The last of the series of State-of-the Art conferences of UMED for this year ended with another record breaking feat – an unprecedented number of delegates that counted up to 285 physicians from all over the country. Renaissance Makati City Hotel provided the venue for this event and it was able to gather the most prominent names in the field of Philippine pediatrics. Among them were UMED Board of Advisers and past presidents of the Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS) that included Drs. Luis Mabilangan, Esperanza Rivera, Amelia Fernandez, Zenaida Antonio and former dean of UP College of Medicine, Dr. Ramon Arcadio, who also acted as moderators for the lectures. Focusing on the latest updates on asthma, chronic cough and snoring among other things, it was an exceptional gathering of experts who engaged in an academic exchange of knowledge and expertise. The conference’s group of convenors composed of Drs. Milagros Bautista, Olivia Cheng-Go and Arnel Gerald Jiao conceptualized the very comprehensive program that focused on the pressing issues confronting the pediatricians today.

Ably coordinated by Ms. Beth Fadul and Marianne Mencias of UMED, the meeting finally became a reality on December 4 and 5. The delegates were diligently assisted by UMED’s partners from Unilab’s marketing divisions including Ms. Mallory Mendez of Unilab Consumer Health and Gerrie Calo of Westmont; and Messrs. Raul Macasinag, Nelson Calabia and Gilbert Robiso of Pediatrica; and Joseph Cruz and Jun Flores of UAP-Medichem.

As early as 7:30 am on the meeting’s first day, participants were trooping in line to the registration area ably manned by UMED’s staff headed by Ms. Marie Reyes. Among the who’s who seen early in line were Drs. Magdalena Velarde, Mario and Rosemarie Arciaga. By 8:20 am, Dr. Edgardo Ortiz has welcomed the delegates and officially declared the opening of the conference. First to give a plenary lecture on “Rhinitis and Asthma: One Airway, One Disease?” was Dr. Ronina Covar, an assistant professor of University of Colorado Health Sciences/School of Medicine. She discussed the epidemiologic evidence that supported the close association of asthma and rhinitis and its underlying mechanisms and immunopathology. In the next plenary session, an overview on “Chronic Cough” was tackled by Dr. Alexander Tuazon, an associate professor from UP-PGH. He focused on available local data that elucidated the complexities of this seemingly simple respiratory symptom.

The audience was later divided into 18 small groups for the case discussion that was facilitated by noted pediatric pulmonologists who came from the country’s foremost medical training institutions. Headed by Dr. Arnel Gerald Jiao, the faculty of facilitators included Drs. Ma. Rosario Alcaneses, Mary Ann Aison, Regina Canonizado, Nerissa de Leon, Roslyn Marie Dychiao, Olivia Go, Mary Leopando, Cesar Ong, Anna Marie Putulin, Emily Resureccion, Clara Rivera, Agnes Sanchez, Ma. Carole Lisa Sibulo and Dulce Requiron Sy. The case was an 18 month old infant who presented with a history of paroxysmal cough, difficulty o breathing and cyanosis. In a one hour of interactive discussion, the case was analyzed and the groups concluded the session with a collective data on what they perceived were the most appropriate approaches to diagnosis and treatment. Representatives from the groups presented in the plenary session the results of these discussions. The topic on the “Approach to a Young Child with Chronic Cough and Wheezing” was discussed by Dr. Covar. She talked on the heterogenous nature of this medical problem and its essential features related to patient’s history & physical examination. Other important aspects involving differential diagnosis and treatment approach were likewise reviewed.

In the afternoon’s session, the small groups were reconvened for the next case discussion on a 10 year old male with non-productive cough of four months duration. Similar to the earlier interactive session, important aspects of the history, past medical history and physical examination were evaluated to arrive at rational therapeutic regimen. The summary of the results of these discussions were presented by another set of group representatives in a plenary session that followed. Next came the lecture on ”Approach to the Child with Chronic Cough Without Wheezing” by Dr. Alia Bazzy-Asaad, associate professor of Yale University. She noted the known mechanisms of cough, its most common etiologies in different age groups and the various forms of treatment available.

The second day of the meeting was held with a full pack audience who intently listened to the three plenary lectures for the day. Dr. Cesar Ong, Chair- Department of Pediatrics of MCU hospital, addressed the “Issues in the Diagnosis and Management of Pleural Effusion in Children”. Data from the local experience on the disease and options of management were given due emphasis in his talk. This was followed by a lecture of Dr. Milagros Bautista, an associate professor from UERM Medical Center, on “Issues on Respiratory Pharmacology”. Comprehensive details of commonly used pulmonary drugs like bronchodilators, mucolytics and expectorants were discussed. The last of the series of plenary talks was delivered by Dr. Bazzy-Asaad. Her dissertation on the “Practical Approach to the Snoring Child” dealt with the clinical profile of the snoring child, diagnostic tests like polysomnography, recommendations for screening and treatment options.

Aside from charting the most number of delegates in a single State-of-the Art meeting, UMED was again able to achieve what it always aimed for, world class excellence in continuing medical education for the Filipino physician.