Providers/Grant Support
Provided by the Academy for Continued Healthcare Learning (ACHL).
Supported by an educational grant from Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
Credits Available
- Physicians — maximum of 2.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™
All other healthcare professionals completing this course will be issued a statement of participation
Target Audience
This activity is intended for gastroenterologists, hepatologists, gastroenterology-focused advanced practice providers, pulmonologists, internists, and other members of the multidisciplinary care team.
Program Overview
Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), a multisystem genetic disorder caused by mutations in the SERPINA1 gene, affects nearly 3 million people worldwide. AATD can manifest with overlapping symptoms common to pulmonary conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and bronchiectasis, as well as unexplained liver diseases, making symptom-based diagnosis alone unreliable. Although lung manifestations of AATD typically appear in adulthood and are more common, liver problems, which can arise at any age, are the second most common clinical manifestation and cause of death in patients with AATD.
Unfortunately, clinicians often misattribute AATD liver manifestations to more common conditions such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) or alcohol-related liver disease, and lung symptoms to COPD or asthma without investigating an inherited etiology, leading to substantial underdiagnosis. Moreover, for those patients with a confirmed diagnosis, there are currently no specific treatment options available for AATD-related liver disease (AATD-LD), but emerging therapies may soon profoundly shift the AATD treatment paradigm.
To support specialists in their ability to navigate this complexity and support peer-to-peer learning, this training program, modeled on the CDC Training of Trainers approach, provides learners with the tools and resources to enhance early diagnosis, refine noninvasive monitoring, and support informed decision-making around emerging therapies with the potential to improve outcomes for individuals with AATD.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, learners will be able to:
- Identify appropriate diagnostic approaches and genetic testing strategies to confirm alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD)
- Appraise noninvasive test (NIT) results and proposed liver stiffness thresholds for staging and monitoring fibrosis in AATD
- Evaluate the mechanisms of action, efficacy data, and safety profiles of emerging therapeutic agents targeting AATD
Faculty
Virginia Clark, MD, MS
Clinical Professor of Medicine
Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
Charlie Strange, MD
Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, SC
The following financial relationships have been provided:
Virginia Clark, MD, MS
Consulting Agreements: Takeda Pharmaceuticals
Research funding to institution: 89 Bio, Hamni Pharmaceutical, Novo Nordisk, Takeda Pharmaceuticals
Charlie Strange, MD
Consulting Agreements: AstraZeneca, Beam, Biomarin, CSL Behring, Morair, Roche, Sanofi
Research funding to institution:, Beam, Biomarin, CSA Medical, Grifols, Krystal, Nuvaira, Renovion, Takeda Pharmaceuticals
Accreditation Statement
The Academy for Continued Healthcare Learning is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Credit Designations
The Academy for Continued Healthcare Learning designates this enduring material for a maximum of 2.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses may participate in this educational activity and earn a certificate of completion as AAPA, AANP, and ANCC accept AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ through their reciprocity agreements.
Disclosures of Conflicts of Interest
This CME/CE activity might describe the off-label, investigational, or experimental use of medications and/or devices that may exceed their FDA-approved labeling. Physicians should consult the current manufacturers’ prescribing information for these products. ACHL requires the speaker to disclose that a product is not labeled for the use under discussion.
The Academy for Continued Healthcare Learning (ACHL) requires that the faculty participating in an accredited continuing education activity disclose all affiliations or other financial relationships within 24 months (1) with the manufacturers of any commercial product(s) and/or provider(s) of commercial services discussed in an educational presentation and (2) with all ineligible companies. All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated prior to this activity.
ACHL staff members and others involved with the planning, development, and review of the content for this activity have no relevant affiliations or financial relationships to disclose.
Instructions for Participation and Credit
This activity will take up to 2.25 hours to complete. To receive credit, learners are required to complete the pre-assessment, view the online activity, and complete the posttest and evaluation. To receive credit, 60% must be achieved on the posttest. A certificate will be immediately available. There is no fee to participate in the activity or for the generation of the certificate.
For questions, contact Laurie Novoryta at [email protected].
Disclosure of Unlabeled Use
Discussion of scientific information on unapproved uses (SIUU), off-label, investigational, or experimental drug/device use: None
Disclaimer
The content for this activity was developed independently of any ineligible company. All materials are included with permission. The opinions expressed are those of the faculty and are not to be construed as those of the publisher or grantor(s).
This educational activity was planned and produced in accordance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. Recommendations involving clinical medicine in a continuing medical education (CME/CE) activity must be based on evidence that is accepted within the profession of medicine as adequate justification for their indications and contraindications in the care of patients. All scientific research referred to, reported, or used in CME/CE in support or justification of a patient care recommendation must conform to the generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection, and analysis.
This CME/CE activity might describe the off-label, investigational, or experimental use of medications and/or devices that may exceed their FDA-approved labeling. Physicians should consult the current manufacturers’ prescribing information for these products. ACHL requires the speaker to disclose that a product is not labeled for the use under discussion.
Pharmacists should consult with their state pharmacy on pharmacist vaccination authority included within their scope of practice.
Contact Information
For questions, contact Laurie Novoryta at [email protected].