ScientiaCME Free CME Courses

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) is an immune-mediated response that occurs in recipients of allogenic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). GvHD can be further categorized into acute and chronic cases. Maculopapular rash, follicular erythema, epidermolysis, are common manifestations of acute GvHD, in addition to liver and gastrointestinal dysfunction such as hyperbilirubinemia, nausea, and diarrhea. This activity focuses on chronic GvHD, which has more extensive multi-organ involvement including the liver, eyes, mouth, lungs, skin, genitalia, and gastrointestinal tract.

Target Audience:

The following HCPs: hematologists and oncologists; nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and pharmacists who specialize in oncology; and those who otherwise commonly care for or clinically encounter patients with GVHD.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Thalassemias are a group of recessively inherited blood disorders characterized by little or no hemoglobin production and chronic anemia of varying severity. Beta-thalassemia (BT) is most commonly found in people of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Asian, and North African descent. Worldwide, 1.5% of people are BT carriers, with about 40,000 infants born with BT annually. About half of patients with BT are transfusion-dependent, which may significantly impact patient quality of life. BT is caused by a point mutation in the gene encoding hemoglobin subunit beta (HBB), resulting in either lower beta-globin production (termed beta-plus [B⁺]) or the prevention of all beta-globin production (termed beta-zero [B⁰]). Disease severity depends on the extent of hemoglobin β and γ chain imbalance.

Target Audience:

The following HCPs: hematologists; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists who practice in hematology; and any other healthcare professionals with an interest in or who may clinically encounter patients with beta-thalassemia.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is an ultra-rare genetic connective tissue disorder characterized by dysregulated chondrogenesis, with heterotopic ossification (HO) being the most typical feature. The global prevalence of FOP is estimated at 1.43 per million individuals, with a U.S. prevalence of 0.88 per million. FOP develops due to a mutation in the ACVR1 gene encoding the active receptor-like kinase (ALK2), with unique presenting symptoms including great toe malformations and the development of swelling in several areas of the body within the first decade of life.

Target Audience:

HCPs including: pediatricians, pediatric orthopedic surgeons, endocrinologists, and medical geneticists; nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and pharmacists who practice in orthopedics, orthopedic surgery, and rheumatology; and any other healthcare professionals with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with FOP.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) occurs in an estimated five to seven percent of term births and up to 90% of preterm births. The risk for neonatal RDS decreases with increasing gestational age,  such that at a gestational age of 37 weeks, the risk has fallen to just three times that of a full-term infant. In addition to premature birth, risk factors for neonatal RDS include maternal gestational diabetes, male sex, multiparity, abnormal fetoplacental circulation, fetal distress, Cesarean delivery, and low birth weight. The ability for the clinician to recognize neonatal RDS is a documented practice gap, and failure to do so is associated with mortality and complications that may include respiratory failure in the short-term and chronic lung disease in the long-term.

Target Audience:

The following healthcare professionals: neonatologists; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, and pharmacists who practice in neonatology; and any other healthcare professionals with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with neonatal RDS.  

In this online, self-learning activity:

Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) occurs in an estimated five to seven percent of term births and up to 90% of preterm births. The risk for neonatal RDS decreases with increasing gestational age,  such that at a gestational age of 37 weeks, the risk has fallen to just three times that of a full-term infant. In addition to premature birth, risk factors for neonatal RDS include maternal gestational diabetes, male sex, multiparity, abnormal fetoplacental circulation, fetal distress, Cesarean delivery, and low birth weight. The ability for the clinician to recognize neonatal RDS is a documented practice gap, and failure to do so is associated with mortality and complications that may include respiratory failure in the short-term and chronic lung disease in the long-term.

Target Audience:

The following healthcare professionals: neonatologists; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, and pharmacists who practice in neonatology; and any other healthcare professionals with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with neonatal RDS.  

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Acromegaly is an endocrine disorder characterized by dysregulated hypersecretion of growth hormone (GH), usually caused by a GH-secreting, pituitary adenoma and leading to an overproduction of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Estimated at between 40 and 240 people per million, is not as high as other endocrine disorders, acromegaly has a significant impact on patient quality of life. Approximately 25 percent of people with acromegaly have elevated blood pressure, and 50 percent have evidence of insulin resistance, putting them at risk of developing type 2 diabetes in future. The mortality rates of acromegaly patients are three times higher than the general population, with most dying from respiratory or cardiac complications.

Target Audience:

HCPs including: endocrinologists and primary care providers; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists who specialize in endocrinology; and any other healthcare professionals with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with acromegaly.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:
In this online, self-learning activity:

Acute hepatic porphyria (AHP) is an umbrella term for four types of acute porphyria, the most severe of which is acute intermittent porphyria (AIP). An estimated 80% of AHP cases are AIP, which is an inherited autosomal dominant condition that results from mutations of the third enzyme of heme synthesis, porphobilinogen deaminase. In the Western countries, it is estimated that approximately 1 in 2000 individuals are carriers of the relevant mutated genotype, although the majority have latent AIP and are clinically asymptomatic. Acute attacks occur in less than 10% of the at-risk population, reflecting the role of environmental factors, such as alcohol use, infections, and hormonal changes, among others. AHP symptoms are believed to be caused by ALAS1-mediated accumulation of ALA and PBG in the liver and bloodstream, leading to neurotoxicity.

Target Audience:
The following HCPs: hematologists and gastroenterologists; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists who practice in any of the aforementioned areas of specialties; and any other healthcare professionals with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with AHP.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:
In this online, self-learning activity:

Health disparities are defined as “preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence, or opportunities to achieve optimal health that are experienced by populations that have been disadvantaged by their social or economic status, geographic location, and environment.” According to the landmark 2002 report by the Institute of Medicine, Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care, even when access-related factors are accounted for, racial and ethnic minorities receive a lower quality of health care than White patients. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality also releases an annual National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report showing White patients receive a better quality of care and experience better health outcomes compared to non-Whites.

Target Audience:
HCPs including: physicians, physician assistants, nurses, pharmacists, and any other clinician involved in providing patient care.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:
In this online, self-learning activity:

Systemic mastocytosis (SM) is a heterogeneous group of disorders caused by proliferation of abnormal clonal mastocytes, which accumulate in the skin and/or other organ systems. Mastocytosis, including SM, was reclassified as a distinct disease subtype in 2016, when the World Health Organization (WHO) removed mastocytosis from the myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) group. The WHO defines 5 SM subtypes, ranging from indolent SM, which is associated with mild symptoms and near-normal life expectancy, to mast cell leukemia, which is an aggressive hematologic malignancy associated with median survival of less than 1 year.

Target Audience:
HCPs including: hematology/oncology specialists, allergists, and clinical immunologists, dermatologists; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists who practice in those areas of specialty; and any other healthcare professionals with an interest in or who may clinically encounter patients with systemic mastocytosis.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:
In this online, self-learning activity:

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a highly contagious pathogen belonging to the Pneumoviridae family that circulates seasonally with other respiratory viruses. The majority of the population is exposed to RSV, but children under the age of two years and older adults are at the greatest risk of significant morbidity and mortality. RSV infections are responsible for approximately 60-80% of pediatric bronchiolitis and 40% of pediatric pneumonia cases and are a major cause of global hospitalization and mortality. Almost 70% of children are exposed to RSV during their first year of life, and 90% are exposed within their first two years, resulting in an estimated 427,000 emergency department visits and 1.6 million pediatrician visits annually.

Target Audience:
HCPs including: Obstetricians, pediatricians, and family medicine physicians; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, pharmacists specializing in pediatrics; and any other HCPs involved or interested in the management of RSV in infants and high-risk children.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Cervical dystonia is the most common focal dystonia, characterized by involuntary muscular contractions resulting in abnormal head, neck, and shoulder movements in addition to posture that can cause tremor and pain. Early-onset dystonia can begin in infancy, childhood, or adolescence, and it generally progresses from focal to generalized. Adult-onset dystonia usually affects the upper part of the body; the origin of the dystonia determines the risk of spread. Cervical dystonia may appear as torticollis, laterocollis, anterocollis, or retrocollis. It may be distinguished from nondystonic hand tremor and essential tremor by the absence of limb tremor and the manner of neck movement. However, it is more difficult to distinguish from pseudodystonias, resulting in misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment.

Target Audience:

The following HCPs: medical neurologists; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists who practice in neurology; and other clinicians who commonly encounter patients with cervical dystonia. 

Activity Description / Statement of Need:
In this online, self-learning activity:

Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) occurs at an estimated rate of five to ten per 1,000 hospital admissions and is the most common cause of hospital-acquired infection in the United States. It is defined as pneumonia that develops at least 48 hours after hospital admission and did not appear to be incubating at the time of admission. A significant subset of HAP that occurs most frequently in intensive care units (ICUs) is ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), which is defined as pneumonia that occurs more than 48 to 72 hours after tracheal intubation and is thought to affect approximately 10 to 20% of patients who receive mechanical ventilation for more than 48 hours. Altered mechanical defenses, such as impaired ciliary motion and mucus secretion, increase the susceptibility for acquiring pneumonia in intubated patients, with over 90% of pneumonia episodes that develop in ICUs occurring in patients who are intubated or mechanically ventilated.

Target Audience:
HCPs including: pulmonologists, infectious disease specialists, and intensivists; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists specializing in infectious disease or critical care; and any other healthcare professionals with an interest in or clinically encounter patients with HAP or VAP.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:
In this online, self-learning activity:

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is one of the most common infections in the world, affecting approximately 50% of the world’s population and 36% of the U.S. population, with a higher prevalence in Blacks, Hispanics, and those of lower socioeconomic status. Most patients are asymptomatic, but H. pylori is the major cause of gastritis and peptic ulcer disease, and it is a risk factor for duodenal ulcers and gastric cancer. H. pylori may be diagnosed by endoscopy or noninvasive testing, including urea breath testing, stool antigen assay, or H. pylori serology.

Target Audience:
HCPs including: gastroenterologists and primary care providers; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists specializing in gastroenterology; and any other HCPs involved or interested in the treatment of H. pylori infection.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:
In this online, self-learning activity:

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of blindness in individuals over the age of 50 years. In the early stages of disease, vision may be gray, hazy, or distorted. As the disease progresses, retinal deterioration can lead to irreversible, bilateral loss of central vision. In the US alone, an estimated 18.3 million people are living with early-stage ARMD, and 1.5 million people are living with late-stage AMD, representing 11.6% and 0.9% of all adults older than 40 years, respectively. In addition to the burden of disability caused by blindness, AMD is also associated with substantial societal and economic costs. In the US, vision loss and blindness incur an economic burden of $134 billion annually, of which $36 billion is attributable to indirect costs such as loss of productivity, injury, and unemployment.

Target Audience:
The following HCPs: comprehensive ophthalmologists and retinal specialists; physician assistants, and nurse practitioners who practice in ophthalmology; and any other HCPs with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with AMD.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:
In this online, self-learning activity:

Transthyretin-mediated 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.

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.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Thalassemias belong to a group of recessively inherited blood disorders characterized by little or no hemoglobin production and chronic anemia of varying severity. Alpha-thalassemia (AT) is most commonly found in people of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Asian, and North African descent. Worldwide, 5% of people are AT carriers, with a much higher prevalence in certain regions (eg, up to 23% in Southeast Asia). AT is typically caused by deletions of one or more α-globin genes, of which there are 4 in total, leading to reduced or abolished α-globin production; nondeletional forms of AT can also occur and are generally more severe. The loss of functional α-globin disrupts the globin chain equilibrium, leading to excess γ- and β-globin chain formation and causing ineffective erythropoiesis.

Target Audience:

The following healthcare professionals: hematologists; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists who practice in hematology; and any other healthcare professionals with an interest in or who may clinically encounter patients with AT.