New Diagnostic Tests in Glomerular Disease

Glomerular diseases historically have been challenging disorders to comprehend and treat for patients and physicians alike. Kidney biopsy is the gold standard of diagnosis. Treatment of glomerular disease usually involves therapies that are not specific to disease pathogenesis. Recent progress on the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of four glomerular diseases: immunoglobulin A nephropathy, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, the C3 glomerulopathies, and idiopathic membranous nephropathy.

 

Target Audience

Nephrologists, Emergency Medicine Physicians, Family Medicine Physicians, Internists, Hospitalists, Endocrinologists, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, Nurses and other interested healthcare professionals.  

 

Learning Objectives

  • Identify and understand the mechanisms of  suPAR in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in chronic kidney disease as well as the potential prognostic role of B7 staining of podocytes.  
  • Describe the role of anti PLA2r antibodies in the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of membranous nephropathy.  
  • Summarize the potential role of galactose deficient IgA antibodies and OgG anti-IgA antibodies in the diagnosis and prognosis of IgA Nephropathy. 
  • Explain the role of complement and C3 levels in glomerular diseases.  

 

Additional information
Bibliography: 

B cells and antibodies play an important role in the alloresponse to renal grafts as well as in immune-mediated glomerular diseases. In transplantation, greater recognition and improved diagnosis of antibody-mediated rejection have been a catalyst to the introduction of newer drugs and regimens that target B cells, plasma cells, and donor-specific antibodies to improve the outcome associated with antibody-mediated rejection. In immune-mediated renal disease, novel and more selective B cell therapies are gradually modifying the traditional therapeutic approach that consists of steroids and other immunosuppressants. A new era of selective and more effective immunosuppression agents that target the humoral response is finally emerging in transplantation and renal diseases. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 5: 142–151, 2010. doi: 10.2215/CJN.04580709 http://cjasn.asnjournals.org/content/5/1/142.full.pdf+html

 

Course Summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 1.00 General certificate of attendance
  • 1.00 Nurse Practitioners
  • 1.00 Florida Board of Nursing
Course opens: 
04/01/2016
Course expires: 
04/01/2022

Gerald B. Appel, M.D.
Professor of Medicine
Director of Clinical Nephrology
Columbia University Medical Center
New York, New York 

Gerald B. Appel, M.D.,  faculty for this educational activity, has indicated that he has relevant financial relationships to disclose with ineligible companies* and that his discussion will include mention of investigational or off-label usage. Dr. Appel has indicated that he has affiliation/financial interest with the following:
Speakers' Bureau for Takeda and Genentech 
Consultant for Regulus, BM Squibb, Merck, Pfizer, Genentech, Takeda, and OMerks 
Grant/Research support with Regulus, BM Squibb and NIH.

All of the relevant financial relationships listed for this individual has been mitigated.

James Loewenherz, M.D., conference director for this educational activity, has no relevant financial relationship to disclose with ineligible companies.*

Non-faculty contributors and others involved in the planning, development and editing/review of the content have no relevant financial relationships to disclose with ineligible companies.*

*Ineligible companies -- Companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

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Baptist Health South Florida is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. Baptist Health has been re-surveyed by the ACCME and awarded Commendation for 6 years as a provider of CME for physicians.
              
Baptist Health South Florida designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Available Credit

  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 1.00 General certificate of attendance
  • 1.00 Nurse Practitioners
  • 1.00 Florida Board of Nursing
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