Airing It Out

Faculty

Joseph K. Han, MD, FARS, FAAOA
Professor, Department of Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery
Chief, Division of Rhinology & Endoscopic Sinus and Skull Base Surgery
Chief, Division of Allergy
Eastern Virginia Medical School
ARS, President Elect
AAAAI, RROAC, Chair Elect
Norfolk, Virginia

John J. Oppenheimer, MD
Clinical Professor of Medicine
Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Newark, New Jersey
Clinician, Atlantic Health System
Morristown Medical Center
Morristown, New Jersey

Reynold A. Panettieri, Jr, MD
Professor of Medicine
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Vice Chancellor, Translational Medicine and Science
Director, Rutgers Institute for Translational Medicine and Science
New Brunswick, New Jersey
Emeritus Professor of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Target Audience

The educational design of this activity addresses the needs of allergists, clinical immunologists, and other specialist clinicians involved in the management of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) or asthma.

Statement of Need

Disorders involving inflammation or tissue remodeling in the respiratory tract are responsible for significant patient morbidity, potential mortality, and tremendous burdens on health care systems.^1,2 In the upper airways, chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is characterized by inflammation in the nasal cavity mucosa and paranasal sinuses.³ A quarter to one third of patients with CRS have associated nasal polyps (CRSwNP), which can obstruct the sinuses and nasal passages and are often associated with more severe sinonasal symptoms.⁴ In the lower airways, asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that affects more than 25 million Americans.⁵ Notably, asthma affects a large proportion of patients with CRSwNP, and the presence of nasal polyps has been associated with asthma disease severity.⁶ An outsized segment of asthma-related morbidity and mortality is borne by the 5% to 15% of patients who have more severe forms of the disease.⁷ Research has uncovered pathophysiologic and phenotypic associations between diseases of the upper and lower airways, such as CRS and asthma, leading to the development of novel therapies for these disorders.⁸ Several biologic medications are now available to treat certain cohorts of patients with moderate-to-severe asthma, and recently the first biologic therapy for treatment of CRSwNP has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).^9,10 Clinical immunologists, allergists, and other specialists who manage patients with CRSwNP and asthma will be increasingly tasked with personalizing the choice of treatment based on the severity of symptoms, presence of comorbidities, and disease phenotypes and endotypes. Thus, clinicians must be vigilant about staying current on the latest clinical data, treatment recommendations, and new approvals from the FDA. During this Case-in-Point™ educational activity, a panel of expert faculty will guide learners through unique clinical case scenarios, sharing relevant guideline recommendations, published data, and clinical insights before a brief question-and-answer session concludes each case discussion. Participants will find this interactive session informative and engaging, as it combines evidence-based management strategies and real-world experience into actionable best-practice recommendations that can shape therapeutic decision-making.

References

1. Lang DM. Allergy Asthma Proc. 2015;36(6):418-424.
2. Bhattacharyya N, et al. Laryngoscope. 2019;129(9):1969-1975.
3. Orlandi RR, et al. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2016;6(suppl 1):S22-S209.
4. Stevens WW, et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2016;4(4):565-572.
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Asthma Facts: CDC’s National Asthma Control Program Grantees. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services. 2013.
6. Fokkens WJ, et al. Allergy. 2019;74(12):2312-2319.
7. Chung KF, et al. Eur Respir J. 2014;43(2):343-373.
8. Rosati MG, Peters AT. Am J Rhinol Allergy. 2016;30(1):44-47.
9. Assaf SM, Hanania NA. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2019;19(4):379-386.
10. Laidlaw TM, Buchheit KM. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2020;124(4):326-332.

Educational Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be better able to:

• Compare clinically relevant inflammatory processes involved in the pathophysiology of CRSwNP and asthma
• Longitudinally evaluate patients with asthma or CRSwNP for severity of disease, control of symptoms, and treatment responses
• Discuss the biologic treatment armamentarium for CRSwNP and moderate-to-severe asthma
• Construct individualized treatment regimens for patients with CRSwNP or moderate-to-severe asthma based on symptoms, comorbidities, and shared clinical decision-making

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interests

PIM requires instructors, planners, managers, and other individuals and their spouses/life partners who are in a position to control the content of this activity to disclose any real or apparent conflict of interest they may have as related to the content of this activity. All identified conflicts of interest are thoroughly vetted by PIM for fair balance, scientific objectivity of studies mentioned in the materials or used as the basis for content, and appropriateness of patient care recommendations.

The faculty reported the following financial relationships or relationships to products or devices they or their spouses/life partners have with commercial interests related to the content of this activity:

Joseph K. Han, MD: Consultant/Advisor: AstraZeneca plc; Genentech, Inc.; GlaxoSmithKline plc; Gossamer Bio; Intersect ENT, Inc.; OptiNose US, Inc.; Roche Pharma; Sanofi Genzyme and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Investigator: MedImmune, LLC
John J. Oppenheimer, MD: Consultant/Advisor: DBV Technologies SA; GlaxoSmithKline plc. Adjudication/DSMB: AstraZeneca plc; GlaxoSmithKline plc; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation; Sanofi Genzyme and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Reynold A. Panettieri, Jr, MD: Speakers Bureau: AstraZeneca plc; Boehringer Ingelheim; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation; Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. Consultant/Advisor: AstraZeneca plc; MedImmune, LLC; Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. Research Grant: AstraZeneca plc; Genentech, Inc.; MedImmune, LLC; OncoArendi Therapeutics SA; Research Institute for Fragrance Materials, Inc. (RIFM); sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC; Theratrophix, LLC

Non-faculty
Jim Kappler, PhD; Julia Muino; and Rose O’Connor, PhD, CHCP, hereby state that neither they nor their spouses/life partners have any financial relationships to products or devices with any commercial interest related to the content of this activity of any amount during the past 12 months.

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use

This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the FDA. PIM and Integritas Communications do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications.

The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily represent the views of any organization associated with this activity. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

Disclaimer

Participants have an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to enhance patient outcomes and their own professional development. The information presented in this activity is not meant to serve as a guideline for patient management. Any procedures, medications, or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed or suggested in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of their patients’ conditions and possible contraindications or dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities.

Joint Accreditation Statement

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by the Postgraduate Institute for Medicine and Integritas Communications. Postgraduate Institute for Medicine is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the health care team.

Physician Credit Designation Statement

PIM designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Continuing Nursing Education

The maximum number of hours awarded for this Continuing Nursing Education activity is 1.2 contact hours. 

Instructions to Recieve Credit

In order to received credit, participants must complete the following:

1. Read the educational objectives, accreditation information, and faculty disclosures at the beginning of this activity.
2. Complete the Preactivity Questions.
3. Review the activity content.
4. Complete the Postactivity Test Questions and Evaluation.
5. Achieve a grade of 70% on the Postactivity Test Questions and complete the Evaluation to receive credit.

Fee Information & Refund/Cancellation Policy

There is no fee for this educational activity.

PIM Contact Information

For information about the accreditation of this program, please contact PIM via email at inquiries@pimed.com