Juergen Grunert, Nathalie Costedoat-Chalumeau, Simona Rednic, Laurent Arnaud, Maarten Limper, Luca Iaccarino, Lisa Matthews, Vera Guimaraes, Rebecca Fischer-Betz, Marta Mosca, Fransiska Malfait, Marco Matucci-Cerinic, Rosaria Talarico, Vanessa Smith, Alain Cornet, Maurizio Cutolo, Ana Rita Vieira, Carlo Alberto Scirè, Xavier Mariette, Farah Tamirou, Simone Ticciati, Charissa Frank, Angela Tincani, Anna Viola Taulaigo, Benjamin Chaigne, Diana Marinello, Ilaria Galetti, Lorenzo Beretta, Tobias Alexander, Alberto Sulli, Vasco C. Romão, Lorenzo Cavagna, and Alain Meyer
Background The European Reference Network on Rare and Complex Connective Tissue and Musculoskeletal Diseases (ERN ReCONNET) is a virtual Network that aims to improve and standardize the quality of care offered to rCTDs patients in Europe, empower patients, share knowledge and expertise, enhance research, support efficient use of resources. ERN ReCONNET covers 10 rCTDs: APS, UCTD, Idiopathic Inflammatory myopathies, IgG4, MCTD, Systemic sclerosis, Relapsing Polychondritis, SLE, Sjogren and EDS. Objectives Identification of unmet needs in diagnosis, monitoring and management of rCTDs after literature review of existing clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). Methods After the review of existing CPGs, the most relevant unmet needs, both for clinicians and patients, were identified by discussion among the members of the network. Results A considerable number of unmet needs were identified. In particular, the lack of shared classification criteria, of evidence-based CPGs, validated tools for the assessment of treatment response and disease activity/damage are the major unmet needs especially for the rarest rCTDs. Transversal topics for all rCTDs that need to be addressed are the scarcity of EU/international randomised controlled trials, the identification of patient-reported outcomes and non-adherence to treatment, quality of life indicators, the need to develop composite disease activity scores for all rCTDs and specific (inter)national web-based registries. Patients highlighted the need of a more holistic approach to rCTDs, demanding more attention to pain, fatigue and psychological aspects related to the diseases and the promotion of an early diagnosis. Conclusion The identification of rCTDs unmet needs provided a very useful picture on future actions to be undertaken in order to provide a better care to patients. Many activities are ongoing towards these goals in ERN ReCONNET. These will be possible as a result of a EU collaboration among rCTDs stakeholders, the main added value of ERN ReCONNET. Acknowledgement Thanks to all ERN ReCONNET Steering Committe, Healthcare Providers, ePAGs and Team for huge support. Disclosure of Interests Diana Marinello: None declared, Simone Ticciati: None declared, Rosaria Talarico: None declared, Tobias Alexander: None declared, Laurent Arnaud Consultant for: Alexion, Amgen, AstraZeneca, GSK, Janssen-Cilag, LFB, Lilly, Menarini France, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche-Chugai, and UCB., Paid instructor for: Alexion, Amgen, AstraZeneca, GSK, Janssen-Cilag, LFB, Lilly, Menarini France, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche-Chugai, and UCB., Speakers bureau: Alexion, Amgen, AstraZeneca, GSK, Janssen-Cilag, LFB, Lilly, Menarini France, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche-Chugai, and UCB., Lorenzo Cavagna: None declared, Lorenzo Beretta: None declared, Benjamin Chaigne: None declared, Alain Cornet Grant/research support from: No direct financial grants from Pharmaceutical companies, but some grants accrued LUPUS EUROPE does, in the form of Grants or payment for attending advisory boards or providing patient views, Speakers bureau: I have been involved in GSK panels to provide patient perspective. However, the minor service fee obtained accrued to LUPUS EUROPE ratyher than the company, Nathalie Costedoat-Chalumeau: None declared, Rebecca Fischer-Betz Grant/research support from: GlaxoSmithKline and UCB Pharma for performing the LuLa-study., Charissa Hermine Frank: None declared, Ilaria Galetti: None declared, Jurgen Grunert: None declared, vera guimaraes: None declared, Luca Iaccarino: None declared, Maarten Limper Consultant for: GSK, Roche and Thermofisher, Speakers bureau: GSK and Roche, Fransiska Malfait: None declared, Xavier Mariette Grant/research support from: Servier, Consultant for: AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Pfizer, UCB Pharma, lisa matthews: None declared, Marco Matucci-Cerinic Grant/research support from: Actelion, MSD, Pfizer, BMS, Chemomab, Sanipedia, Speakers bureau: Actelion, BMS; MSD, Janssen, alain meyer: None declared, Simona Rednic: None declared, Vasco Romao: None declared, Carlo Alberto Scire: None declared, Vanessa Smith: None declared, Alberto Sulli: None declared, Farah Tamirou: None declared, Anna Viola Taulaigo: None declared, Angela Tincani Consultant for: UCB, Pfizer, Abbvie, BMS, Sanofi, Roche, GSK, AlphaSigma, Lillly, Jannsen, Cellgene, Novartis, Ana Vieira: None declared, Maurizio Cutolo: None declared, Marta Mosca Paid instructor for: GlaxoSmithKline, Lilly, UCB