Rheumatology Highlights: Jan 2008

Faculty

Needs Statement

Rheumatology Highlights, a CME-accredited educational program, presents a carefully constructed report from a major international conference and is developed to equip readers with practical knowledge of the area under discussion. This newsletter is commissioned to support particular educational themes identified by the Editor-in-Chief, Editorial team and readers. This issue of Rheumatology Highlights presents a report from the 2007 ACR/ARHP annual meeting. A great deal of information is presented at conferences, but many physicians are unable to attend. Rheumatology Highlights provides practitioners with rapid access to specially selected conference highlights of particular relevance to their clinical practice. The topics covered by this newsletter encompass the management of several rheumatoid diseases.

Target Audience

This activity is designed to meet the educational needs of practicing rheumatologists and allied healthcare professionals, including pharmacists and nurses, involved in the management and treatment of patients with rheumatoid disease.

Objectives

After completion of this program, participants should be able to discuss the following:
1. The rate of uveitis falre in AS and its treatment;
2. Results from studies of three new biological agents – certolizumab pegol, CNTO 1275, and tocilizumab;
3. The use of zoledronic acid for fracture prevention;
4. The role of interferon-regulated chemokines in SLE.

Accreditation

Medicine
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 University of Kentucky College of Medicine and Remedica Medical Education. The University of Kentucky College of Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The University of Kentucky College of Medicine designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Each physician should claim only those hours of credit actually spent in the educational activity.

The University of Kentucky College of Medicine presents this activity for educational purposes only. Participants are expected to utilize their own expertise and judgment while engaged in the practice of medicine. The content of the presentations is provided solely by presenters who have been selected for presentations because of recognized expertise in their field.

Pharmacy
The University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.

This activity has been assigned ACPE # 022-999-07-155-H01-P and will award up to 1.00 contact hours (0.1 CEUs) of continuing pharmacy education credit in states that recognize ACPE providers.

Statements of credit will indicate hours and CEUs based on participation and will be issued online at the conclusion of the activity. Successful completion includes completing the activity, its accompanying evaluation and/or posttest (score 70% or higher) and requesting credit online at conclusion of the activity. The College complies with the Accreditation Standards for Continuing Pharmacy Education.

Nursing
Educational Review Systems is an approved provider of continuing education in nursing by ASNA, an accredited provider by the ANCC/Commission on Accreditation and designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.00 hour(s). Provider # 5-115-07-076

Educational Review Systems is also approved for nursing continuing education by the state of California and the District of Columbia.

Activity Sponsorship

This activity is jointly sponsored by the University of Kentucky and Remedica Medical Education. Supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Abbott Laboratories.