The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The AASLD designates this other activity (internet live course and internet enduring material) for a maximum of 48.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
AASLD Statement on Disclosure
It is the policy of AASLD to ensure balance, independence, objectivity and scientific rigor in all its individually and jointly provided educational activities. All faculty/authors participating in any AASLD provided programs, as well as planners and committee members, are expected to fully disclose all financial relationships with a commercial interest during the past 12 months.
When an unlabeled use of a commercial product or an investigational use not yet approved for any purpose is discussed during an educational activity, the speaker shall disclose to the audience that the product is not labeled for the use under discussion or that the product is still investigational. AASLD will identify and resolve all conflicts of interest prior to program implementation.
Anti-Fibrotics: Do We Need More Targets?
Date/Time
- Friday, May 21
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Presenter
- Scott L. Friedman, MD, FAASLD
Session Description/Needs Statement
Dramatic advances in elucidating the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis have led to emerging therapies for patients with chronic liver disease. This lecture will introduce established and new principles of fibrosis pathogenesis in liver. The persistent unmet need and current obstacles to antifibrotic therapies have led to new models and approaches that will refine and improve existing and new therapies.
Management of Portal Hypertension
Date/Time
- Friday, May 21
5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Presenter
- Guadalupe Garcia Tsao, MD, FAASLD
Session Description/Needs Statement
The program will present an update in the management of varices, variceal hemorrhage, and other complications of cirrhosis vis-à-vis strategies that reduce portal pressure.
NASH Clinical Trials: What Have We Learned?
Date/Time
- Saturday, May 22
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Presenter
- Mary E. McCarthy Rinella, MD, FAASLD
Session Description/Needs Statement
Tremendous activity in the arena of therapeutic agents for the treatment of NASH has led to an increasing number of trials in advanced development. While there have been some successes, the magnitude of efficacy has been modest. In this presentation, lessons learned from NASH clinical trials to date will be discussed, including the reasons for failure of late phase trials.
Emerging Local and Systemic Therapies for HCC
Date/Time
- Saturday, May 22
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Presenter
- Lewis R. Roberts, MBChB, PhD, FAASLD
Session Description/Needs Statement
Treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is entering a dynamic phase with the clarification of the efficacy of recently introduced loco-regional therapies, completion of clinical trials of multiple new systemic therapies, proof of efficacy of combination therapy, and the impending advent of biomarker-guided therapy. This presentation will review the emerging landscape and describe the key changes needed to cement progress in the field.
Hepatology 101 for Associates: Abnormal LFTs, Management of Portal Hypertension, and Liver Lesions
Date/Time
- Friday, May 21
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Program Chairs
- Vicki Shah and HoChong Gilles
Session Description/Needs Statement
This session will cover how to approach and interpret abnormal liver tests; manage complications of portal hypertension and when to appropriately refer for liver transplantation; and review imaging characteristics of benign and malignant hepatic lesions. Attendees will also receive an overview of the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADs) for imaging findings in liver lesions.
Risk Stratification and Treatment of Liver Fibrosis
Date/Time
- Friday, May 21
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Program Chairs
- Michael Fuchs and Wing-Kin Syn
Session Description/Needs Statement
The global burden of liver fibrosis is rising and mainly caused by consequences of obesity, diabetes and alcohol. Liver fibrosis often progresses to cirrhosis and is responsible for liver-related mortality. Recent advances in the field have resulted not only in utilizing novel diagnostic tools to allow risk stratification of patient with liver fibrosis but also in identification of novel targets for anti-fibrotic drug therapy.
What’s New, What’s Hot in Liver Transplantation?
Date/Time
- Saturday, May 22
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Program Chairs
- Timucin Taner and Paul Martin
Session Description/Needs Statement
This symposium, sponsored and organized by AASLD, covers What’s Hot, What’s New in Liver Transplantation. Experts in the field will discuss the latest developments in liver transplantation, including expanding indications for both benign and malignant liver diseases. An update will also be provided on the recent experience of successful utilization of liver grafts from non-standard donors and the research on perfusion machines.
COVID-19 & the Liver: Essential Updates for the GI & Hepatologist
Date/Time
- Sunday, May 23
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Program Chairs
- Elizabeth Verna and Mark Russo
Session Description/Needs Statement
This session will review outcomes of COVID-19 disease in patients with chronic liver disease and cirrhosis as well as treatment of COVID-19 disease with underlying CLD. The session will also discuss treatment of the underlying liver disease as well as vaccination in this patient population.
Management of Drug-induced Liver Injury
Date/Time
- Sunday, May 23
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Program Chairs
- Victor Navarro and Paul Hayashi
Session Description/Needs Statement
This program will address key concepts on the topic of drug-induced liver injury (DILI). These include making an accurate diagnosis, reviewing new and potential treatments, genetic predisposition and immune mediated injury, and clarifying the role of liver transplantation in DILI.
Management of HBV in the Young Population
Date/Time
- Sunday, May 23
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Program Chairs
- Hannah Lee and Mary Pat Pauly
Session Description/Needs Statement
Chronic hepatitis B remains a "confusing" virus to understand and challenging to manage, especially in the young population who often present with their unique situations.
Therefore, this clinical symposium will focus on three common scenarios involving this population in routine GI practice: 1) The young immune tolerant patient – how to evaluate and who to treat, 2) the pregnant patient – how to monitor and who should be initiated on antivirals and 3) the IBD patient who may have past or current chronic hepatitis B infection – who may need prophylactic antivirals, for how long and how to monitor. Participants will learn from both focused didactic lectures as well as case studies with take-home clinical "pearls" for daily practice.
Early Alcohol-associated Liver Disease Spectrum: Screening and Diagnosis
Date/Time
- Sunday, May 23
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Program Chairs
- Vijay H. Shah and Ashwani K. Singal
Session Description/Needs Statement
Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is commonest etiology of liver disease worldwide. Compared to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and hepatitis C, ALD often presents with advanced spectrum of cirrhosis and complications. There remains clinical unmet need on strategies for screening at risk population with an aim for diagnosis at an early stage, reduce the healthcare burden, and improve prognosis of ALD.
Chronic HCV Infection in 2020: What Does the Future Hold?
Date/Time
- Sunday, May 23
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Program Chairs
- Nancy Reau and Lisa Catalli
Session Description/Needs Statement
Hepatitis C (HCV) continues to be a global cause of liver related morbidity and mortality, yet elimination is attainable. The WHO has tasked providers across the globe to achieve HCV elimination by 2030. The US is far from this trajectory. This HCV SIG program will address the changing demographics of HCV infection and the evolution and barriers of the HCV Care Cascade as we strive to achieve elimination targets.
