Release Date: March 2013
Expiration Date: March 2014
Estimated time to complete the educational activity: 1 hour
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This activity is jointly sponsored by Medical Education Resources and Haymarket Medical Education.
Statement of Need: There is a disproportionately higher prevalence of hypothyroidism as well as thyroid hormone metabolic derangements in dialysis patients, and emerging data suggest that thyroid hormone deficiency may be associated with greater cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in this population. Further study is needed to determine the mechanistic links between hypothyroidism and kidney disease, as well as the optimal methods of thyroid functional assessment, prognostic implications, and the potential risks and benefits of exogenous thyroid hormone treatment in the dialysis population.
Target Audience: This activity has been designed to meet the needs of nephrologists and allied healthcare clinicians who treat patients with kidney disease who also suffer from thyroid dysfunction.
Educational Objectives: After completing the activity, the participant should be better able to:
- Analyze what is known about the mechanistic links and association between thyroid dysfunction and kidney disease
- Assess thyroid hormone metabolism and diagnostic considerations for patients on dialysis
Accreditation Statement: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 Medical Education Resources (MER) and Haymarket Medical Education. MER is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Credit Designation: Medical Education Resources designates this enduring materialfor a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM. Physicians should claim only the creditcommensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest: Medical Education Resources ensures balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all our educational programs. In accordance with this policy, MER identifies conflicts of interest with its instructors, content managers, and other individuals who are in a position to control the content of an activity. Conflicts are resolved by MER to ensure all scientific research referred to, reported, or used in a CME activity conforms to the generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection, and analysis. MER is committed to providing its learners with high-quality CME activities that promote improvements or quality in health care and not a commercial interest.
The faculty reported the following financial relationships with commercial interests whose products or services may be mentioned in this CME activity:
| Name of Faculty | Reported Financial Relationship |
| Connie M. Rhee, MD, MSc | No financial relationships to disclose |
The content managers, Jody A. Charnow and Marina Galanakis, of Haymarket Medical Education, and Julie Johnson, PharmD, of Medical Education Resources, have disclosed that they have no relevant financial relationships or conflicts of interest.
Method of Participation: There are no fees for participating in and receiving CME credit for this activity. During the period December 2012 through December 2013, participants must: 1) read the learning objectives and faculty disclosures, 2) study the educational activity, 3) complete the posttest and submit it online. Physicians may register at www.myCME.com/renalandurologynews, and 4) complete the evaluation form online.
A statement of credit will be issued only upon receipt of a completed activity evaluation form and a completed post-test with a score of 70% or better.
