This activity is not part of the official scientific program of the AANEM.
Target Audience
The target audience includes neurologists and physiatrists attending the AANEM 2010 Annual Meeting.
Activity Purpose
The goal of this activity is to assist participants in the diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune neuromuscular diseases by increasing knowledge and competence in the performance and interpretation of electrodiagnostic studies, differential diagnosis, and treatment options.
Statement of Need
The neuromuscular diseases include a diverse group of illnesses that may share phenotypic, pathophysiologic, and other characteristics, although their identities are unique. These individual diseases can be differentiated through rigorous clinical examination, electrophysiologic testing, and even responses to certain therapies. Differential diagnosis of these diseases presents significant difficulty for the neurologist and clinicians outside the field; however, proper diagnosis and treatment are critical because many of these illnesses respond well to appropriate therapy.
The pathology, clinical presentation, and lack of diagnostic criteria in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) call for consensus building among experts and dissemination of this information through educational activities. Recent consensus criteria for a diagnosis of multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) have been formulated, but they are underused in clinical practice. Many clinicians are not aware that MMN does not respond to plasma exchange, and may be exacerbated by corticosteroids. Myasthenia gravis (MG) is underdiagnosed because it often goes unrecognized. Physicians often incorrectly use the electrophysiologic diagnosis of MG, and many lack competence in distinguishing acute-onset CIDP from Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) treatment-related fluctuation (TRF).
This CME activity offers neurologists and physiatrists the opportunity to improve diagnostic acuity for CIDP, MMN, GBS, and MG; to learn to optimize the use of available electrophysiologic diagnostic assessments; and to increase their understanding of appropriate treatment strategies for these diseases.
Learning Objectives
On completion of this activity, participants should be able to:
- Recognize the clinical presentations of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN), Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), and myasthenia gravis (MG)
- Evaluate the diagnostic evidence of CIDP, MMN, GBS, and MG
- Outline appropriate therapy based on disease course, therapeutic mechanisms, and safety and efficacy data
- Determine the appropriate timing, dosage, and duration of specific therapies used in the treatment of autoimmune muscular disease based on available evidence and expert opinion
CME Accreditation Statement
DIME is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
CME Designation Statement
DIME designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Chairperson*
Carol Lee Koski, MD
Professor (Retired)
Department of Neurology
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Baltimore, Maryland
Director
GBS/CIDP International
Narberth, Pennsylvania
Faculty*
Marinos C. Dalakas, MD, FAAN
Professor of Neurology
Clinical Neurosciences
Director, Neuromuscular Division
Imperial College London
Chief of Neuromuscular Service
Hammersmith Hospital
London, United Kingdom
Gil I. Wolfe, MD
Professor of Neurology
University of Texas Southwestern Medical School
Chief, Neuromuscular Section
Department of Neurology
University of Texas Southwestern Hospital
Dallas, Texas
*Current guidelines state that participants in CME activities should be made aware of any affiliation or financial interest that may affect those involved with content development or presentation. Those persons have completed a Statement of Disclosure, and their names and relevant information will appear in the course materials. This information is used to: (1) determine whether a conflict exists, (2) resolve the conflict by initiating a content validation process, and (3) advise learners of this information. Information unavailable at the time of printing will be made available for review before the presentation.
