Faculty

Statement of Need

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic, inflammatory arthritis that affects the axial skeleton. Due to an aging population, declining number of rheumatologists, and limited access to care, care for patients with AS is suboptimal and it is critically important that primary care can optimally recognize and manage these patients. AS is challenging to diagnose and has a 5-10 year delay in diagnosis, the longest diagnostic delay among rheumatic diseases. Studies have shown that patients with shorter disease duration have better response to treatment. A diagnostic delay may cause patients to miss the chance of early appropriate treatment and consequently have poorer prognosis, increased disability, limitation of spinal and hip movements, pain, poor quality of life, and poor functional status.

This interactive symposium will feature iPad technologies to engage learners, present clinical cases and optimize changes in practice for healthcare providers.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this CE activity, participants should be able to:

• Recognize key clinical features of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) to aid in timely diagnosis.
• Incorporate classification criteria and diagnostic tests into clinical practice to support early detection of AS.
• Implement biologic treatments for AS into clinical practice when appropriate.

The following learning objectives pertain only to those requesting CNE or CPE credit:

• Describe key clinical features of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) that aid in timely diagnosis.
• Identify classification criteria and diagnostic tests that support early detection of AS.
• Explain appropriate implementation of biologic treatments for AS.

Financial Support

Supported by an educational grant from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.

Target Audience

Primary care physicians, internists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, and pharmacists who treat patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Credit Information

CME Credit (Physicians):
CME Outfitters, LLC is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

CME Outfitters, LLC designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

CNE Credit (Nurses):
Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP 15510, for 1.5 contact hours

Note to Nurse Practitioners and Clinical Nurse Specialists: the content of this activity pertains to pharmacology. Earn up to 1.5 contact hours of pharmacotherapeutic contact hours.

Note to Nurse Practitioners: Nurse practitioners can apply for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit^TMthrough the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). AANP will accept AMA PRA Category 1 Credit^TM from organizations accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education. Nurse practitioners can also apply for credit through their state boards.

CPE Credit (Pharmacists):
CME Outfitters, LLC, is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. 1.5 contact hours (0.15 CEUs) Universal Activity Number:
Live: 0376-0000-18-010-L01-P
Enduring: 0376-0000-18-010-H01-P

Type: Knowledge-based

ABIM/MOC Credit:
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 1.5 MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. Participants will earn MOC points equivalent to the amount of CME credits claimed for the activity. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.

Learning Formats
Live activity
Enduring material

Note to Physician Assistants: AAPA accepts certificates of participation for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit^TM from organizations accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education.

Post-tests, credit request forms, and activity evaluations must be completed online at www.cmeoutfitters.com/26360 (requires free account activation), and participants can print their certificate or statement of credit immediately (75% pass rate required). This website supports all browsers except Internet Explorer for Mac. For complete technical requirements and privacy policy, visit www.neurosciencecme.com/technical.asp.

Disclosure Declaration

It is the policy of CME Outfitters, LLC, to ensure independence, balance, objectivity, and scientific rigor and integrity in all of their CE activities. Faculty must disclose to the participants any relationships with commercial companies whose products or devices may be mentioned in faculty presentations, or with the commercial supporter of this CE activity. CME Outfitters, LLC, has evaluated, identified, and attempted to resolve any potential conflicts of interest through a rigorous content validation procedure, use of evidence-based data/research, and a multidisciplinary peer review process. The following information is for participant information only. It is not assumed that these relationships will have a negative impact on the presentations.

Dr. Allan Gibofsky disclosed that he is on the Speakers Bureau for AbbVie Inc.; Celgene Corporation; Merck & Co., Inc.; Pfizer Inc. He is a consultant for AbbVie Inc., Celgene Corporation; Merck & Co., Inc.; Pfizer Inc.; Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Samumed, LLC; Sandoz. He is a stock shareholder of AbbVie Inc.; Bristol-Myers Squibb Company; Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C.; Pfizer Inc.; Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Dr. Joerg Ermann disclosed that he receives grants from Boehringer Ingelheim and Pfizer Inc.

Sharon Tordoff(planning committee) has no disclosures to report.

Jan Perez (planning committee) has no disclosures to report.

Disclosures were obtained from the CME Outfitters, LLC staff: No disclosures to report.

Faculty of this CE activity may include discussions of products or devices that are not currently labeled for use by the FDA. The faculty have been informed of their responsibility to disclose to the audience if they will be discussing off-label or investigational uses (any uses not approved by the FDA) of products or devices.