Provider & Caregiver Connection™: Patient Perspectives in Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Lung Disease

Provider & Caregiver Connection™: Patient Perspectives in Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Lung Disease is organized by Physicians' Education Resource, LLC (PER).

Release Date: July 31, 2019
Expiration Date: July 31, 2020

Target Audience:
This activity is intended for primary care physicians, infectious disease specialists, and pulmonologists. Physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses involved in the diagnosis and management of NTM-LD will also be invited to participate.

Accreditation/Credit Designation:
Physicians' Education Resource®, LLC, designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Physicians’ Education Resource®, LLC, is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #16669, for 1.5 Contact Hours.

Activity overview:
Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are mycobacteria that are not members of the species Mycobacterium tuberculosis or Mycobacterium leprae. Nontuberculous mycobacteria are ubiquitous in nature and most commonly isolated from soil and water, but also are found in biofilms coating the inside of showerheads. Exposure to environmental sources of NTM can lead to opportunistic infections, including severe pulmonary infections, and are especially common among those with genetic host defense defects and/or comorbidities, and negatively impact quality of life in those affected. Nontuberculous mycobacteria lung disease (NTM-LD) typically affects individuals age ?60 years, and women are more likely than men to be affected. These mycobacteria are slow-growing pathogens, and many symptoms of NTM-LD, such as coughing, dyspnea, weight loss, and fatigue, mimic symptoms of such other respiratory ailments as bronchitis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, causing significant delays in diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Prevalence of NTM-LD is increasing in all regions of the United States and is especially prevalent along coastal regions.

This educational activity is highlighted with a patient’s perspective, from a 6-year journey to diagnosis, treatment challenges, lifestyle changes, and ongoing disease management. Two expert faculty will build on the patient’s narrative to share their experiences and practical insights on diagnosis with specific laboratory requirements, radiologic and clinical findings, and then current, new, and emerging treatments for this lifelong disease.

Learning Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this educational activity, you should be better prepared to:
• Recognize the diagnostic approach to NTM-LD, including mycobacterial subspecies identification and evaluation of drug resistances
• Evaluate the efficacy, toxicity, and drug interactions of antibiotics used in the treatment of NTM-LD
• Incorporate patient perspectives into management of care and strategies to improve outcomes.