Skin & Allergy News® - Global Academy for Medical Education

AccreditationThe SKIN & ALLERGY NEWS supplement “New Strategiesin the Management of Inflammatory Skin Diseases” isrecognized by the American Academy of Dermatology for1 hour of AAD Category 1 CME credit and may be usedtoward the American Academy of Dermatology’sContinuing Medical Education Award.This program was developed in accordance with theAccreditation Council for Continuing Medical Educationguidelines. Term of approval: May 2003-April 2004.Target AudienceThis activity has been developed for dermatologists andother health care professionals involved in the treatmentof atopic dermatitis and related inflammatory skin diseasesin adult and pediatric populations.Educational NeedsAtopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin diseasewith significant costs and morbidity to patients and theirfamilies. Prevalence has been increasing in recent decades,and atopic dermatitis is now estimated to affect morethan 10% of children. Atopic dermatitis frequently predatesdevelopment of asthma and allergic rhinitis in laterchildhood, and health professionals should be aware ofthe characteristics that these conditions share. Physiciansneed to be able to distinguish atopic dermatitis from othereczematous skin conditions, especially in light of the factthat the disease is a contraindication for smallpox vaccination.Because traditional treatment regimens for atopicdermatitis that center on topical corticosteroids have limitations,dermatologists need to keep abreast of evolvingalternative therapies such as the new macrolide immunosuppressantstacrolimus and pimecrolimus. These steroidfreeproducts represent a new approach to treating thiscomplex and difficult disease. Health professionals needto understand the mechanisms of action of these novelagents and be cognizant of the findings of recent clinicalstudies involving topical and oral formulations of thedrugs to treat atopic dermatitis and another inflammatoryskin disease, psoriasis.Learning ObjectivesBy reading and studying this supplement, participantsshould be able to:• Summarize revised diagnostic criteria for atopic dermatitisand how these diagnostic guidelines differ fromthe classic Hanifin-Rajka criteria.• List several epidemiologic parallels between atopic dermatitisand asthma that have been highlighted in thescientific literature.• Explain how atopic dermatitis treatment guidelinesmight be modeled after the three-tiered approach usedfor asthma care.• List the chief components of traditional atopic dermatitistherapy and the benefits and limitations of each typeof therapy.• Summarize the findings of short- and long-term, double-blind,controlled clinical studies of topicalpimecrolimus in pediatric and adult populations.• Discuss the findings of recent studies using oral pimecrolimusto treat psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.Faculty DisclosureFaculty/authors must disclose any significant financialinterest or relationship with proprietary entities that mayhave a direct relationship to the subject matter. They mustalso disclose any discussion of investigational or unlabeleduses of products.Dr. Belsito has received clinical grants from, and is a consultantto, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation andFujisawa Healthcare, Inc.Dr. Eichenfield has received clinical grants from, and is aconsultant to, Fujisawa and Novartis.Dr. Gottlieb has received clinical grants fromAmgen Inc., Biogen, Centocor, Inc., Cellgate, Inc.,Genentech, Inc., Quatrx Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, andBerlex Laboratories, Inc., and is a consultant to Amgen,Centocor, Genentech, Biogen, Cellgate, Celgene, Quatrx,and Biersdorf, and has a financial interest in Telik. Shediscusses the investigational use of oral pimecrolimus fortreating psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.Dr. Tharp has received clinical grants from Biogen,Novartis, Aventis, and Fujisawa, and is a consultant toBiogen, Novartis, and 3M Pharmaceuticals. He discussesthe investigational use of leukotrine inhibitors for treatingatopic dermatitis.