Dr. Benzeeta Pinto

Fellowship & Membership

• Indian Rheumatology Association (IRA).
• APLAR Young Rheumatologists (AYR).

Field of Expertise

• Management of all autoimmune diseases.
• Special interest in Lupus and vasculitis.
• Adept at Ultrasound-guided intra-articular injections, muscle biopsy, nerve biopsy and labial minor salivary gland biopsy.
• Has done extensive research in Lupus, Vasculitis, and infection-associated arthritis.

Languages Spoken

• Kannada
• English
• Hindi
• Konkani
• Tamil
• Telugu

Talks & Publications

• Jolly M, Sehgal V, Arora S, Azizoddin D, Pinto B, Sharma A, Devilliers H, Inoue M, Toloza S, Bertoli A, Blazevic I, Vilá LM, Moldovan I, Torralba KD, Mazzoni D, Cicognani E, Hasni S, Goker B, Haznedaroglu S, Bourre-Tessier J, Navarra SV, Clarke A, Weisman M, Wallace D, Mok CC. Does hydroxychloroquine improve patient-reported outcomes in patients with lupus? Lupus. 2021 Jul 26:9612033211033983. DOI: 10.1177/09612033211033983. Epub ahead of print.
• Pinto B, Deo P, Sharma S, Syal A, Sharma A. Expanding the spectrum of DADA2: a review of phenotypes, genetics, pathogenesis and treatment. Clin Rheumatol (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-021-05711-w.
• Naidu, G., Kopp, C.R., Sharma, V, Singhal M, Pinto B, Dhir V, Nada R, Minz RW, Jain S, Sharma A. Validation of the provisional seven-item criteria for the diagnosis of polyarteritis nodosa. Rheumatol Int (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-021-04867-7.
• Charles S, Pinto B, Shobha V. Pancreatitis in systemic lupus erythematosus: Clinical characterization and outcome analysis in concurrent pancreatitis and lupus. Indian J Rheumatol. doi: 10.4103/injr.injr_287_20.
• Shobha V, Chanakya K, Haridas V et al. Do all patients with rheumatic diseases have a higher risk of COVID 19? Initial results from the Karnataka Rheumatology Association COVID 19 Cohort Study (KRACC). Indian J Rheumatol. doi: 10.4103/injr.injr_261_20.
• Pinto B, Desai AM, Furruqh F, Sangeeta KN, Charles BS, Raj JM, Janardana R, Shobha V. US7 score in the subacute phase does not correlate with outcomes in Chikungunya arthritis. Indian J Rheumatol. doi: 10.4103/injr.injr_265_2.
• Pinto B, Janardana R, Kaimal S, et al. Nondigital skin ulcers in systemic sclerosis: A neglected entity. Indian J Rheumatol. doi:10.4103 /injr.injr_253_20.
• Samanta J, Naidu G, Mittal S, Pinto B, Nada R, Bal A, Singh R, Gupta V, Gupta A, Sharma A. TA-AAV: Are the visual outcomes different from GCA? Arthritis Rheumatol. 2021 Feb 18. doi: 10.1002/art.41698.
• Ahmed S, Pinto B. The peer-review process in Asia. Cent Asian J Med Hypotheses Ethics 2020;2(2):136–141. https://doi.org/10.47316/cajmhe.2020.1.2.06.
• Takkar S, Jyotsna M, Goyal P, Chaudhary A, Vipperla S, Hemalatha Y, Midha V, John M, Kakollu A, Tandon A, Puri S, Anupama H, Priya G, Pinto B, Reddy VP, Irukulla MM, Takkar A, Kaur M, Karak S, Vegesna R, K. Chhina D, Kapoor MP, Adapa S. Consensus Scientific Statement on Advisory Working Guidelines and Recommendations for the Female Population in COVID-19 Era by WINCARS. Indian J Cardiovasc Dis Women WINCARS. 2020;5(03):175-194. doi:10.1055/s-0040-1718607.
• Pinto B, Roongta R. COVID-19 Pandemic in Women–Rheumatologist’s Perspective. Indian J Cardiovasc Dis Women WINCARS. 2020;5(03):250-255. doi:10.1055/s-0040-1717045.
• Pinto B, Dhooria A, Grover S, Jolly M, Raj JM, Sharma A. Fatigue and its correlates in Indian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Clin Rheumatol. 2020. doi:10.1007/s10067-020-05445-1.
• Pinto B, Dhooria A. Is it time to say goodbye to weekly rituximab in ANCA vasculitis? Clin Rheumatol. Oct;39(10):3153-3154. doi:10.1007/s10067-020-05360-5.
• Pinto B, Ahmed S. The muscle rap. Indian J Rheumatol. 2020;15:225. doi:10.4103/injr.injr_49_20.
• Janardana R, Haridas V, Priya V, Bhat V,Singh Y, Rao VK, Jois R, Srikantiah C, Pinto B, Shobha. Maternal and fetal outcomes of lupus pregnancies: A collective effort by Karnataka Rheumatologists. Lupus. 2020 Oct;29(11):1397-1403. doi:10.1177/0961203320944503.
• Pinto B, Jolly M, Dhooria A, Grover S, Raj JM, Devilliers H, Sharma A. Hindi LupusPRO: cross-cultural validation of disease-specific patient-reported outcome measure of lupus. Lupus. 2019 Nov;28(13):1534-1540 2019 doi:10.1177/0961203319880340.
• Pinto B, Grover S, Dhooria A, Rathi M, Sharma A. Sexual functioning and its correlates in premenopausal married Indian women with systemic lupus erythematosus. Int J Rheum Dis. 2019 Oct;22(10):1814-1819. doi: 10.1111/1756-185X.13675.
• Sharma A, Rajan R, Modi M, Pinto B, Dhooria A, Rathi M, Mittal T, Kumar S, Sharma K, Dhir V, Nada R, Minz RW, Singh S. Neurological Manifestations Do not Affect Cumulative Survival in Indian Patients with Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody Associated Vasculitis. Neurol India. 2019 Jul-Aug;67(4):1043-1047. doi: 10.4103/0028-3886.266234.
• Pinto B, Janardana R, Nadig R, Mahadevan A, Bhatt AS, Raj JM, Shobha V. Comparison of the 2017 EULAR/ACR criteria with Bohan and Peter criteria for the classification of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. Clin Rheumatol. 2019 Jul;38(7):1931-1934. doi: 10.1007/s10067-019-04512-6.
• Sharma A, Naidu G, Rathi M, Verma R, Modi M, Pinto B, Sharma K, Dhir V, Singhal M, Prakash M, Nada R, Panda N, Minz R. Clinical features and long-term outcomes of 105 granulomatosis with polyangiitis patients: A single-centre experience from north India. Int J Rheum Dis. 2018 Jan;21(1):278-284. doi: 10.1111/1756-185X.13071.
• Sharma A, Lakshman A, Nampoothiri RV, Verma R, Rathi M, Naidu G, Pinto B, Sharma K, Dhir V, Nada R, Minz R, Panda N, Jain S. Pulmonary and ear, nose and throat (ENT) involvement in anca-associated vasculitis at diagnosis-experience from a tertiary care centre in north India. J Assoc Physicians India. 2017 Oct;65(12):40-47.
• Pinto B, Sharma A. Tuberculosis in rheumatology practice: The many faces of an old foe. Indian Journal of Rheumatology. Indian J Rheumatol 2017;12:130-1 doi: 10.4103/0973-3698.212828.
• Sharma A, Pinto B, Dhooria A, Rathi M, Singhal M, Dhir V, Sharma K, Parkash M, Modi M, Vijayvergiya R, Sinha SK, Nada R, Minz RW, Singh S. Polyarteritis nodosa in north India: clinical manifestations and outcomes. Int J Rheum Dis. 2017 Mar;20(3):390-397 doi: 10.1111/1756-185X.12954.
• Sharma A, Pinto B, Dogra S, Sharma K, Goyal P, Sagar V, Dhir V, Sharma S, Singh S. A case series and review of Poncet's disease, and the utility of current diagnostic criteria. Int J Rheum Dis. 2016 Oct;19(10):1010-1017. doi: 10.1111/1756-185X.12726.
• Rathi M, Pinto B, Dhooria A, Sagar V, Mittal T, Rajan R, Dhir V, Kumar S, Sharma K, Nada R, Singh S, Minz RW, Sharma A. Impact of renal involvement on survival in ANCA-associated vasculitis. Int Urol Nephrol. 2016 Sep;48(9):1477-82 doi: 10.1007/s11255-016-1330-z.
• Sharma A, Sagar V, Prakash M, Gupta V, Khaire N, Pinto B, Dhir V, Bal A, Aggarwal A, Kumar S, Sharma K, Rathi M, Das A, Singh R, Singh S, Gupta A. Giant cell arteritis in India: Report from a tertiary care center along with total published experience from India. Neurol India. 2015 Sep-Oct;63(5):681-6. doi: 10.4103/0028-3886.166543.
• Dhir V, Sandhu A, Kaur J, Pinto B, Kumar P, Kaur P, Gupta N, Sood A, Sharma A, Sharma S. Comparison of two different folic acid doses with methotrexate--a randomized controlled trial (FOLVARI Study). Arthritis Res Ther. 2015 Jun 11;17(1):156. doi: 10.1186/s13075-015-0668-4.
• Sagar V, Pinto B, Lal A, Kumar M, Rathi M, Sharma K, Ray P, Sharma A. Nocardia pyomyositis in a patient with granulomatosis with polyangiitis. Int J Rheum Dis. 2017 Nov;20(11):1848-1849. doi: 10.1111/1756-185X.12623.
• Dhir V, Pinto B. Antiphospholipid syndrome: A review. J Mahatma Gandhi Inst Med Sci 2014;19:19-27 doi: 10.4103/0971-9903.126231.
• Pinto B, Goyal P, Flora SJ, Gill KD, Singh S. Chronic arsenic poisoning following ayurvedic medication. J Med Toxicol. 2014 Dec;10(4):395-8. doi: 10.1007/s13181-014-0389-0.
• Pinto B, Dhir V, Singh PK, Gowda KK, Sharma A. Granulomatosis with polyangiitis and severe respiratory involvement. J Emerg Med. 2014 Sep;47(3):e79-81. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2014.01.037.
• Dhir V, Pinto B, Anakutti HP, Yadav MK, Sharma S, Sharma A. Henoch-Schönlein purpura: hitting the 'target' on CT. Arab J Gastroenterol. 2014 Mar;15(1):42-3. doi: 10.1016/j.ajg.2014.01.010.
• Pinto B, Dhir V, Dambalkar A, De D, Kumar M, Sharma P. Bullous lesion with central umbilication in leukemia. Int J Dermatol. 2014 Feb;53(2):145-6. doi: 10.1111/ijd.12348.
• Sharma A, Dogra S, Pinto B, Sharma K, Singh R, Dhir V, Sharma SK, Kakkar N, Radotra B, Singh S. Poncet's disease presenting as Pseudo-Behçet's disease. Int J Rheum Dis. 2013 Aug;16(4):483-5. doi: 10.1111/1756-185X.12121.
• Pinto B, Dhir V, Krishnan S, Nada R. Leflunomide-induced DRESS syndrome with renal involvement and vasculitis. Clin Rheumatol. 2013 May;32(5):689-93. doi: 10.1007/s10067-012-2152-8.
• Women’s Day: Women more prone to autoimmune diseases in their reproductive age - Dr. Benzeeta Pinto, Consultant Rheumatology, Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road.Click Here
• Dr. Benzeeta Pinto on World Lupus Day 2022: All You Need To Know About Lupus Disease | Healthwire | World Lupus Day. Click Here

Awards & Achievements

• Bactroban Prize in Dermatology (2005) for securing the highest marks in special examination in St. John’s Medical College.
• Mrs. Annamma Antony Athiparampil Prize (2007) for securing highest marks in General Medicine in 2006 in St. John’s Medical College.
• First place in a quiz on “War Against Sepsis” (2011) conducted by Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine in PGIMER, Chandigarh.
• Best Poster prize in Indian Rheumatology Association Conference (IRACON) 2019 for poster on H syndrome: a novel genodermatosis mimicking IgG4 related disease.