4th Edition of A Day in Allergy and Respiratory Medicine
In the spirit of scientific meetings, the 4th Edition of A Day in Allergy and Respiratory Medicine was a victorious virtual conference held on Friday, 29th January 2021 under the sponsorships of Sanofi Genzyme, Novartis, Boehringer Ingelheim, GSK, AstraZeneca, Janssen (Johnson and Johnson), Pfizer, ProPharma, Cheisi, and Metromed, and organized by Medetarian Conferences Organizing (MCO). With an outstanding 2500+ attendees in the history of webinars all across the United Arab Emirates and around the world, this event marks an incredible continuing medical education in the field of Respiratory and Immunology.
Not only did we experience this superb virtual learning seminar but we’ve come to witness an agenda from our notable line of international speakers all from diverse backgrounds and nationalities, whose aim was to instill the power of medical lectures in their field of studies and interests.
Spearheading as Chairman, his prominence as President of Emirates Thoracic Society and Head of Respiratory Medicine at Zayed Military Hospital, UAE, Prof. Ashraf Alzaabi has graced the virtual floor as he officially opened the conference with his welcome speech, giving us a glimmer of the excitement of what to expect from the event itself. Prof. Ashraf with his flair for cordiality has thanked everyone for their attendance and informed delegates to engage in a very fun and interactive webpage-exhibition stands to chat live with the sponsors.
From the onset, Zarina Akramyar, a Respiratory Therapist at Zayed Military Hospital, UAE has presented three pre-recorded Workshops namely on Skin Testing, Spirometry, and Exhaled Nitric Oxide Test (FeNO) from 9 AM – to 10:48 AM, respectively.
Dr. Saba Al Heialy, Assistant Professor of Immunology at Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE, on the topic of Immune Responses in COVID-19 has discussed very important updates related to the impact of COVID-19 on immunology. With her in-depth research study, she’s able to present a very comprehensive presentation especially on Antibody responses in which she explained that most COVID-19 patients have detectable levels of antibodies and can develop 1-3 weeks after symptoms appear. Further, patients with severe disease have higher levels of neutralizing antibodies and may disappear 1-8 months after production. In conclusion, SARS-CoV-2 induces innate and adaptive immune responses and the duration of immunity to SARS-CoV-2 remains unknown.
Prof. Ahmed BaHammam, Consultant Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine Director at King Saud University Medical City, KSA has provided lectures on Sleep Disordered Breathing. He has discussed the subject with such profound insight to provide us very illuminating facts when it comes to patients with this kind of disease. He defined Sleep Disordered Breathing as a group of disorders characterized by abnormalities of the respiratory pattern or ventilation during sleep. He concluded otherwise for treatment that Nasal CPAP is preferable. He pointed out as key points as quote, “Sleep Disordered Breathing is an important medical disorder that warrants active investigation through a clinical evaluation and polysomnographic sleep studies. Treatment is essential, not only to improve the symptoms that include sleepiness but also to prevent the development of cardiovascular complications. Effective treatments exist that include behavioral, medical and surgical means; dramatic improvements in patient’s well-being can be achieved.”
Prof. Leonardo M. Fabbri, Imminent Scholar of Internal Respiratory Medicine at the University of Ferrara, Italy, has presented his topic on COPD Management. In his dialogue, he emphasized the scientific approach and management for patients with Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in which by medical definition is a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties. It includes emphysema – damage to the air sacs in the lungs. He argued that the PRAC review confirms that COPD patients treated with inhaled corticosteroids are at increased risk of pneumonia; however, the Committee’s view is that the benefits of inhaled corticosteroids continue to outweigh their risks. Based on his clinical study, the need to target mortality reduction as an achievable goal in the treatment of COPD and study reports a statistically significant reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality comparing fluticasone furoate/umeclidinium/vilanterol (inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting muscarinic antagonist/long-acting b2-agonist) with umeclidinium/ vilanterol (long-acting muscarinic antagonist/long-acting b2-agonist) in the IMPACT trial following additional collection and analysis of vital status data.
Prof. Ian Pavord, Respiratory Medicine Professor at the University of Oxford, UK on the topic of Treatable Traits in Airway Diseases, has discussed thoroughly investigative research with regards to airway diseases. Essentially considered, GOLD 2019 and GINA 2018 severe asthma guideline already recommends treatable traits based management, clinically accessible biomarkers of type-2 airway inflammation with established prognostic and predictive value, and GPs are very good at biomarker directed management. As he concluded, there is compelling evidence that the two established treatable traits based approach is superior to current guideline-based management in asthma and COPD.
Prof. Roland Buhl, Medicine Professor and Head of Pulmonary Department at the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Germany on the topic of Asthma Update has delivered an exemplary discussion all dedicated to the latest and most comprehensive updates of Asthma. He argued that patients with ‘mild’ asthma are at risk of serious adverse events. Also based on his research, there are 21 confirmed cases of anaphylaxis among the first 1.9 million doses administered, the average time between getting a vaccine and symptom onset 13 minutes, in most patients within 15 minutes, and 11.1 anaphylaxis cases per one million doses administered Flu vaccine 1.3 per one million doses.
On the most controversial topic of COVID-19 Vaccine, Prof. Brian Ward, with his ability for setting the bar high on the subject matter, has provided a very well-studied investigation surrounding the vaccination for COVID-19. In his presentation, he mused which vaccine is “best” in which he highlighted the message that it is unsure what a ‘good’ vaccine should do considering the Immune correlates will not be the same and moreso, there will be 1st, 2nd and 3rd ‘wave’ vaccines in the future. To quote David Heymann of the World Health Organization, “With vaccines, we are building our boat and sailing it at the same time.” Although some of the vaccines that are already out in the market may not be 100% guarantee to fight the virus, it’s still the hope of many medical scientists to push for a cure that will combat this pandemic which according to the latest update have claimed 2.2 Million lives all across the world. Each one of us has our own story to tell in terms of dealing with this virus. It is indeed sad to note that lives have been taken but while we’re still in the infancy stage for recovery, precautionary measures are still advised to flatten the curve. One must still observe social and distancing, wash your hands, and be a good citizen by simply wearing your mask properly.
Prof. Paul Jones, Emeritus Professor of Respiratory Medicine at St. George’s University of London, UK on his topic of Translating Clinical Trial Data into the Real World of COPD has provided a clinical analysis based on his recent study on COPD. He elaborated this research by presenting cases that have spanned across critical errors with COPD inhalers – patients tested after reading the instruction leaflet, but without training, ways of delivering triple therapy, to the Hawthorne effect. He concluded that ‘Phase 3’ efficacy randomized trials provide an estimate of a treatment’s efficacy and safety, strict inclusion/exclusion criteria, and requires close observation of the patients. Effectiveness randomized trials, on the other hand, mimics routine clinical practice, have balanced treatment groups (unlike retrospective database studies), and provides limited information about mechanisms of benefit, and the patients still know that they are in a trial. He also commented that both types of RCT are needed because they provide complementary information
Prof. Dave Singh, Clinical Pharmacology and Respiratory Medicine Professor at the University of Manchester, UK has also shared his scientific views on the Mortality Benefit of COPD which aimed to describe triple therapy effects (in COPD RCTs) on Exacerbations and Mortality and to apply recent information from triple therapy RCTs to real-life practice. He argued that the proportion of deaths increases with increasing frequency and severity of exacerbations and Exacerbation Rates were higher in patients who died than in those who did not die. The GOLD 2021 update confirms that these results suggest a beneficial effect of fixed-dose triple inhaled therapy versus fixed-dose LABA/LAMA combinations on mortality in symptomatic COPD patients with a history of frequent and/or severe exacerbations.
On the Management of Interstitial Lung Disease, Prof. Martin Kolb, Chair and Respiratory Medicine Director at Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health Canada, have discussed and presented visually arresting cases of patients with ILD. In his presentation, Prof. Kolb argued that there are 200 types of ILD. He explained, ergo, that pulmonary fibrosis is not only IPF – 70-80% have different ILD. Further, he also brought to light that Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis is a debilitating and fatal lung disease with progressive scarring that occurs in the lungs, which causes impairment of alveolar gas transfer, and acute exacerbations are rapid and unexplained episodes of deterioration in IPF4. According to Prof. Kolb, HRCT is an integral component in the diagnosis of IPF and when it also comes to treatment Nintedanib in patients with chronic fibrosing interstitial lung diseases with progressive phenotype: the INBUILD® trial changes from baseline in FVC (mL) over 52 weeks.
Prof. Nazarreno Galie, Cardiology Professor of Department of Experimental Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES) at the University of Bologna, Italy, has shed light on Pulmonary Hypertension in which he explained from a scientific perspective the following important key points:
· Diagnosis is the most important in PH
· Echocardiography estimates PH (does not measure it)
· RHC is mini-invasive but requires experience and expertise
· The New PH haemodynamic definition has not a major impact on the clinical and therapeutic decision making.
· Do not give sildenafil, as well as other PAH, approved drugs to patients with PH due to left heart disease or lung disease
· CTEPH patients require a multi-disciplinary team including surgeons, haemodynamic interventionists, radiologists, and PH experts
Drawing us close to the finale, Prof. Ashraf Alzaabi together with a list of panelists under the umbrella of Sanofi Genzyme, have launched INSPIRE, a new digital platform for knowledge and expertise sharing. INSPIRE was featured as a special project which aims to engage healthcare professionals to share insights within the medical circle-spectrum.
As part of the virtual conference itself, Pfizer, one of the Silver sponsors has shared a pre-recorded symposium in which Dr. Naim Aoun, Consultant Pulmonologist, American Hospital, Dubai provided a great analysis on “Adult Pneumococcal Immunization”. To watch it in full, click here: https://youtu.be/WSviy0I2sow
This 7-hour Virtual Conference in its entirety was packed with new excitement especially on the
Virtual Exhibition with its state-of-the-art live messaging features. The learning experience shared by our remarkable speakers was an accomplishment not only for medical professionals per se but also for everyone who has spent the rest of the day witnessing the glory of the 4TH Edition of A Day In Allergy and Respiratory Medicine.
To view and re-watch the session, visit our official YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmhQ2sapyUtQk9zIpiZCPkg
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Complement this webinar with our upcoming conventions hosted by the Emirates Thoracic Society. Save the date for Respiratory Infections on March 3rd, 2021.
This conference is managed by Medetarian Conferences Organizing (MCO), a certified and proud member of the International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA).