This activity is jointly provided by the Elsevier Office of Continuing Medical Education and Integritas Communications.

This activity is supported by an independent educational grant from Sanofi Genzyme and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.

This program is independent and is not part of the official AAD Annual Meeting, as planned by its Scientific Assembly Committee.

Dinner will be provided.

Target Audience

The educational design of this activity addresses the needs of dermatologists, allergists/clinical immunologists, and other clinicians who treat patients with severe atopic dermatitis.

Statement of Need/Program Overview

Atopic dermatitis is a common, chronic inflammatory disease that manifests primarily in the skin, although research has uncovered potential deleterious effects in other organ systems throughout the body.^1,2 The multifactorial biopsychosocial burdens of atopic dermatitis often markedly reduce patients’ quality of life, particularly in those with moderate-to-severe disease.^3,4 A better understanding of atopic dermatitis etiology has supported the development of new approaches to disease characterization and targeted therapies.^5,6 Indeed, the first biologic medication is now available to treat patients with moderate-to-severe disease and several other agents are in late-stage clinical development.⁷ To best serve their patients with difficult-to-treat atopic dermatitis, dermatologists can benefit from updates on the latest clinical trial data and practical recommendations on how the growing evidence pool should be translated into daily clinical decision making for patient assessment and treatment.^7,8 In this Clinical Issues™ program, an expert faculty panel will discuss and debate the pathophysiologic underpinnings of atopic dermatitis, considerations related to comprehensively evaluating patients, and recommended therapeutic strategies for moderate-to-severe disease. Attendees are sure to leave this lively and engaging program with new information and a fresh perspective on the evolving best practices for managing patients with atopic dermatitis. 

References

1. Nutten S. Atopic dermatitis: global epidemiology and risk factors. Ann Nutr Metab. 2015:66(suppl 1):8-16.
2. Brunner PM, et al. Increasing comorbidities suggest that atopic dermatitis is a systemic disorder. J Invest Dermatol. 2017;137(1):18-25.
3. Whiteley J, et al. The burden of atopic dermatitis in US adults: results from the 2013 National Health and Wellness Survey. Curr Med Res Opin. 2016;32(10):1-7 [Epub ahead of print].
4. Drucker AM, et al. The burden of atopic dermatitis: summary of a report for the National Eczema Association. J Invest Dermatol. 2017;137(1):26-30. 
5. Mansouri Y, Guttman-Yassky E. Immune pathways in atopic dermatitis, and definition of biomarkers through broad and targeted therapeutics. J Clin Med. 2015;4(5):858-873.
6. Gandhi NA, et al. Targeting key proximal drivers of type 2 inflammation in disease. Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2016;15(1):35-50.
7. Simpson EL, et al. Two phase 3 trials of dupilumab versus placebo in atopic dermatitis. N Engl J Med. 2016;375(24):2335-2348.
8. Ungar B, et al. An integrated model of atopic dermatitis biomarkers highlights the systemic nature of the disease. J Invest Dermatol. 2017;137(3):603-613.

Educational Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be better able to do the following:

• Describe the pathophysiologic mechanisms and risk factors that contribute to atopic dermatitis development and persistence, with a focus on specific targets of current and emerging systemic treatments
• Assess patients with atopic dermatitis over time for uncontrolled symptoms, sleep disturbances, comorbid conditions, and treatment responses
• Describe the mechanistic rationales and clinical evidence for current and emerging biologic therapies in the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis
• Individualize long-term therapeutic regimens for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis to prevent exacerbations, manage comorbidities, maximize health-related quality of life, and minimize treatment-related side effects
• Communicate with patients and caregivers to improve their understanding of atopic dermatitis and the importance of treatment adherence and promote shared decision-making

Program Agenda

6:30-7:00 PM   Registration and Dinner
7:00-7:20 PM   Introduction to Atopic Dermatitis Pathophysiology
7:20-7:40 PM   Comprehensive Patient Evaluations of Severe Disease Manifestations
7:40-8:00 PM   Individualizing Therapy for Patients With Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis
8:00-8:20 PM   Long-Term Management of Patients With Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis
8:20-8:40 PM   Case Study Discussion
8:40-9:00 PM   Postassessment and Question and Answer Session

Credit Designation

This program does not qualify for continuing medical education (CME) credit.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Event staff will be glad to assist you with any special needs (ie, physical, dietary, etc). Please contact Katie Anderton prior to the live event at kanderton@integritasgrp.com.

Fee Information

There is no registration fee for attending this program; however, seating is limited. Preregistration does not guarantee seating. We recommend arriving at the symposium location early.