who graced the event include Professor Chris Edwards, Silvia Buciarelli, James Cheng-Chung Wei, and Professor Keith Lim to name a few.
Hot topics in rheumatology were discussed by both visiting and local professors alternately with case and research paper presentations by Rheumatology fellows, delegates, and medical students alike.
After a day full of interesting case presentations and lectures, the first part of the symposium was concluded with a courtesy call to University Rector, Rev. Fr. Rolando Dela Rosa who warmly welcomed the delegates and gave a brief history of the university. This was followed by a cocktail party held at the Quadricentennial park hosted by Rheumatology consultants, Dr. Lyndon Llamado and Dr. Julie Li-Yu. The Pfizer Chorale gave a splendid performance for the invocation followed by an entertaining dance number by the UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe.
At the Rector’s Garden: (l-r) Prof. Chak Sing Lau, Prof. Sandra Navarra, Prof. Jörgen Weislander, Dr. Christopher Edwards, Dr. Silvia Bucciarelli, Rev. Fr. Rolando Dela Rosa O.P., Prof. Feng Pao Hsii, Dr. Swan Sim Yeap, Dr. Marietta De Guzman, Prof. Graham Hughes, Dr. Christine Bernal, Prof. Mo-Yin Temy Mok, and Dr. James Cheng-Chung Wei.
The second and final day of the symposium held as much excitement for an audience hungry for more medical information. Discussion were now focused on updates in treatment of rheumatologic disease entities which was mostly evident in the simultaneous mentoring sessions at the Lab Med Department where the delegates shared opinion and views about current therapy and approach to different cases.
Finally, a culmination dinner was held at the Ramon Magsaysay Building in Malate, Manila to celebrate the huge success of the 2nd Ten Topics in Rheumatology Asia.
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