Pediatricians are uniquely positioned to provide family-centered care in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) and Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) based on the understanding that the family is the child’s primary source of strength and support. Pediatricians need to regularly screen, identify, and evaluate babies and young children for delay in neuromotor development, which is a cardinal feature of DMD and SMA. For both diseases, there is significant delay from the time of earliest symptoms to a definitive diagnosis. With current therapies that modify disease, it is critical to reduce this diagnostic delay. This CME-certified activity will review published guidelines for the early screening and identification of infants with motor delay, initial steps in evaluation and management, and recommendations for specialty referral.

For patients with DMD, intervening at the earliest stages of disease, before muscle loss and fibrosis, is critical for long-term disease amelioration. This activity will review the utility of CK levels and the role of diagnostic tests such as genetic testing and muscle biopsy. We will discuss the physiologic basis and data to support current and emerging pharmacologic approaches for modifying disease progression in DMD.

Similarly, early treatment of patients with SMA, prior to the irreversible loss of motor neurons ...

Have you considered using replacement factors or gene therapy in your practice to manage hemophilia? This activity explores the most recent clinical trial data and real-world experience of these and other emerging treatment regimens for hemophilia.

Family physician, Dr. Paul Doghramji, and dermatologist, Dr. Abby Van Voorhees, discuss 3 cases of psoriasis commonly seen in the primary care office. Learn how to identify psoriasis from other dermatologic conditions, how to choose an appropriate treatment and when referral to a specialist is recommended.

Diabetic retinopathy is becoming increasingly more common as an obesity epidemic spreads around the world. It’s now the major cause of vision loss for working-age adults. This activity will discuss the current DRCR.net algorithms for diagnosing and treating diabetic macular edema as well as the results of the Protocol T study which compared several anti-VEGF agents.

Hemophilia A is a rare bleeding disorder caused by deficiency of clotting factor VIII (FVIII). The current standard of care for patients with severe hemophilia A centers on replacement therapy with FVIII concentrate, either on demand when bleeding occurs or prophylactically (replacement therapy). Potential complications from replacement therapy include the development of inhibitory antibodies that attack the clotting factor in approximately one-fourth of patients and viral infections from human clotting factors. Moreover, traditional clotting factor replacement formulations require frequent and time-consuming administration, which in turn has limited use of prophylactic regimens to maintain adequate levels of clotting factor activity.

In the past several years, new therapies have become available that have the potential to dramatically alter the approach to chronic disease management for the first time in three decades. These new agents offer the opportunity to improve the frequency and convenience of replacement therapy, while achieving an unprecedented degree of protection over time. Furthermore, agents that eliminate use of clotting factor entirely, including factor VIII (FVIII) mimetics and drugs aimed at rebalancing the coagulation cascade via antithrombin, may be useful not only in overcoming inhibitors, but also in preventing their formation.

This activity features ...

Presented by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

This activity is supported by an independent medical education grant from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Recent data, including those presented at the 2018 American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting, regarding the use of intravitreal anti-VEGF agents in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) and diabetic retinopathy (DR), have the potential to shift treatment strategies by offering a therapy option that may prevent progression in earlier stages of disease. However, as ongoing research continues to evolve, it can be challenging for ophthalmologists and retina specialists to remain up-to-date on these findings and interpret their impact on patient management. This activity will not only provide an overview of the most current data on anti-VEGF treatments in patients with DR and DME, it will also evaluate potential clinical implications that can assist practicing clinicians in translating the results of this research into real-world patient care.

As the most common extraintestinal complication from IBD, iron deficiency anemia (IDA) can take a heavy toll on your patients’ quality of life. This activity will review those impacts, in addition to discussing the different therapies and resources that are available to both you and your IBD patients.

Patients with IBS-D may spend years before they are accurately diagnosed, with their symptoms often being labeled as psychosomatic. Considering the potential underlying cause of IBS-D can help guide diagnosis as well as the choice of appropriate treatment. In this activity, clinicians will learn screening methods and factors in the pathophysiology of IBS-D to more accurately diagnosis patients and select appropriate treatment, along with patient-clinician communication strategies that can improve outcomes.

Despite the high prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) on a national and global scale, research has found that healthcare providers lack proper education in making treatment decisions for patients from different geographic areas, minority groups, and patients with late-onset disease.

That’s why this activity will discuss the clinical characteristics of these MS patient populations and how those factors can influence treatment decisions. It will also cover how to integrate shared decision-making into practice in addition to interprofessional collaboration between physicians, nurses, and social workers in order to meet patients’ medical needs and overcome their socioeconomic and cultural barriers to treatment.

Particularly among adolescent patients, treating acne is a top concern, which is why primary care physicians need to dedicate time to have this discussion with their patients. To help you develop the best management plan, this activity will cover treatment options based on acne severity along with tips for improving patient adherence.