Needs Assessment

Liver disease has emerged as a major cause of morbidity in patients with HIV infection. However, there is a fragmentation of data related to diagnosis, management, and research agenda issues. While hepatologists typically focus on issues of liver disease, few liver specialists understand the current issues in the management of HIV infection. Similarly, infectious diseases specialists are generally well versed in HIV and other opportunistic infections, but lack significant knowledge in the area of hepatic physiology and pathology. Annual meetings hosted by professional societies fail to bring together individuals from other disciplines. Therefore, there is a critical need for cross-disciplinary venues that focus on issues of liver disease in HIV-infected patients

Target Audience and Scope of Practice

This educational activity has been designed to meet the needs of clinicians and other health care professionals who manage patients with HIV infection and co-infection with HBV or HCV.

Course Objectives

At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:

	Review the epidemiology of HIV infection and liver disease in coinfected patients
	Cite current treatment guidelines for the management of HIV-infected patients with HBV or HCV
	List noninvasive markers of fibrosis
	Explain the pathogenesis of liver injury in patients infected with HIV
	Discuss the management of steatosis and insulin resistance with HIV-infected patients
	Describe the mutation and evolution of HBV and HCV infection in HIV-infected patients
	Report on the drugs being developed for the treatment of HCV-infected patients
	Analyze the progression of decompensated liver disease in HIV-infected patients
	Assess the risk of antiretroviral therapy injury in patients with end-stage liver disease
	Summarize the psychiatric difficulties that can develop in HIV-infected patients with liver disease
	Examine treatment outcomes in injection drug users coinfected with HIV and liver disease
	Distinguish the cellular response pathways in patients with HCV infection
	Review the pertinent literature related to contemporary areas of research in HIV and hepatitis coinfection
	Apply the results of research in advancing the science and improving clinical care outcomes related to HIV and hepatitis coinfection
	Allow interactions between researchers and clinicians to optimize the approach to caring for individuals with HIV and hepatitis coinfection

Elements of Competence

This activity has been designed to address the general competencies of patient care, medical knowledge, and practice-based learning and improvement.

Accreditation

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of the University Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and MDG Development Group. The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit Designation

The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health designates this educational activity for a maximum of 16 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison, as a member of the University Continuing Education Association (UCEA), authorizes this program for 1.6 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or 16 hours.

Policy on Faculty and Sponsor Disclosure

Disclosure information about financial relationships between the faculty and industry will be revealed in writing in the course materials. The faculty will disclose discussions of unlabeled/unapproved uses of drugs or devices during their presentations.

We gratefully recognize the following independent educational grants in support of this activity: