Accredited Education

Goal: The goal of this activity is to provide Rheumatologists with the most up-to-date, evidence-based data that can be translated into clinical practice to optimize therapeutic and overall outcomes for patients with rheumatic diseases.

Learning Objectives: The learning objectives for this activity have been designed to address clinician competence, performance or patient outcomes. Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:

1. Describe potential adverse effects that may be related to the use of various immunomodulatory agents commonly prescribed by rheumatologists, including corticosteroids, traditional disease modifying drugs (DMARDs) and newer biologic agents, including TNF inhibitors, and B and t cell targeted therapies (competence) in order to optimize therapeutic response for patients (performance/patient outcomes)

Baecklund E, Iliadou A, Askling J, et al. Association of chronic inflammation, not its treatment, with increased lymphoma risk in rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54(3):692-701.[Evidence Level B]

Bieber J, Kavanaugh A. Consideration of the risk and treatment of tuberculosis in patients who have rheumatoid arthritis and receive biologic treatments. Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2004;30(2):257-270.[Evidence Level C]

Cush J, Kavanaugh A. ACR Hotline. FDA meeting March 2003: Update on the safety of new drugs for rheumatoid arthritis. Part II: CHF, infections and other safety issues. http://www.rheumatology.org/publications/hotline/0803chf.asp. Accessed June 8, 2007. [Evidence Level C]

2. Demonstrate increased knowledge regarding the pathogenesis of rheumatologic diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis, gout, osteoarthritis, scleroderma, and vasculitis, (competence) to increase differential diagnostic skills and determine appropriate individualized therapies for affected patients (performance/patient outcomes)

Furst DE, Breedveld FC, Kalden JR, et al. Updated consensus statement on biological agents, specifically tumour necrosis factor {alpha} (TNF{alpha}) blocking agents and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), for the treatment of rheumatic diseases, 2005. Ann Rheum Dis. 2005;64(suppl 4):iv2-iv14. [Evidence Level C]

Gartlehner G, Hansen RA, Jonas BL, Thieda P, Lohr KN. The comparative efficacy and safety of biologics for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and metaanalysis. J Rheumatol. 2006;33(12):2398-3408. [Evidence Level A]

Breedveld FC, Weisman MH, Kavanaugh AF, et al. The PREMIER study: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind clinical trial of combination therapy with adalimumab plus methotrexate versus methotrexate alone or adalimumab alone in patients with early, aggressive rheumatoid arthritis who had not had previous methotrexate treatment. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54(1):26-37. [Evidence Level A]

3. Define appropriate outcome measures for the optimal follow-up of patients with rheumatic diseases, both in clinical research trials as well as in clinical practice (competence) and implement management strategies to improve overall patient outcomes(performance/patient outcomes)

Cush JJ. Biological drug use: US perspectives on indications and monitoring. Ann Rheum Dis. 2005;64(suppl 4):iv18-iv23. [Evidence Level C]
Doran MF, Crowson CS, Pond GR, O'Fallon WN, Gabriel SE. Frequency of infection in patients with rheumatoid arthritis compared with controls: a population based study. Arthritis Rheum. 2002;46(9):2287-2293. [Evidence Level B]

Needs Assessment: The FBHC has incorporated into this CME activity the relevant educational needs concerning knowledge, competence, or performance that underlie the professional practice gaps of our participants.

Jointly Sponsored Accreditation Statement

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint sponsorship of The Foundation for Better Health Care and Rheumatology Winter Clinical Symposium. The Foundation for Better Health Care is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The Foundation for Better Health Care takes responsibility for the content, quality, and scientific integrity of this CME activity.

CME Credit Designation

CME Credit. The FBHC designates this activity for a maximum of 24 category 1 credits toward the AMA Physician's Recognition Award

Identifying and Resolving Conflicts of Interest: The FBHC requires all planning committee members, faculty, teachers, authors, and staff of a CME activity to identify all relevant financial relationships that benefit the individual and his or her spouse or partner in any financial amount within the past 12 months. Such relationships may create the opportunity to affect the content of CME regarding the products or services of the commercial interest. The FBHC has created the FBHC Committee to Identify and Resolve Conflicts of Interest, which reviews Faculty and Staff Disclosure Statements, identifies and resolves conflicts of interest, and determines the level of participation of planning committee members, faculty members, teachers, and authors.

FBHC Faculty and Staff Disclosure Policy: The Foundation for Better Health Care will disclose to participants the existence of any relevant financial relationships between faculty members, FBHC staff members, and the staffs of a Joint Sponsor and/or Educational Partner (when applicable), who planned, authored, contributed to, and/or reviewed the content of this activity, and any commercial interest discussed in this educational activity. Disclosure will occur prior to the presentation(s), either through oral communication to the audience by the moderator or chair, or written communication in the syllabus or handout material.

FBHC Disclosure: The FBHC reserves the right to substitute speakers and modify the program without notice, and will not be liable for any costs incurred by attendees as a result of Forum cancellation, including but not limited to airfare, hotel, meals, or other incidental expenses.The FBHC does not endorse specific products of any pharmaceutical concern.

Grantors: A complete list of grantors will be provided at a later date.

Administrative Office:
Rheumatology Winter Clinical Symposium 2009
41 East Lipoa Street, Suite 21 Kihei, HI 96753

Contact:
Phone 858-385-0785 • Fax 858-683-2027
Email information.services@r-w-c-s.com