The Situation
Spondyloarthritis (SpA) has common genetic, clinical, and radiological features; characterised by inflammatory back pain, fatigue and joint swelling as well as comorbidities such as inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis and osteoporotic fractures which pose a significant burden to the patient.1,2
Early diagnosis is important to improve outcomes; however, diagnosis is often delayed from symptom onset by as much as 6–8 years.3
Treatment strategies and modalities in spondyloarthritis have tremendously improved in recent times. With the discovery of new molecular mechanisms, a new series of targets have emerged, opening up the horizon for strategies in achieving disease remission early on and in a stratified manner. International societies have been regularly approving and updating guidelines, and so the disease treatment landscape has evolved rapidly.4
The Solution
The RESPOND interactive education programme is a series of CPD accredited modules, developed in association with five experts in SpA; Professor Karl Gaffney, Dr Deepak Jadon, Professor Dennis McGonagle, Dr Laura Savage and Dr Raj Sengupta, designed to review and update healthcare professionals on the evolving management and future trends of patients with spondyloarthritis and psoriasis.
Key programme objectives:
- How can rheumatologists best use the resources available to them to reduce the time to diagnosis for spondyloarthritis?
- Practical use of guidelines and recommendations for the pharmacological (and non-pharmacological) management of AS
- Showcase a best practice approach for working as an MDT with nurses, primary care and allied specialties
References
- Dean LE, et al. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2014;53(4):650–657.
- Salaffi F, et al. Health Qual Life Outcomes 2009;7:25.
- Almodovar R, et al. Clin Exp Rheumatol 2011;29(5):822–827.
- Subramanian R and Prasad S. APIK Journal of Internal Medicine 2020; 8(3):107.