Photo of Dr Coziana Ciurtin

Dr Coziana Ciurtin

Email:

Location:

  • University College Hospital

GMC/GDC number:

7026161

Professional background

Dr Coziana Ciurtin is associate professor and honorary consultant in adult and adolescent rheumatology at University College London (UCL). Her professional interests include pathogenesis of inflammatory arthritis, lupus and Sjogren's syndrome, adolescent rheumatology and musculoskeletal ultrasonography. She is the principal investigator of the Centre for Adolescent Rheumatology Versus Arthritis at UCL, currently leading on lab research focused on the role of puberty in the development of autoimmune rheumatic diseases, role of machine learning in personalised treatment approaches for lupus and Sjogren's syndrome.

Dr Ciurtin completed her clinical training in rheumatology in Bucharest, Romania (2002-2006). She also holds an MSc in biophysics and cellular biotechnology (2002) and a PhD in rheumatology (2007) from the “Carol Davila” University of Medicine, Bucharest, Romania (the last in collaboration with University of Leeds, UK) and an MSc in rheumatology (distinction) from University of Oxford, UK (2012). She subsequently trained in paediatric and adolescent rheumatology in 2018.

Specialties

Research interests

  • Long-term outcomes in adolescent and young adult patients with lupus and inflammatory arthritis
  • Personalised medicine and clinical trials in adolescent and young adult rheumatology patients
  • Ultrasound and MRI imaging biomarkers for management of inflammatory arthritis accross age

Languages spoken

Romanian, French

Publications

Research papers:

  • Robinson G, Peng J, Dönnes P, Coelewij L, Naja M, Radziszewska A, Wincup C, Peckham H, Isenberg D, Ioannou Y, Pineda-Torra I†, Ciurtin C†, Jury E1† († shared senior authorship), Disease-associated and patient-specific immune cell signatures in juvenile-onset SLE: patient stratification using a machine learning approach, The Lancet Rheumatology, https://doi.org/10.1016/S2665-9913(20)30168-5
  • Hussain SB, Botelho J, Machado V, Zehra, SA, Mendes JJ, Ciurtin C, Orlandi M, D’Aiuto F (2020), Is there a bidirectional association between rheumatoid arthritis and periodontitis? A systematic review and meta-analysis, Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism, 2020 Jan 31. pii: S0049-0172(20)30009-3. doi: 10.1016/j.semarthrit.2020.01.009
  • Massias J, Smith EMD, Al-Abadi E, Armon K, Bailey K, Ciurtin C, Davidson J, Gardner-Medwin J …Beresford MW, Hedrich CM, on behalf of the UK JSLE Study Group (2020), Clinical and laboratory characteristics in juvenile-onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus across age groups, Lupus, 2020 Apr;29(5):474-481. doi: 10.1177/0961203320909156.
  • Campanilho-Marques R, Deakin CT, Simou S, Papadopoulou C, Wedderburn LR, Pilkington CA, Juvenile Dermatomyositis Research Group (JDRG) (2020) (C. Ciurtin as part of JDRG), Retrospective analysis of infliximab and adalimumab treatment in a large cohort of juvenile dermatomyositis patients, Arthritis Research and Therapy, 22(1):79-79
  • Bray T, Sakai N, Dudek A, Fisher C, Rajesparan K, Lopes A, Ciurtin C, Sen D, Bainbridge A, Hall-Craggs M. Histographic Analysis of Oedema and Fat in Inflamed Bone Marrow based on Quantitative MRI, European Radiology (2020), pp 1-11; doi:10.1007/s00330-020-06785-x
  • Belot A, Rice GI, Omarjee SO, Rouchon Q, Smith EMD, Moreews M, Tusseau M, Frachette C, Bournhonesque R, Thielens N, … and the UK JSLE study group (C. Ciurtin as member of UK JSLE group) (2020). Contribution of rare and predicted pathogenic gene variants to childhood-onset lupus: a large, genetic panel analysis of British and French cohorts, The Lancet Rheumatology 2(2):e99-e109 01
  • Ciurtin C, Sin F, Hall-Craggs M, Sen D (2019), Hard lumps under the skin, BMJ 2019; 365 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l2291
  • Robinson G, Adriani M, Radziszewska A, Peckham H, Isenberg DA, Ioannou Y, Ciurtin C†, Pineda-Torra I†, Jury EC†(2019).†Share senior authorship. Sex differences in autoimmunity could be associated with altered regulatory T cell phenotype and lipoprotein metabolism. MS ID#: BIORXIV/2019/760975. 2019.
  • Al-Laith, M., Jasenecova, M., Abraham, S., Bosworth, A., Bruce, I. N., Buckley, C. Ciurtin C, . . . Cope, A. P. (2019). Arthritis prevention in the pre-clinical phase of RA with abatacept (the APIPPRA study): a multi-centre, randomised, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled clinical trial protocol. Trials, 20 (1), 429. doi:10.1186/s13063-019-3403-7
  • Ciurtin C, Jones A, Brown G, Sin F, Raine C, Manson J, Giles I (2019). Real benefits of ultrasound evaluation of hand and foot synovitis for better characterisation of the disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis, European Radiology, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-019-06187-8 (highlighted in Applied Radiology Oct 2019 - https://appliedradiology.com/articles/musculoskeletal-ultrasound-aids-diagnosis-and-treatment-of-rheumatoid-arthritis).
  • Bradford C, McDonnel T, Raj D, Robinson G, Cole A…., Isenberg D, Ciurtin C, Manson J, Jury E (2019), Characterization of a subset of patients with rheumatoid arthritis for whom current management strategies are inadequate, ACR Open Rheumatology, doi:10.1002/acr2.1021
  • Smith E, Al-Abadi E, Armon K, Bailey K, Ciurtin C, Davidson J, Gardner-Medwin G, Haslam K, Hawley D, Leahy A, Leone V et al. (2019). Outcomes following mycophenolate mofetil versus cyclophosphamide induction treatment for proliferative juvenile-onset lupus nephritis, Lupus, 2019, 961203319836712 - 961203319836712.
  • Webb K, Peckham H, Radziszewska A, Menon M, Oliveri P, Simpson F, Deakin C, Lee S, Ciurtin C, Butler G, Wedderburn L and Ioannou Y (2019). Sex and pubertal differences in the type 1 interferon pathway associate with both X chromosome number and serum sex hormone concentration, Frontiers in Immunology. 2018; 9: 3167. Published online 2019 Jan 15. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.03167
  • Robinson GA, Mcdonnell T, Wincup C, Martin-Gutierrez L, Wilton J, Kalea AZ, Ciurtin C, Pineda-Torra I, Jury EC (2019). Diet and lupus: what do the patients think?, Lupus. 2019 May;28(6):755-763. doi: 10.1177/0961203319845473
  • Hall-Craggs M, Bray T, Ciurtin C; Bainbridge A (2019). Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging has potential for assessment of spondyloarthritis; the arguments for its exploration and use. Journal of Rheumatology, May 2019, 46 (5) 541-542; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3899/jrheum.181049.
  • Lei L, Morgan S, Ntatsaki E, Ciurtin C (2019), Comparative Assessment of Hand Joint Ultrasound Findings in Symptomatic Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Sjögren's Syndrome: A Pilot Study, Ultrasound Med Biol. 2018 Nov 3. pii: S0301-5629.
  • Nguyen D, Cotton A, Attipoe L, Ciurtin C, Dore C, Ehrenstein M (2018), Anti-TNF antibody binding to monocytes triggering increased regulatory T cell frequency predicts therapeutic response in rheumatoid arthritis, J Allergy Clin Immun, 2018 Jun 14. pii: S0091-6749(18)30697-3
  • 18. C. Ciurtin (as member of RA-MAP Consortium) (2018), Novel methodology to discern predictors of remission and patterns of disease activity over time using rheumatoid arthritis clinical trials data. RMD open. 4(2):e000721.
  • Sivakumaran, P., Hussain, S., & Ciurtin, C. (2018). Comparison between several ultrasound (US) hand joint scores and conventional radiography in diagnosing hand osteoarthritis (OA). Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, Mar;44(3):544-55
  • Sivakumaran, P., Hussain, S., & Ciurtin, C. (2018). Diagnostic accuracy of simplified ultrasound hand examination protocols for detection of inflammation and disease burden in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Acta Radiologica, 2018 Jan 1:284185118773507.
  • Sangha M, Wright M and Ciurtin C (2018), Strongly positive anti CCP antibodies in patients with sacroiliitis and reactive arthritis: a mini case-series based-review, International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases. 2018 Jan;21(1):315-321
  • Hussain S, Sivakumaran P, Gill A, Dhas D and Ciurtin C (2018), Ultrasonography-detected subclinical inflammation in patients with hand osteoarthritis and established rheumatoid arthritis: a comparison between two different pathologies using the same ultrasound examination protocol, Musculoskeletal Care, 2018 Mar;16(1):26-31
  • Bray T, Lopes A, Fisher C, Ciurtin C, Sen D, Hall-Craggs M (2018), Sacroiliac Joint Ankylosis In Young Spondyloarthritis Patients Receiving Biologic Therapy: Observation of Serial MRI scans, Arthritis and Rheumatism, https://doi.org/10.1002/art.40750
  • Alani H, Henty J, Thompson N, Jury E and Ciurtin C (2018), Systematic review and meta-analysis of the epidemiology of secondary Sjögren’s syndrome, Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology, 2018 Mar;47(2):141-154.
  • Virdee S, Greenan-Barrett J, Ciurtin C (2017) A systematic review of primary Sjögren’s syndrome in male and paediatric populations, Clinical Rheumatology, 2017; 36(10): 2225–2236.
  • Ciurtin, C., Wyszynski, K., Clarke, R., Mouyis, M., Manson, J., & Marra, G. (2016). Ultrasound-detected subclinical inflammation was better reflected by the disease activity score (DAS-28) in patients with suspicion of inflammatory arthritis compared to established rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical Rheumatology, 2016 Oct;35(10):2411-9.
  • Mouyis, M., Fitz-Clarence, H., Manson, J., & Ciurtin, C. (2016). Teriparatide: an unexpected adjunct for the treatment of a long-standing infected elbow prosthesis prevented arm amputation. Clinical Rheumatology, 34 (4), 799-800.
  • Evans, R. D. R., Laing, C. M., Ciurtin, C., & Walsh, S. B. (2016). Tubulointerstitial nephritis in primary Sjögren syndrome: Clinical manifestations and response to treatment. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 17 (1). doi:10.1186/s12891-015-0858-x
  • Ciurtin C, Pitiyage G, de Villiers P, Glynne, P (2015), Investigating bilateral ankle swelling, International Archives of Medicine, Vol. 8 No. 238, doi: 10.3823/1837
  • Ciurtin, C., Leandro, M., Fitz-Clarence, H., Nguyen, H., Walsh, S. B., & Isenberg, D. A. (2015). Clinical trials perception in rheumatology patients: Experience from a single rheumatology tertiary center. Journal of Rheumatology, 42 (6), 988-993. doi:10.3899/jrheum.141091
  • Ciurtin, C., Shirodaria, A., Manson, J., & Macmillan, R. (2015). Polyarteritis nodosa associated with necrosis of the tongue: A rare presentation in an adult patient. British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 53 (9), 883-885. doi:10.1016/j.bjoms.2015.06.009
  • Evans, R., Zdebik, A., Ciurtin, C., & Walsh, S. B. (2015). Renal involvement in primary Sjögren's syndrome. Rheumatology (Oxford, England), 54 (9), 1541-1548. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/kev223
  • Ciurtin, C., & Roussou, E. (2013). Cross-sectional study assessing family members of psoriatic arthritis patients affected by the same disease: Differences between Caucasian, South Asian and Afro-Caribbean populations living in the same geographic region. International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases, 16 (4), 418-424.
  • Rusu, E., Jinga, M., Rusu, F., Ciurtin, C., Enache, G., Dragomir, A., . . . Radulian, G. (2013). Statin therapy in patients with diabetes and hepatitis C. Farmacia, 61 (6), 1204-1215.
  • Roussou, E., Ciurtin, C (2012)– The overlap between fibromyalgia points and enthesitis sites in patients with inflammatory back pain and widespread body pains – Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology, 30 (6), 34-40.
  • Ciurtin, C. (associated author) (2011) – Preliminary criteria for the very early diagnosis of systemic sclerosis: results of a Delphi Consensus Study from EULAR Scleroderma Trials and Research Group, Ann Rheum Dis 2011;70:476-481
  • V.M.Cojocaru, C. Ciurtin, E. Uyy, F. Antohe (2011), NANO-LC Mass Spectrometry proteomic tear secretion analysis in patients with secondary Sjögren’s syndrome. Digest Journal of Nanomaterials and Biostructures, 6 (2), pp. 507-511.
  • E. Rusu, G. Radulian, F. Rusu, G. Enache , A. Dragomir, M. Jinga, C. Ciurtin, I. Ancuta, V. Stoica, D.M. Cheta (2011), Hepatic steatosis in patients with hepatitic C, Romanian Journal of Diabetes Nutrition & Metabolic Diseases; 18 (1): 39-48.
  • C. Ciurtin, Y. Majeed, J. Naylor, P. Sukumar, A. English, P. Emery, D.J. Beech (2010), TRPM3 channel stimulated by pregnenolone sulphate in synovial fibroblasts and negatively coupled to hyaluronan. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 11:111, 1274-88.
  • E. Rusu, G. Radulian, F. Rusu, G. Enache, A. Dragomir, A. Stoica , M. Jinga, C. Ciurtin, V. Stoica, D.M. Cheta (2010), The impact of an educational program in the management of patients with chronic hepatitis C, Romanian Journal of Diabetes Nutrition & Metabolic Diseases; 17 (4): 291-297.
  • P.L.von Leithner, C. Ciurtin, G. Jeffery (2010), Microscopic mammalian retinal pigment epithelium lesions induce widespread proliferation with differences in magnitude between center and periphery, Molecular Vision ; 16:570-581.
  • Xu SZ, Sukumar P, Zeng F, Li J, Jairaman A, English A, Naylor J, Ciurtin C, Majeed Y, Milligan CJ, Bahnasi YM, Al-Shawaf E, Porter KE, Jiang LH, Emery P, Sivaprasadarao A, Beech DJ (2008), TRPC channel activation by extracellular thioredoxin. Nature, 451 (7174), 69-72.
  • C.Ciurtin, V.M.Cojocaru, S.Arama, V. Stoica (2008), Epidemiology of ocular involvement in autoimmune diseases, Romanian Journal of Internal Medicine, 2008, vol 46, no 3, pp 243-249.
  • C. Ciurtin, V. Stoica (2008), Hepatitis C infection, adipokines and hepatic steato-fibrosis, Journal of Medicine and Life, vol 1, nr 1, pp 50-56.
  • V. M. Cojocaru, C. Ciurtin, E. Uyy , S. S. Arama, V. Arama, F. Antohe (2008), Comparative methods for detection of protein tear composition among patients with Secondary Sjögren’s Syndrome, Revue Roumaine de Chimie, XII, pp 245-254.
  • C. Ciurtin, A. Nicolescu, L. Stefan, C. Deleanu, E. Kovacs (2007), Assessment of diabetic urine composition using H1-MRS method, Revue Roumaine de Chimie,, 24(5), 34-42.
  • C. Ciurtin, V.M. Cojocaru, I.M. Miron, F. Preda, M. Milicescu, M. Bojinca, O.Costan, A. Nicolescu, C. Deleanu, E. Kovacs, V. Stoica (2006) – Correlation between different components of synovial fluid and the pathogenesis of Rheumatic diseases – Romanian Journal of Internal Medicine, 44, 2, pp171-183.
  • A.Tomi, V. M.Cojocaru, C.Preda, C. Ciurtin (2006), The value of angiofluorography in serous central retinopathy diagnosis, Oftalmologia;50(4):pp30-32, 2006
  • V.M Cojocaru. C. Ciurtin, E Puchianu, F. Antohe (2006) – Lachrymal proteins electrophoretic analysis-diagnostic method in secondary Sjogren syndrome, Oftalmologia; 50(4): pp 60-63.
  • V.M Cojocaru. C. Ciurtin, E Puchianu, F. Antohe (2006) – Electrophoretic analysis of lachrymal proteins-diagnostic method in secondary Sjogren Syndrome- Oftalmologia; 50(3): pp 3-5.

Reviews:

  • Mehta P, Ciurtin C, Scully M, Levi M, Chambers R (2020), JAK inhibitors in COVID-19: need for vigilance regarding increased inherent thrombotic risk. Eur Respir J 2020; in press (https://doi.org/10.1183/13993003.01919-2020)
  • Naja M, Wedderburn L, Ciurtin C (2020), COVID-19 infection in children and adolescents, British Journal of Hospital Medicine, in press
  • Bray T, Ciurtin C, Hall-Craggs M (2019), Letter to the editor, Arthritis and Rheumatology, doi: 10.1002/art.41049
  • Varnier, C. Ciurtin C (2019), Outcome measures of disease activity used for paediatric and adolescent rheumatic diseases, British Journal of Hospital Medicine, https://doi.org/10.12968/hmed.2019.80.6.338.
  • Jones A, Cotton A, Guinto J, Wilton J, Ciurtin C (2018). Outcome measures for disease activity in rare autoimmune diseases, British Journal of Hospital Medicine, 2018 Jul 2;79(7):396-401.
  • Jones A, Ciurtin C, Ismajli M, Leandro M, Sengupta R, Machado PM (2018). Biologics for treating axial spondyloarthritis. Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2018 May 7:1-12.
  • Schurich A, Raine C, Morris V and Ciurtin C (2018), The role of IL-12/23 in T–cell related chronic inflammation; implications of immunodeficiency and therapeutic blockade, Rheumatology (Oxford), 2018 Feb 1;57(2):246-254.
  • Ciurtin C (2017) (member of RA-MAP Consortium): The RA-MAP Consortium: a working model for academia-industry collaboration. Nature Reviews Rheumatology 2017, 14, 53-60
  • Brown G, Cotton, A, Guinto J, Sharma A and Ciurtin C (2017), Outcome measures of disease activity in inflammatory arthritis, British Journal of Hospital Medicine, Aug (2), 78(8), 432-437.
  • Thompson, N, Isenberg, D, Jury, E, Ciurtin C (2016), Exploring BAFF: its expression, receptors and contribution to the immunopathogenesis of Sjögren’s syndrome, Rheumatology (Oxford), 2016 Sep;55(9):1548-55.
  • Elyoussfi, S., Thomas, B. J., Ciurtin, C. (2016). Tailored treatment options for patients with psoriatic arthritis and psoriasis: review of established and new biologic and small molecule therapies. Rheumatology International, 1-10. doi:10.1007/s00296-016-3436-0
  • Ciurtin, C., Ostas, A., Cojocaru, V. M., Walsh, S. B., & Isenberg, D. A. (2015). Advances in the treatment of ocular dryness associated with Sjögren's syndrome. Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism, 45 (3), 321-327. doi:10.1016/j.semarthrit.2015.06.007
  • Sada, P. R. U., Isenberg, D., & Ciurtin, C. (2015). Biologic treatment in Sjögren's syndrome. Rheumatology (Oxford, England), 54 (2), 219-230. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/keu417
  • Veitch, D., Valentino, S., Mouyis, M., & Ciurtin, C. (2014). Limb-girdle muscle weakness. British Journal of Hospital Medicine, 75, C86-C91. doi:10.12968/hmed.2014.
  • Rusu, E., Jinga, M., Rusu, F., Ciurtin, C., Enache, G., Dragomir, A., . . . Radulian, G. (2013). Statin therapy in patients with diabetes and hepatitis C. Farmacia, 61 (6), 1204-1215.
  • 66. E. Rusu, G. Radulian, F. Rusu, G. Enache , A. Dragomir, M. Jinga, C. Ciurtin, I. Ancuta, V. Stoica, D.M. Cheta (2011), Hepatic steatosis in patients with hepatitic C, Romanian Journal of Diabetes Nutrition & Metabolic Diseases; 18 (1): 39-48.
  • V.M Cojocaru. C. Ciurtin, M. Pop, A. Tomi, P. Grecu (2006) – Ophthalmologic involvement in rheumatic diseases - Oftalmologia; 50(2): pp56-61.

Books:

  • Editor: Ciurtin, C., & Isenberg, D. (2016). Biologics in Rheumatology ISBN 978-1-63485-275-6. New York: Nova Science Publishing House

Book chapters:

  • Ciurtin C, Tucker L (2020), Sjogren syndrome and IgG4 disease - Textbook of Pediatric Rheumatology, Harvard – in press.
  • Su-Ann Yeoh, Ciurtin, C (2020) – Hematological manifestations associated with Sjogren’s syndrome– Oxford Textbook of Sjögren’s syndrome, Oxford University Press – in press.
  • Su-Ann Yeoh, Ciurtin, C (2020) – Biological symptoms (constitutional and fatigue) in primary Sjögren’s syndrome, Oxford Textbook of Sjögren’s syndrome, Oxford University Press – in press.
  • Jones A, Leandro M, Ciurtin C, Sengupta R, Machado P (2019), Biologics in spondyloarthritis, Oxford Textbook of Spondyloarthritis, Oxford University Press.
  • Madenidou A, Ciurtin C (2020), Monoclonal antibodies in rheumatology in Monoclonal antibodies, editor Assem El Baghdady- in press
  • Ciurtin, C., & Mant, T. (2020). Drug Development and Clinical Trials Translational Medicine Medicine for MRCP Oxford University Press. In R. Bessant, J. Birns (Eds.), Medicine for MRCP. Oxford UK: Oxford University Press.
  • Orlandi M, D’Aiuto F, Ciurtin C, Porter S (2019), Lupus and the Mouth, ebook, in print.
  • Mouyis, M, Ciurtin, C., Isenberg D (2016), Biologic therapies for systemic lupus erythematosus, Biologics in Rheumatology ISBN 978-1-63485-275-6, New York: Nova Science Publishing House.
  • Bechman, K., Attipoe, L., Ciurtin, C. (2016) TNF inhibitors used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: evidence of safety, efficacy and health implications, Biologics in Rheumatology ISBN 978-1-63485-275-6, New York: Nova Science Publishing House.
  • Attipoe, L., Bechman, K., Ciurtin, C. (2016) Biologic treatments (other than anti TNF agents) licensed for use in rheumatoid arthritis, Biologics in Rheumatology ISBN 978-1-63485-275-6, New York: Nova Science Publishing House.
  • Attipoe, L., Bechman, K., Ciurtin, C. (2016) New biologic agents and biosimilar developed for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, Biologics in Rheumatology ISBN 978-1-63485-275-6, New York: Nova Science Publishing House.
  • Thomas B, Elyoussfi, S., Ciurtin, C. (2016) Established and new biologic therapies for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, Biologics in Rheumatology ISBN 978-1-63485-275-6, New York: Nova Science Publishing House.
  • Thompson, N, Isenberg, Ciurtin C. (2016). Biologic treatment advances in Sjögren’s syndrome: understanding the implications of using biologic therapies in selected categories of patients, Biologics in Rheumatology ISBN 978-1-63485-275-6, New York: Nova Science Publishing House.