Expert Illustrations & Commentaries™: A Look into Novel Approaches for the Treatment of Cutaneous and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Release Date: April 5, 2021
Expiration Date: April 5, 2022

Activity Overview

This Expert Illustrations and Commentaries™ is a video-based program, in which two experts discuss the etiology and management of lupus erythematosus (LE). In this activity, the faculty focus on the pathophysiology, and current and emerging therapeutic strategies for the management of both cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Their discussion is enriched with the use of video animations to illustrate the pathophysiology of lupus and the mechanisms of action for some of the emerging therapies to treat patients with this disease. The use of these animated segments helps to make somewhat complicated subject matter more easily understood. This unique format is designed to help clinicians identify best practices in the diagnosis and management of LE and improve outcomes for their patients with this disease.

LE is a chronic-relapsing autoimmune disease with a broad range of cutaneous and systemic symptoms. LE affects people worldwide, with the highest incidence among women of childbearing age and non-White individuals. SLE has a variable presentation and disease course, which could affect every organ. The pattern of clinical manifestations and autoimmune phenomena is heterogeneous among patients and even changes over time in individual patients. Morbidity and mortality for patients with SLE are derived from direct immune-mediated tissue damage and treatment-associated complications, including cardiovascular disease and increased infection risk. In patients with CLE, the body’s immune system attacks healthy skin, causing painful or itchy rashes and skin lesions with severe morbidity.

Acknowledgement of Commercial Support

This activity is supported by an educational grant from Biogen.

Target Audience

This educational activity is directed toward rheumatologists, internists, dermatologists, specialty nurse practitioners and physician assistants, and primary care physicians engaged in the care of patients with CLE and SLE.

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of this activity, you should be better prepared to:

• Describe the diagnostic criteria for a timely and accurate diagnosis of systemic and cutaneous lupus erythematosus
• Evaluate standard of care treatment recommendations for the management of patients with systemic and cutaneous lupus erythematosus
• Analyze the mechanism of action, efficacy, and safety of emerging treatments for systemic and cutaneous lupus erythematosus

Faculty, Staff, and Planners’ Disclosures

The staff of Physicians’ Education Resource^®, LLC have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities.

Faculty

Joseph F. Merola, MD, MMSc
Vice Chair, Clinical Trials and Innovation, Department of Dermatology
Director, Clinical Unit for Research Innovation and Trials (CUReIT)
Director, Center for Skin and Related Musculoskeletal Diseases
Associate Program Director, Harvard Combined Internal Medicine-Dermatology Residency Training Program, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Associate Professor, Dept. of Dermatology and Dept. of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Harvard Medical School
Boston, MA

Disclosures: Consultant: AbbVie, Amgen, Bayer, Biogen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, Sanofi-Regeneron, and UCB; Investigator: Dermavant, LEO Pharma, Sanofi, UCB.

Victoria P. Werth, MD
Professor of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania
Chief of Dermatology, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VAMC
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Philadelphia, PA

Disclosures: Consulting: AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Beacon Bioscience, Biogen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Celgene, Corcept, CSL Behring, Cugene, EMD Serono, Gilead, GSK, Janssen, Kirin, Lilly, Pfizer, Resolve, UCB, Viela Bio; Grants: Amgen, AstraZeneca, Biogen, Celgene, Corbus Pharmaceuticals, Gilead, Janssen, Pfizer, Syntimmune, Viela; University of Pennsylvania owns the copyright for the CLASI.

PER^® mitigated all COI for faculty, staff, and planners prior to the start of this activity by using a multistep process.

Off-Label Disclosure and Disclaimer

This activity may or may not discuss investigational, unapproved, or off-label use of drugs. Learners are advised to consult prescribing information for any products discussed. The information provided in this accredited activity is for continuing education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent clinical judgment of a healthcare professional relative to diagnostic, treatment, or management options for a specific patient’s medical condition. The opinions expressed in the content are solely those of the individual faculty members and do not reflect those of PER^® or any company that provided commercial support for this activity.