title: Italian Frontotemporal Dementia Network (FTD Group-SINDEM): sharing clinical and diagnostic procedures in Frontotemporal Dementia in Italy.
abstract: In the prospect of improved disease management and future clinical trials in Frontotemporal Dementia, it is desirable to share common diagnostic procedures. To this aim, the Italian FTD Network, under the aegis of the Italian Neurological Society for Dementia, has been established. Currently, 85 Italian Centers involved in dementia care are part of the network. Each Center completed a questionnaire on the local clinical procedures, focused on (1) clinical assessment, (2) use of neuroimaging and genetics; (3) support for patients and caregivers; (4) an opinion about the prevalence of FTD. The analyses of the results documented a comprehensive clinical and instrumental approach to FTD patients and their caregivers in Italy, with about 1,000 newly diagnosed cases per year and 2,500 patients currently followed by the participating Centers. In analogy to other European FTD consortia, future aims will be devoted to collect data on epidemiology of FTD and its subtypes and to provide harmonization of procedures among Centers.
authors.affiliation: Center of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Neurology Unit, University of Brescia, P.le Spedali Civili 1, 25123, Brescia, Italy, bborroni@inwind.it.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Borroni
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Turrone
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Galimberti
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nacmias
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alberici
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benussi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Caffarra
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caltagirone
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Cappa
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Frisoni
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ghidoni
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marra
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Padovani
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rainero
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scarpini
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Silani
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sorbi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tagliavini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tremolizzo
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Bruni
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D019058:Community Networks; D005260:Female; D057180:Frontotemporal Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence