1st ETS: Pediatric Pulmonology Scientific Meeting, February 25, 2022
The live Scientific Meeting ‘Pediatric Pulmonology’, supported by Novartis, was the first milestone in a series of meetings will be held in 2022 in United Arab Emirates. The session helped the 853 attendees from 22 countries around the world to know more about the developments in the field of Pediatric Pulmonology, understand the current trends in diagnosis and medication, and earn 3 CME hours.
Prof. Ashraf Alzaabi, president of Emirates Thoracic Society and the Chief of Medicine at Zayed Military Hospital in Abu Dhabi, has appointed Dr. Asmaa Al Nuaimi, President of the Pediatric Pulmonology Group at the Emirates Thoracic Society, and Pediatric Consultant at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), SEHA, Abu Dhabi, UAE, as the Webinar Chairman. Dr.
Asmaa has welcomed all the attendees and explained the agenda of the webinar. She has officially introduced the eminent speakers Dr. Majid AlSaleh AlTeneji, Pediatric Pulmonologist and Sleep Physician at Tawan Hospital, Al-Ain, UAE, Dr. Eyman Shebani, Pediatric Consultant at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), SEHA, Abu Dhabi, UAE, and Dr. Ahmed Elghoudi, Consultant in Pediatrics and Allergy at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Dr. Majid’s lecture was centered on Updates on Asthma Guidelines. The presentation has concentrated on the most recent guidelines specifically pediatrics such GINA, Canadian Thoracic Society Asthma Guideline, and NAEPP. He answered why is track I the preferred for adults and adolescents? He also mentioned that the ICS-formoterol should not be used as the reliever in patients prescribed a different ICS-LABA for their controller therapy. No need for allergen mitigation interventions as part of routine asthma management, he added. And finally, he gave a take home message to patients with remain mild asthma to reduce the risk of exacerbations.
The second session by Dr. Eyman Shebani discussed the Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia in Children. First she started with a quick review of PCD history explaining where did this name come from? Then she shared a cross section of a Cilium and mentioned the two types of the Cilia: Motile cilia and immotile cilia which act as sensors. She presented the PCD Diagnosis and explained the difference between the PCD and the SCD. Finally, you have to try to diagnose early trying to improve trachea bronchial clearance, we have to control infection and reverse airflow obstruction (bronchodilators), she added
Dr. Ahmed Elghoudi focused on Oral – Food Pollen Syndrome “The Scratchy Mouth and Itchy Throat”. The lecture began with a quiz, to answer it he explained the difference between PFAS and true food allergy, and he mentioned that the treatments for PFAS should be individualized for patients because it can cause a wide range of symptoms from mild allergy to severe anaphylaxis in rare occasions.
As a symposium speaker, Dr. Marilyn Karam, Consultant Physician, Allergy and Clinic Immunology Division, Internal Medicine Department, at American Hospital, Dubai, UAE, presented a Real Experience for Xolair with Pediatric Asthmatic Patients. She talked about the role of IgE in allergic diseases, rational of targeting IgE, and Omalizumab in pediatric asthma. Omalizumab is recommended as an add-on treatment for children >6 years with uncontrolled moderate to severe asthma, She said. She concluded her talk by mentioning the safety and effectiveness of Xolair which was demonstrated in terms of GETE, improvement in asthma control and reduction in asthma exacerbation-related events.
Webinar Chairman Dr. Asmaa Al Nuaimi has conducted the Q&A session and answered all the questions posted in the Q&A box. She expressed his appreciation and gratitude to the speakers, the organizer MCO, the sponsor Novartis, and the attendees for facilitating the webinar.