ADVANCED RHEUMATOLOGY

CME INFORMATION
Target Audience - Rheumatologists, orthopaedists, trainees in the rheumatic diseases and internists with a special
interest in rheumatology.
Course Description - The annual Seminar in Advanced Rheumatology is an informative conference for rheumatologists,
orthopaedists, trainees in the rheumatic diseases and internists with a special interest in rheumatology. It will review and
address those areas where recent, solid knowledge in the treatment of rheumatic diseases is available, focusing particularly
on the state-of-the-art in rheumatology, at the leading edge between new clinical knowledge and its translation into practice.
Rheumatology is a fast-moving field in which new discoveries are continually being made, and new treatment modalities
developed. Because the basic and clinical scientific underpinnings of rheumatologic practice frequently and directly come to
impact upon therapy, this course will also explore those areas of new science that are likely to prove important to the nearfuture
management of patients with rheumatic disease.
Lectures and Year-in-Review sessions will provide participants with the latest information in arthritis, lupus and other
rheumatologic conditions; panel discussions and optional Meet-the-Professor sessions will allow participants to raise
questions and participate in dialog with the course instructors and clinical experts.
Statement of Need - Lupus management remains a core performance area in which rheumatologists require updating.
A number of recent research results have clinical implications that are being gradually translated into care. Clinicians
need to be aware of newer approaches to the treatment of lupus, including the role of hydroxychloroquine, the expanding
use of mycophenolate mofetil, the recent introduction of belimumab and the potential for new agents in the near future,
including strategies that may target interferon pathways. Physicians must also be prepared to incorporate new thinking
in regards to pathophysiology, and the role of genetics and cytokines. There are new approaches to the treatment of
rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, including newly available biologic therapies and small-molecule signal
transduction inhibitors in late stages of development, which clinicians should consider both from a safety and efficacy
standpoint. Clinicians should be aware of the gradually-accumulating understanding about the mechanisms of fibrosis in
scleroderma that has implications for current treatment and is likely to lead to new treatment approaches in the near to
intermediate future. Clinicians need to be made aware of changes in the management of crystal diseases, including new
urate-lowering therapies in use or currently in the pipeline. Physicians should also be aware of the new ACR guidelines for
gout management and be able to apply them in their practices. The treatment of vasculitis is often only partially adequate, as
side effects are common and treatment response is often incomplete. The introduction of new approaches, including the use
of biologics, is showing promise for some kinds of vasculitis, but the best use of these new therapies is in flux. The role of
infection in causing and/or complicating some vasculitis is increasingly understood to be important. Clinicians need to keep
up with the current best practices in this area.
Educational Objectives - At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:
n Evaluate new and future treatment approaches for lupus management as well as the role of specific immune cells,
genetics and cytokines in the pathogenesis of lupus and the potential to exploit these mechanisms for therapeutic targets
n Recognize the benefits and manage risks of newly available biologic therapies for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis,
psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, and develop strategies to incorporate small-molecule therapies into treatment when they
become available
n Describe the mechanisms of fibrosis in scleroderma and the impact of this understanding on future approaches to
treatment
n Describe the mechanisms of current and pipeline urate-lowering and anti-inflammatory therapies and their specific
roles in gout management
n Apply ACR guidelines for gout treatment to ensure better outcomes for their patients
n Recognize the benefits and manage the risks of established therapies for vasculitis, and develop strategies to incorporate
new approaches into the treatment algorithm
n Determine the most effective method to assess and manage infectious status in vasculitis patients