ScientiaCME Free CME Courses

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is characterized by inadequate secretion of growth hormone by the pituitary gland. The condition may arise from a variety of causes, including tumors, radiation, medications, traumatic brain injury, or genetic defects. In children, GHD is characterized by pronounced short stature, defined as 2 or more standard deviations from the mean based on age and sex. Because short stature may be caused by a variety of other factors, including genetics, hypothyroidism, and Turner syndrome, estimating the prevalence of GHD in the pediatric population is challenging. Studies suggest that GHD may occur in 1 out of every 4,000 children. There are also related conditions whose features overlap, including idiopathic short stature (ISS), and primary insulin-like growth factor-I deficiency (PIGFD), complicating diagnosis.

This program has been designed to bring HCPs’ knowledge of the rationale behind management of pediatric GHD up to date and to enhance their competence and practice in caring for pediatric patients with GHD. Topics addressed will include: clinical presentation, diagnostic tests, and safety and efficacy of present and emerging therapy, including dose selection, monitoring, transition into adulthood, and providing patient-centered care.

Target Audience:

The following HCPs: Endocrinologists, pediatricians, and primary care physicians; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists who practice in endocrinology; and any other HCPs with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with GHD.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), making up just under a third of NHL cases. In the United States, there are roughly 7 cases of DLBCL per 100,000 patients per year. The pathophysiology of DLBCL is complex and not fully understood; but is characterized by a widespread increase of very large, mature B-cells arising from various gene mutations. DLBCL is heterogenous group of tumors and includes many diverse subtypes based on location, presence of other cells within the tumor, and whether the patient has other related illnesses. Advanced age, immunodeficiency, and Epstein-Barr virus are associated risk factors for DLBCL. The disease is considered an AIDS-defining malignancy, marking the point at which an HIV infection is considered AIDS. Diagnosis of DLBCL is made by a tissue biopsy, and morphology and immunophenotyping play a crucial role in determining which subtype of DLBCL a patient has.

This learning activity has been designed to bring HCPs’ knowledge of present and emerging strategies for treatment and management of DLBCL up to date and to improve their competence and performance in treating it.

Target Audience:

Hematologists and oncologists; physician assistants, nurse practitioners,  pharmacists who practice in oncology, and any other HCPs with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with DLBCL.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Glaucoma, a heterogeneous disease leading to progressive damage to the optic nerve, causes irreversible vision loss and affects approximately 64 million people worldwide.The prevalence of glaucoma is increasing, and more than 100 million people will have glaucoma by 2040. Approximately half of all individuals with glaucoma are unaware of their condition due to the asymptomatic nature of the disease. Although the incidence of glaucoma-related blindness has decreased over the last 20 years, thanks to effective management strategies, 13% to 40% of people with glaucoma still develop unilateral or bilateral blindness, typically at a rate of 1.1% per year.

Target Audience:

The following healthcare professionals: ophthalmologists; physician assistants, nurse practitioners,  and any other healthcare professionals with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with glaucoma.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Psoriasis, characterized by chronic inflammation of the skin and hyperproliferation and abnormal differentiation of the stratified epidermis, is one of the most common autoimmune diseases in the US. With a clinical presentation of red, scaly plaques on the skin that range in severity from minor, localized lesions to complete body coverage, it is also associated with inflammation of the joints and enthesial attachments and has potential of articular destruction—a complication known as psoriatic arthritis that affects up to 30% of those with the disease. Aside from its direct effects on the skin, it is also reduces quality of life associated with cardiac and psychiatric comorbidities. Over half of patients with psoriasis are unsatisfied with their disease management, and half of patients with mild disease are untreated while the same is true for a fifth of patients with severe disease.

This activity has been designed to bring HCPs’ knowledge of current and emerging screening and treatment strategies for psoriasis up to date and to improve their competence and performance in treating it. This program has also been designed to review treatment strategies and raise awareness of gaps in care of patients with psoriasis and review strategies to promote adherence.

Target Audience:

HCPs specializing in: Dermatologists and primary care physicians; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists who practice in dermatology; and any other healthcare professionals with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with psoriasis.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

Clostridioides difficile (formerly known as Clostridium difficile) is a gram-positive obligate anaerobe that produces exotoxins in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract resulting in watery, loose stool, abdominal pain, and nausea. The U.S. incidence of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is about half a million people, with 28% community-acquired, 37% healthcare-associated, and 36% associated with long-term care facilities. Additionally, CDI has incurred one billion dollars in costs to the U.S. healthcare system. Antibiotic exposure causes changes to the GI microflora and increases the risk of developing CDI, which is especially seen in carbapenems, third-/fourth- generation cephalosporins, clindamycin, and fluoroquinolone use. Other risk factors include acid suppressive therapy; age; prolonged hospitalizations or other recent healthcare exposure; recent tube feeding or GI surgery; and immunocompromised states, including recent chemotherapy.

Target Audience:

HCPs including: infectious diseases physicians, gastroenterologists, hospitalists, and intensivists; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists who practice in the aforementioned areas of specialty; and any other HCPs with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with CDI. 

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), also known as type II hyperlipoproteinemia, is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder characterized by substantially elevated plasma LDL-C levels. There are over 1600 different mutations associated with FH, and the condition arises from a significant or complete reduction in functional LDL-C receptors (LDL-Rs) and an attendant reduction in LDL-C clearance that predisposes individuals to premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). The severity of FH is determined by the presence of heterozygous or homozygous genetic alterations. Patients with homozygous FH develop vascular disease during childhood, while those with heterozygous FH may not develop ASCVD until their 30s or 40s. FH is a relatively common disorder, affecting about 1 in every 299 people in the US. Among people with ischemic heart disease, the prevalence is about 10-fold higher, and among those with severe hypercholesterolemia, the prevalence is nearly 23-fold higher.

This learning activity has been designed to bring HCPs’ knowledge of the strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of FH up to date and to improve their competence and performance in treating it.

Target Audience:

Cardiologists, primary care physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists who practice in cardiology; and any other clinicians with an interest in FH.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Over a quarter million women and almost 2,700 men in the U.S. are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, and it is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. The prognosis associated with breast has improved in the last few decades due in large part to earlier detection. However, while detection at the loco-regional stage is associated with a five-year overall survival (OS) rate of 90%, patients with metastatic breast cancer (mBC) may expect five-year OS rates closer to 28%.

Because it is not curable, the goals of care in mBC are: palliation of symptoms, improvement of quality-of-life, and extension of survival. Hormone receptor positivity (HR+) in the absence of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 overexpression (HER2+) has traditionally conferred a better prognosis. In contrast, HER2+ status is associated with a more negative prognosis, as it is associated with an increase in growth signals that are associated with accelerated tumor growth patterns, faster rates of recurrence, and higher mortality rates.

This activity has been designed to bring healthcare professionals’ knowledge of the rationale behind treatment of HER2+ mBC up to date and to improve their competence and performance in treating it.

Target Audience:

Medical oncologists; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists who practice in oncology; and any other healthcare professionals with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with breast cancer.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is an acquired, hematopoietic stem cell disorder characterized by complement-mediated destruction and loss of erythrocytes and the eponymous clinical manifestation of pink-red discoloration of the urine due to presence of hemoglobin. PNH is a rare disorder with a reported incidence of clinically significant disease of between 1 to 2 cases per million. However, it is possible that this range may be underestimated, as a subset of patients remain undiagnosed. PNH occurs worldwide with no known specific ethnic or geographic distribution patterns.

Approximately 40% of patients with PNH saw at least five or more specialists before receiving a diagnosis. PNH diagnosis is complicated by the rarity of the disorder and the nonspecific findings, meriting continuing healthcare educational programming.

Target Audience:

The following healthcare professionals: Hematologists; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists specializing in hematology and transplant medicine; and any other healthcare professionals with an interest in or who may clinically encounter patients with PNH.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

 Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects about 15% of the general population in the United States and is the tenth-leading cause of death, accounting for 52,260 deaths in 2020. Along with the risk for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD), CKD has also been associated with a number of complications, including anemia and hyperphosphatemia. Anemia occurs in about 15% of patients with CKD and arises from decreased erythropoiesis and abnormal iron metabolism. Hyperphosphatemia occurs in the later stages of CKD because the kidney is the primary method by which the body maintains phosphate. This retention of phosphate leads to the development of CKD-mineral bone disorder (CKD-MBD), with the literature suggesting that hyperphosphatemia occurs in a large portion of patients on dialysis based on phosphate binder (PB) usage.

This learning activity has been designed to bring HCPs’ knowledge of the treatment and screening of anemia and hyperphosphatemia in patients with CKD up to date and to improve their competence and performance in treating it. It will walk participants through treatment pathways and review of the evidence behind therapies to treat CKD’s complications.

Target Audience:

The following HCPs: nephrologists and primary care physicians; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists who practice in nephrology; and any other HCPs with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with CKD.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) is a progressive, multisystem, life-threatening disorder characterized by the extracellular deposition of misfolded, insoluble amyloid fibrils. The role of the TTR protein is to transport thyroxine and retinol-binding proteins, and it is vital for cognition, nerve regeneration, and axonal growth. TTR itself is innately amyloidogenic even without the presence of genetic mutations, which may account for wild-type ATTR (wtATTR), while a hereditary form of ATTR (hATTR) may be passed to offspring through autosomal dominant inheritance. Left untreated, the average life expectancy of ATTR is 3 to 15 years from symptom onset.

This accredited educational activity would identify the critical components of the management process and offer solutions to close gaps in diagnosis and care, with the ultimate goals being the improvement of ATTR management, treatment adherence when applicable, and health and cost outcomes. 

Target Audience:

The following HCPs: neurologists, cardiologists, and hematologists; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists in the aforementioned areas of specialty; and any other HCPs with an interest in or who may clinically encounter patients with ATTR.