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CME: Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS): best practices and effective management

ACCREDITATION EXPIRED: March 04, 2024

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) is a disease in which the complement system is activated in an uncontrolled manner outside the presence of coexisting disease, resulting in platelet activation, damage to endothelial cells, and a range of clinical sequelae, including kidney failure, systemic thrombotic microangiopathy, anemia, and thrombocytopenia. The disease may arise from any of a number of genetic mutations of the complement system or the presence of anti-complement factor H. While it is estimated to occur at an equally commonly between males and females, the disease is rare, with an incidence of about 2 to 9 people per million and a prevalence of about 5 per million.

This educational activity identifies 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 aHUS management, treatment adherence, and health and cost outcomes. 

Target Audience:

Hematologists and primary care physicians; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, and pharmacists specializing in hematology and transplant medicine; and any other HCPs with an interest in or who may clinically encounter patients with aHUS.

 

This program is supported by an educational grant from Alexion. 

This activity is free of charge.

Release Date: March 04, 2022 -- Expiration Date: March 04, 2024

Faculty: Ramy Hanna, MD

Agenda

Introduction

Epidemiology of aHUS

  • Current statistics
  • Risk and causes

aHUS clinical features and diagnosis

  • Atypical vs typical HUS
  • Manifestations and long-term sequelae
    • Microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, acute kidney injury, abdominal pain, fatigue, nausea/vomiting
  • Diagnostic methods
    • Clinical presentation, screening for mutations and antibodies to complement proteins, screening for Shiga toxin-producing E coli
  • Overcoming barriers to prompt diagnosis

Treatment for aHUS

  • Present therapy
    • Eculizumab
    • Ravulizumab
    • Plasma exchange or infusion
    • Renal or combination renal-hepatic transplantation
  • Selecting between complement antibodies
  • Supportive care
  • Investigational therapies
  • Patient case(s)

Summary, conclusions, and best practice recap

Learning Objectives

By the end of the session the participant will be able to:

  • Describe the common clinical presentation(s) of aHUS
  • Determine the likelihood/prevalence of aHUS using established methods in a patient case
  • Identify the treatment modalities presently available and emerging therapies for management of aHUS
  • Evaluate a treatment plan for a specific patient with aHUS to optimize safety and efficacy, suggesting modifications for improvement

Accreditation

ACCME Activity #201862233

ACCREDITATION FOR THIS COURSE HAS EXPIRED. YOU MAY VIEW THE PROGRAM, BUT CME / CE IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE AND NO CERTIFICATE WILL BE ISSUED.

Faculty Disclosure and Resolution of COI

As a provider of continuing medical education, it is the policy of ScientiaCME to ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all of its educational activities. In accordance with this policy, faculty and educational planners must disclose any significant relationships with commercial interests whose products or devices may be mentioned in faculty presentations, and any relationships with the commercial supporter of the activity. The intent of this disclosure is to provide the intended audience with information on which they can make their own judgments. Additionally, in the event a conflict of interest (COI) does exist, it is the policy of ScientiaCME to ensure that the COI is resolved in order to ensure the integrity of the CME activity. For this CME activity, any COI has been resolved thru content review ScientiaCME.

Faculty: Ramy M. Hanna, M.D., Associate Professor, Nephrology Fellowship program director,UCLA School of Medicine, UC Irvine School of Medicine, has received financial compensation from Alexion, Appellis, Astra Zeneca, Aurnia, and Otsuka for consulting and speaker's bureau.

 

Faculty WILL NOT discuss off-label use of a commercial product.

Disclosures of Educational Planners: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP, CEO of ScientiaCME, has no relevant financial disclosures.

Commercial Support Disclosure: This program is supported by an educational grant from Alexion.

Instructions

  • Read the learning objectives above
  • Take the Pre-Test (optional). Completion of the pre-test will help us evaluate the knowledge gained by participating in this CME activity.
  • View the online activity. You may view this is in more than one session, and may pause or repeat any portion of the presentation if you need to.
  • Minimum participation threshold: Take the post-test. A score of 70% or higher is required to pass and proceed to the activity evaluation.
  • Complete the activity evaluation and CME registration. A CE certificate will be emailed to you immediately.

Cultural/Linguistic Competence & Health Disparities

System Requirements

PC
Windows 7 or above
Internet Explorer 8
*Adobe Acrobat Reader
MAC
Mac OS 10.2.8
Safari or Chrome or Firefox
*Adobe Acrobat Reader
Internet Explorer is not supported on the Macintosh

*Required to view Printable PDF Version

Perform Pre-Test (optional)

Please take a few minutes to participate in the optional pre-test. It will help us measure the knowledge gained by participating in this activity.