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Pisa University Hospital and University of Pisa
Endocrinology Pisa University Hospital
University of Pisa
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Dr. Roberto Rocchi

Profile and curriculum

Dr. Roberto Rocchi

Consultant physician, Endocrinology Unit 1, Pisa University Hospital (Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana).

Born in Abbadia San Salvatore (Siena) on 6 May 1963.

Clinical activity

Since June 2010 he has been a consultant physician at Endocrinology Unit 1 (Medical Area Department) of Pisa University Hospital, Cisanello Hospital. He is deputy head of the Centre for the Treatment and Study of Graves’ Disease and Graves’ Ophthalmopathy.

Education

1990–1992
Intern student at the Institute of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Pisa
1983–1993
Degree in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, with the thesis «Colture di cellule trasfettate con il gene del recettore umano del TSH: applicazione clinica per il dosaggio delle immunoglobuline stimolanti ed inibenti l’azione tiroidea» (cultures of cells transfected with the human TSH receptor gene: clinical application to the measurement of thyroid-stimulating and thyroid-blocking immunoglobulins)
1993
Registration with the Medical Board of the Province of Massa-Carrara (no. 1391)
1993–1999
Specialisation in Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Pisa, with the thesis «Valutazione delle complicanze della radioterapia orbitaria in pazienti con oftalmopatia basedowiana» (complications of orbital radiotherapy in patients with Graves’ ophthalmopathy)
2002–2003
IPSEN research grant at the Department of Endocrinology, University of Pisa
2003–2006
Post-doctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Department of Pathology (Autoimmune Disease Center) and Department of Medicine, Baltimore (USA)

Languages

Italian (native language). English: excellent reading and writing, good speaking.

Awards and recognitions

American Thyroid Association Travel Grant bonus for the paper «Mast Cell, TLR-MyD88 and Fc Receptor Pathways Mediate the Thyroid Dysfunction Observed during Non-thyroidal Illness» (R. Rocchi, H. Kimura, A. Pinchera, P. Ladenson, P. Caturegli), 77th Annual Meeting of the American Thyroid Association, Phoenix (Arizona), 11–15 October 2006.

Scientific societies

  • European Group on Graves’ Orbitopathy (EUGOGO), June 2001 – August 2003
  • American Thyroid Association, since 2005
  • Italian Society of Endocrinology, since 2007
  • Italian Thyroid Association, member of the Scientific Secretariat since 2007
  • European Thyroid Association, since 2012

Research interests

  • Diagnosis and treatment of the different types of hyperthyroidism
  • Pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment and complications of Graves’ ophthalmopathy
  • Pathophysiological mechanisms of thyroid function changes during acute and chronic non-thyroidal systemic illness

Publications

Author of 38 original studies, reviews and letters in international peer-reviewed journals, 3 book chapters and the book L’Oftalmopatia Basedowiana (Mediserve, Milan, 2010).

Original studies, reviews and letters in international journals (38)
  1. Vitti P, Chiovato L, Fiore E, Mammoli C, Rocchi R, Pinchera A. Use of cells expressing the human thyrotropin (TSH) receptor for the measurement of thyroid stimulating and TSH-blocking antibodies. Acta Med Austriaca. 1996;23(1-2):52-6. PubMed PMID: 8767515.
  2. Miccoli P, Vitti P, Rago T, Iacconi P, Bartalena L, Bogazzi F, Fiore E, Valeriano R, Chiovato L, Rocchi R, Pinchera A. Surgical treatment of Graves' disease: subtotal or total thyroidectomy? Surgery. 1996 Dec;120(6):1020-4; discussion 1024-5. PubMed PMID: 8957489.
  3. Santini F, Chiovato L, Rocchi R, Marinò M, Pinchera A. Influences of thyroid diseases in diabetic pregnant women. Ann Ist Super Sanita. 1997;33(3):441-5. Review. PubMed PMID: 9542279.
  4. Vitti P, Rago T, Chiovato L, Pallini S, Santini F, Fiore E, Rocchi R, Martino E, Pinchera A. Clinical features of patients with Graves' disease undergoing remission after antithyroid drug treatment. Thyroid. 1997 Jun;7(3):369-75. PubMed PMID: 9226205.
  5. Chiovato L, Fiore E, Vitti P, Rocchi R, Rago T, Dokic D, Latrofa F, Mammoli C, Lippi F, Ceccarelli C, Pinchera A. Outcome of thyroid function in Graves' patients treated with radioiodine: role of thyroid-stimulating and thyrotropin-blocking antibodies and of radioiodine-induced thyroid damage. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1998 Jan;83(1):40-6. Erratum in: J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1998 Jun;83(6):2155. PubMed PMID: 9435414.
  6. Tonacchera M, Chiovato L, Pinchera A, Agretti P, Fiore E, Cetani F, Rocchi R, Viacava P, Miccoli P, Vitti P. Hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules in toxic multinodular goiter share activating thyrotropin receptor mutations with solitary toxic adenoma. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1998 Feb;83(2):492-8. PubMed PMID: 9467563.
  7. Bartalena L, Marcocci C, Manetti L, Tanda ML, Dell'Unto E, Rocchi R, Cartei F, Pinchera A. Orbital radiotherapy for Graves' ophthalmopathy. Thyroid. 1998 May;8(5):439-41. Review. PubMed PMID: 9623740.
  8. Chiovato L, Rocchi R, Fiore E. Radioiodine is an effective, inexpensive, and safe treatment for Graves' hyperthyroidism, its immunological effects must be taken into account. J Endocrinol Invest. 1999 Apr;22(4):310-2. PubMed PMID: 10342367.
  9. Marcocci C, Bartalena L, Tanda ML, Manetti L, Dell'Unto E, Mazzi B, Rocchi R, Barbesino G, Pinchera A. Graves' ophthalmopathy and 131I therapy. Q J Nucl Med. 1999 Dec;43(4):307-12. Review. PubMed PMID: 10731781.
  10. Bartalena L, Manetti L, Tanda ML, Dell'Unto E, Mazzi B, Rocchi R, Barbesino G, Pinchera A, Marcocci C. Soluble interleukin-1 receptor antagonist concentration in patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy is neither related to cigarette smoking nor predictive of subsequent response to glucocorticoids. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2000 May;52(5):647-51. PubMed PMID: 10792346.
  11. Marcocci C, Bartalena L, Tanda ML, Manetti L, Dell'Unto E, Rocchi R, Barbesino G, Mazzi B, Bartolomei MP, Lepri P, Cartei F, Nardi M, Pinchera A. Comparison of the effectiveness and tolerability of intravenous or oral glucocorticoids associated with orbital radiotherapy in the management of severe Graves' ophthalmopathy: results of a prospective, single-blind, randomized study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001 Aug;86(8):3562-7. PubMed PMID: 11502779.
  12. Bartalena L, Marcocci C, Tanda ML, Rocchi R, Mazzi B, Barbesino G, Pinchera A. Orbital radiotherapy for Graves' ophthalmopathy. Thyroid. 2002 Mar;12(3):245-50. Review. PubMed PMID: 11952048.
  13. Marcocci C, Bartalena L, Marinò M, Rocchi R, Mazzi B, Menconi F, Morabito E, Pinchera A. Current medical management of Graves ophthalmopathy. Ophthal Plast Reconstr Surg. 2002 Nov;18(6):402-8. Review. PubMed PMID: 12439051.
  14. Prummel MF, Bakker A, Wiersinga WM, Baldeschi L, Mourits MP, Kendall-Taylor P, Perros P, Neoh C, Dickinson AJ, Lazarus JH, Lane CM, Heufelder AE, Kahaly GJ, Pitz S, Orgiazzi J, Hullo A, Pinchera A, Marcocci C, Sartini MS, Rocchi R, Nardi M, Krassas GE, Halkias A. Multi-center study on the characteristics and treatment strategies of patients with Graves' orbitopathy: the first European Group on Graves' Orbitopathy experience. Eur J Endocrinol. 2003 May;148(5):491-5. PubMed PMID: 12720530.
  15. Marcocci C, Bartalena L, Rocchi R, Marinò M, Menconi F, Morabito E, Mazzi B, Mazzeo S, Sartini MS, Nardi M, Cartei F, Cionini L, Pinchera A. Long-term safety of orbital radiotherapy for Graves' ophthalmopathy. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003 Aug;88(8):3561-6. PubMed PMID: 12915636.
  16. Marcocci C, Marinò M, Rocchi R, Menconi F, Morabito E, Pinchera A. Novel aspects of immunosuppressive and radiotherapy management of Graves' ophthalmopathy. J Endocrinol Invest. 2004 Mar;27(3):272-80. Review. PubMed PMID: 15165004.
  17. Kimura H, Tzou SC, Rocchi R, Kimura M, Suzuki K, Parlow AF, Rose NR, Caturegli P. Interleukin (IL)-12-driven primary hypothyroidism: the contrasting roles of two Th1 cytokines (IL-12 and interferon-gamma). Endocrinology. 2005 Aug;146(8):3642-51. Epub 2005 Apr 28. PubMed PMID: 15860554.
  18. Rocchi R. Clinical utility of autoantibodies directed against TSH-R. MLO Med Lab Obs. 2005 Apr;37(4):10-1, 14-5; quiz 16-7. Erratum in: MLO Med Lab Obs. 2005 May;37(5):28. PubMed PMID: 15895773.
  19. Rocchi R. Critical issues on Graves' ophthalmopathy. MLO Med Lab Obs. 2006 May;38(5):10-2, 14-5; quiz 16-7. PubMed PMID: 16761864.
  20. Rocchi R, Kunavisarut T, Ladenson P, Caturegli P. Thyroid uptake of radioactive iodine and scintigraphy in mice. Thyroid. 2006 Jul;16(7):705-6. PubMed PMID: 16889498.
  21. Caturegli P, Kimura H, Rocchi R, Rose NR. Autoimmune thyroid diseases. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2007 Jan;19(1):44-8. Review. PubMed PMID: 17143095.
  22. Menconi F, Marinò M, Pinchera A, Rocchi R, Mazzi B, Nardi M, Bartalena L, Marcocci C. Effects of total thyroid ablation versus near-total thyroidectomy alone on mild to moderate Graves' orbitopathy treated with intravenous glucocorticoids. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2007 May;92(5):1653-8. Epub 2007 Feb 13. PubMed PMID: 17299076.
  23. Rocchi R, Kimura H, Tzou SC, Suzuki K, Rose NR, Pinchera A, Ladenson PW, Caturegli P. Toll-like receptor-MyD88 and Fc receptor pathways of mast cells mediate the thyroid dysfunctions observed during nonthyroidal illness. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Apr 3;104(14):6019-24. Epub 2007 Mar 26. PubMed PMID: 17389381; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC1851609.
  24. Tomer Y, Menconi F, Davies TF, Barbesino G, Rocchi R, Pinchera A, Concepcion E, Greenberg DA. Dissecting genetic heterogeneity in autoimmune thyroid diseases by subset analysis. J Autoimmun. 2007 Sep-Nov;29(2-3):69-77. Epub 2007 Jul 20. PubMed PMID: 17644307.
  25. Kimura HJ, Rocchi R, Landek-Salgado MA, Suzuki K, Chen CY, Kimura M, Rose NR, Caturegli P. Influence of signal transducer and activator of transcription-1 signaling on thyroid morphology and function. Endocrinology. 2009 Jul;150(7):3409-16. Epub 2009 Mar 26. PubMed PMID: 19325004; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2703527.
  26. Sellari-Franceschini S, Lenzi R, Santoro A, Muscatello L, Rocchi R, Altea MA, Nardi M, Megna L, Marcocci C. Lateral wall orbital decompression in Graves' orbitopathy. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2010 Jan;39(1):16-20. Epub 2009 Nov 14. PubMed PMID: 19914801.
  27. Kimura HJ, Chen CY, Tzou SC, Rocchi R, Landek-Salgado MA, Suzuki K, Kimura M, Rose NR, Caturegli P. Immunoproteasome overexpression underlies the pathogenesis of thyroid oncocytes and primary hypothyroidism: studies in humans and mice. PLoS One. 2009 Nov 17;4(11):e7857. PubMed PMID: 19924240; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2773418.
  28. Leo M, Marcocci C, Pinchera A, Nardi M, Megna L, Rocchi R, Latrofa F, Altea MA, Mazzi B, Sisti E, Profilo MA, Marinò M. Outcome of Graves' orbitopathy after total thyroid ablation and glucocorticoid treatment: follow-up of a randomized clinical trial. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012 Jan;97(1):E44-8. Epub 2011 Oct 26. PubMed PMID: 22031515.
  29. Latrofa F, Ricci D, Montanelli L, Rocchi R, Piaggi P, Sisti E, Grasso L, Basolo F, Ugolini C, Pinchera A, Vitti P. Thyroglobulin Autoantibodies in Patients with Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: Comparison of Different Assays and Evaluation of Causes of Discrepancies. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012 Sep 4. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 22948755.
  30. Rocchi R, Lenzi R, Marinò M, Latrofa F, Nardi M, Piaggi P, Mazzi B, Altea MA, Pinchera A, Vitti P, Marcocci C, Sellari-Franceschini S. Rehabilitative orbital decompression for Graves' orbitopathy: risk factors influencing the new onset of diplopia in primary gaze, outcome, and patients' satisfaction. Thyroid. 2012 Nov;22(11):1170-5. doi: 10.1089/thy.2012.0272. Epub 2012 Oct 16. PubMed PMID: 23072549.
  31. Latrofa F, Ricci D, Montanelli L, Rocchi R, Piaggi P, Sisti E, Grasso L, Basolo F, Ugolini C, Pinchera A, Vitti P. Lymphocytic thyroiditis on histology correlates with serum thyroglobulin autoantibodies in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma: impact on detection of serum thyroglobulin. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012 Jul;97(7):2380-7. doi: 10.1210/jc.2011-2812. Epub 2012 Apr 26. PubMed PMID: 22539585.
  32. Botta R, Lisi S, Marcocci C, Sellari-Franceschini S, Rocchi R, Latrofa F, Menconi F, Altea MA, Leo M, Sisti E, Casini G, Nardi M, Pinchera A, Vitti P, Marinò M. Enalapril reduces proliferation and hyaluronic acid release in orbital fibroblasts. Thyroid. 2013 Jan;23(1):92-6. doi: 10.1089/thy.2012.0373. PubMed PMID: 23030053.
  33. Profilo MA, Sisti E, Marcocci C, Vitti P, Pinchera A, Nardi M, Rocchi R, Latrofa F, Menconi F, Altea MA, Leo M, Rago T, Marinò M. Thyroid volume and severity of graves' orbitopathy. Thyroid. 2013 Jan;23(1):97-102. doi: 10.1089/thy.2012.0379. PubMed PMID: 23088654.
  34. Menconi F, Profilo MA, Leo M, Sisti E, Altea MA, Rocchi R, Latrofa F, Nardi M, Vitti P, Marcocci C, Marinò M. Spontaneous improvement of untreated mild graves' ophthalmopathy: Rundle's curve revisited. Thyroid. 2014 Jan;24(1):60-6. doi: 10.1089/thy.2013.0240. Epub 2013 Dec 9. PubMed PMID: 23980907; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3887427.
  35. Marinò M, Rotondo Dottore G, Menconi F, Comi S, Cosentino G, Rocchi R, Latrofa F, Figus M, Santini F. Role of genetics and epigenetics in Graves' orbitopathy. Eur Thyroid J. 2024 Nov 6;13(6):e240179. doi: 10.1530/ETJ-24-0179. Print 2024 Dec 1. PMID: 39378053 Review.
  36. Cosentino G, Lanzolla G, Comi S, Maglionico MN, Posarelli C, Ciampa DA, Menconi F, Rocchi R, Latrofa F, Figus M, Santini F, Marinò M. Ablative Versus Conservative Approach for Hyperthyroidism Treatment in Patients with Graves' Orbitopathy: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Thyroid. 2025 Mar;35(3):298-306. doi: 10.1089/thy.2024.0633. Epub 2025 Feb 5. PMID: 39909466
  37. Dallan I, Cristofani-Mencacci L, Fiacchini G, Benettini G, Picariello M, Lanzolla G, Lazzerini F, Rocchi R, Turri-Zanoni M, Menconi F, Sellari-Franceschini S, Marinò M. Functional outcomes and complications in refractory dysthyroid optic neuropathy management: Experience with 3 different surgical protocols. Am J Otolaryngol. 2022 May-Jun;43(3):103451. doi: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2022.103451. Epub 2022 Apr 11. PMID: 35439657
  38. Comi S, Cosentino G, Lanzolla G, Menconi F, Maglionico MN, Posarelli C, Latrofa F, Rocchi R, Figus M, Santini F, Marinò M. Long-term outcome of Graves' orbitopathy following treatment with sirolimus. J Endocrinol Invest. 2025 Mar;48(3):607-618. doi: 10.1007/s40618-024-02470-8. Epub 2024 Oct 7. PMID: 39373962
Book chapters (3) and books (1)
  1. Pinchera A, Chiovato L, Gasperi M, Rocchi R. Modificazioni endocrine in menopausa e nell'invecchiamento. In: Menopausa: una visione multidisciplinare. Mediserve, Milan, 1997, p. 23.
  2. Chiovato L, Rocchi R, Pinchera A. Valutazione della funzione tiroidea in gravidanza. In: Tiroide e gravidanza: un approccio multidisciplinare. Mediserve, Milan, 1998, p. 41.
  3. Rocchi R, Chiovato L, Bartalena L. Reference values in endocrinology. In: Pinchera A (ed.), Textbook of Endocrinology. McGraw-Hill, New York, 2001.

Book:

  1. Rocchi R, Marinò M, Marcocci C, Pinchera A. L'Oftalmopatia Basedowiana. Mediserve, Milan, 2010.

Publications on PubMed

Contacts

r.rocchi@ao-pisa.toscana.it

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