Master AATD

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Master AATD

The second edition of the master’s degree in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency will begin next February. It consists of 60 credits and will last until July 2025.

Coordination of AATD Master

This training is promoted by SEPAR (Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery) and will have the collaboration of Grifols.

In addition, this master’s degree is directed by the pulmonology specialist María Durán, from the Hospital de Vigo, Álvaro Cunqueiro, and will be taught by some of the most renowned specialists in DAAT research and treatment.

Program Bases

This program will be taught to 50 people online and aims to train professionals in the management of this hereditary condition.

These specialists include pulmonologists, internists, hepatologists, allergists, geriatricians and family doctors.

Fundamentally, the training is based on understanding this disease in order to make an early and accurate diagnosis that can stop its progression and, consequently, improve the quality of life of patients.

In general, this program covers a wide variety of specific topics, such as:

  • Epidemiology
  • Genetic bases of AATD
  • Latest advances in diagnosis and treatment
  • Advanced diagnostic techniques
  • Pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies
  • Surgical and replacement treatments
  • Dealing with liver complications
  • Patient follow-up and genetic counselling

In addition, the program includes modules dedicated to special situations, such as:

  • DAAT in pregnancy
  • Association with COVID-19
  • Relationship with cancer

Objectives of the DAAT Master

The master’s degree has been organized in blocks, so that the most general concepts are explained, right through to the most specific ones.

The main objective of this specialized training is to train and update the knowledge of the specialists involved in the management of DAAT.

  • In the exhaustive knowledge of the pathology.
  • As well as the peculiarities according to its classification, diagnosis and best approach, based on the latest diagnostic and therapeutic innovation.
  • Update knowledge on the epidemiological importance of DAAT, its determinants and its social impact.
  • Know the pathogenetic bases of DAAT.
  • Establish the current bases for the diagnosis of the disease in various clinical contexts.
  • Know the tools for a correct diagnosis, as well as the consequences of an erroneous diagnosis.
  • Learn to categorize patients correctly according to their clinical presentation.
  • Know and implement non-pharmacological therapeutic measures with clinical and prognostic impact in COPD.
  • Update pharmacological therapeutic options and the best way to combine them.
  • Know the indication for augmentative treatment and its various guidelines and modalities.

Purpose of the AATD Master

What is AATD?

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is the most common rare inherited disease in adults that, in its severe forms, predisposes to the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema and various types of liver disease.

Why is it important for specialists to know about this condition?

Although severe AATD is responsible for 2% of all cases of pulmonary emphysema, there is currently a high level of underdiagnosis due to the low index of clinical suspicion. From a clinical point of view, AATD has two peaks of involvement.

  • On the one hand, in the pediatric age group, when liver involvement is more frequent.
  • On the other hand, in adulthood, severe forms can produce a particularly serious type of emphysema, of the panlobular type, with significant repercussions on respiratory physiology with known clinical manifestations.

Early diagnosis

The role of the clinician who cares for patients with related symptoms is key to being able to identify cases early, allowing therapeutic interventions that can change the progression of the disease and avoid its consequences.

With these premises, the need arises to develop this training program for the Master of Continuing Education in DAAT, which aims to cover the need to update the knowledge of professionals involved in the health care of patients with this disease.

Coordinators

Finally, we would like to mention the experts who will collaborate in this training.

Leading pulmonology specialists in Spain:

  • I. Blanco Blanco (Langreo)
  • J. M. Hernández Pérez (Tenerife)
  • L. Diab Cáceres (Madrid)
  • M. Romero Gómez (Sevilla)
  • M. Calle Rubio (Madrid)
  • F. Dasí Fernández (Valencia)
  • F. Casas Maldonado (Granada)
  • J. Signes-Costa Miñana (Valencia)
  • J. L. López-Campos Bodineau (Sevilla)
  • D. Gómez de Antonio (Madrid)
  • Z. Mariño Méndez (Barcelona)
  • M. Torres Durán (Vigo)
  • F. J. Michel de la Rosa (Donosti)
  • M. C. Montero Martínez (Coruña)

Source: SEPAR

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