Recent Developments in Systemic Sclerosis and Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

 

A CME-certified supplement to Rheumatology News.
Supported by an educational grant from Actelion Jointly sponsored by University of Louisville Continuing Health Sciences Education and Global Academy for Medical Education.
This activity was written from interviews with the faculty in addition to scientific information presented at Perspectives in Rheumatic Diseases 2010TM.

•Faculty
•Topic Highlights
•Target Audience
•Educational Needs
•Learning Objectives
•Disclosure
•Accreditation

To view the supplement, click the image above.

Faculty

Daniel E. Furst, MD
Carl M. Pearson Professor of Medicine
Department of Medicine
Division of Rheumatology
David Geffen School of Medicine
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Ronald J. Oudiz, MD
Professor of Medicine
Division of Cardiology
David Geffen School of Medicine
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Director, Liu Center for Pulmonary Hypertension
Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Torrance, California

Topic Highlights

• Lung Disease in Systemic Sclerosis

• Systemic Sclerosis and Pulmonary Hypertension: Emerging Therapeutic Options
Target Audience

This educational activity is designed for physicians, and other health care professionals involved in the care and clinical management of patients with systemic sclerosis, particularly those patients with pulmonary manifestations.
Educational Needs

Systemic sclerosis is an uncommon but incurable connective tissue disorder. The condition has an especially poor prognosis in patients with major-organ involvement. In recent years, pulmonary disease-including pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and interstitial lung disease-has supplanted renal failure as the principal cause of death in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Advances in diagnostic techniques, particularly right-heart catheterization, have improved clinicians' ability to distinguish PAH from the broader category of pulmonary hypertension, a key step toward earlier, more appropriate therapy. Clinical management remains symptom driven, although expansion of therapeutic options has created the potential to improve symptom control, quality of life, and survival.
Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this educational activity, participants should be able to:

• Describe the pathogenesis, manifestations, and symptoms of systemic sclerosis with pulmonary involvement

• Appreciate the consequences and implications of pulmonary disease in systemic sclerosis

• Understand the approach to the diagnostic workup

• Recognize current therapeutic strategies for systemic sclerosis complicated by pulmonary disease
Disclosure

Dr Furst has received honoraria for being a consultant and/or a member of an advisory board for Abbott Laboratories, Actelion, Amgen, Bristol-Myers SquibbCompany, Biogen Idec, Centocor, Consortium of Rheumatology Researchers of North America, Inc. (CORRONA), Genentech, Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline/Merck, Nitec, Novartis, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., UCB Inc., Wyeth, and XOMA.

Dr Oudiz has received grant research support and/ or honoraria for being a consultant and/or serving on the speakers' bureau for Actelion, Bayer, Gilead, Eli Lilly and Company, Pfi zer, and United Therapeutics.

CHSE committee members have no relevant fi nancial relationships with any commercial interests: Carolyn Burns, MD; Dedra DeBerry, MA; Joyce Dunagan, MA, MSLS; Linda H. Freeman, DNS, RN; Paul Fultz; Terri Gipson, MSL;Ruth Greenberg, PhD; Lucy Juett, MS; Irene Litvan, MD; Loretta Maldaner; Mike Mansfi eld, DMD; Ashlee Melendez, RN, BSN; Lisa J. Pfitzer, MD; Robert Sexton, MD; Uldis Streips, PhD; Kathy M. Vincent, MD; Lori Wagner, MD; Stephen Wheeler, MD; Sharon Whitmer, EdD. CHSE office staff members Jim Creg, Kim Moore, and Joyce Korfhage have no relevant relationships with any commercial interests.

Shirley Jones, Sylvia Reitman, and Michelle Rizzo with Global Academy for Medical Education and Charles Bankhead, medical writer,have no relevant relationships with any commercial interests.

CME REVIEWER
Brian Mandell, MD, PhD, Professor and Chairman of Medicine, Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio. Dr Mandell has nothing to disclose.

Resolution of Conflict of Interest
CHSE has implemented a process to resolve conflict of interest for each CME activity. In order to help ensure content objectivity, independence and fair balance and to ensure that the content is aligned with the interest of the public, CHSE has resolved the conflict by external content review.

Unapproved/Off-Label Use Disclosure
CHSE requires CME faculty to disclose to the participants:
When products or procedures being discussed are off-label, unlabeled, experimental, and or investigational (not US Food and Drug Administration [FDA] approved); andAny limitations on the information that is presented, such as data that are preliminary or that represent ongoing research, interim analyses, and/or unsupported opinion.

Faculty may discuss information about pharmaceutical agents that are outside of FDA-approved labeling. This information is intended solely for CME and is not intended to promote off-label use of these medications. If you have questions, contact the medical affairs department of the manufacturer for the most recent prescribing information.

None of the authors discusses off-label uses of any FDA-approved drugs.
Accreditation

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of the University of Louisville School of Medicine Continuing Health Sciences Education (CHSE) and Global Academy for Medical Education, LLC, an Elsevier business. CHSE is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing education for physicians.

CHSE designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Term of Approval: February 1, 2011 - February 28, 2013.

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