Arnold O. Beckman Conference:
Liver Diseases and the Clinical Laboratory
16-17 February 1997, New Orleans, LA
Sponsored by: American Association for Clinical Chemistry
(See: http://www.aacc.org/meetings/beckman/beckmangeninfo.html)
Recent years have brought major advances in the diagnosis and
treatment of liver diseases, particularly viral hepatitis. Accurate and
rapid diagnosis is essential for appropriate therapy such as the use of
alpha interferon and other anti-viral strategies . Recent advances in
liver disease will be explored at the 1997 A. O. Beckman Conference with
an emphasis on the laboratory's contribution to diagnosis and treatment.
Hepatitis and other liver diseases are prevalent health problems.
More than 60,000 cases of viral hepatitis are officially reported
annually in the U.S. and it is estimated over five-times that number of
cases actually occur. Several hepatotropic viruses are associated with a
wide spectrum of acute and chronic liver disease syndromes. The mode of
action and molecular diagnostics of the hepatitis viruses will be
explored at the Conference with an emphasis on both new and
well-recognized laboratory techniques. With recent FDA approval of
hepatitis A vaccine, laboratorians will need to change interpretation of
hepatitis A tests. For hepatitis C infection, the viral RNA levels can be
monitored using quantitative PCR, branched chain DNA, or NASBA
techniques.
Laboratorians continue to search for an accurate and reliable
method to quantify hepatic function and the use of model drugs which are
metabolized exclusively by the liver by cytochrome P-450 enzyme systems.
The application and limitation of these fun ction tests will be explored
and evaluated. Excess consumption of ethanol is also a well-recognized
public health issue. Recent advances in the mode of action,
quantification of hepatic damage, and current therapeutic approaches will
be discussed.
Liver cancer may be induced by viral hepatitis or cirrhosis. The
pathogenesis and the use of alpha-fetoprotein and other markers for liver
cancer will be covered. Hemochromatosis and Wilson's disease are
important inherited disorders causing acute and chronic liver disease.
The laboratory's role in the recognition, investigation, and screening
for these diseases will be presented.
Liver transplantation has emerged as a treatment for both
end-stage chronic liver disease and acute liver failure. The important
role of the laboratory in particular for the selection of patients for
transplantation and the support of the patien t following liver
allografts will be covered.
With the large number of laboratory tests available for the
diagnosis and estimating severity of liver diseases, the Conference will
conclude with an examination of testing algorithms and strategies for the
cost-effective application of laboratory procedures.
Accommodations
A block of rooms is being held for conference attendees at the
Fairmont Hotel, New Orleans, Louisiana. One of the nation's truly grand
hotels, the Fairmont is located in the heart of the city's convention
and business district, convenient to all of the sightseeing destinations
and just one block from the world-famous French Quarter. The special
conference rate is $137 for a single room and $144 for a double room.
Reservations can be made by calling the Fairmont at 800-527-4727 or
504-529-7111. Identify yourself as attending the AACC Beckman Conference
to reserve your room at the sp ecial rate. Rooms must be reserved by
January 15, 1997, to ensure availability.
Official Airlines & Travel Agent
AACC and Travel Planners have negotiated special air fares with
American and Delta Airlines for Arnold O. Beckman Conference attendees.
To make reservations call Travel Planners at 800-221-3531 or 212-532-1660
or call the airlines directly; American: 800 -433-1790. Star File #S8387,
AN#0227AB or Delta: 800-241-6760, File # V0267. Be sure to refer to the
appropriate file number to obtain the AACC discounts. Call Toll Free
800-892-1400 and register today with VISA, MasterCard or American Express
For additional information contact
AACC Customer Service
2101 L Street, NW, Suite 202, Washington, DC 20037-1526
800-892-1400 or 202-857-0717
Fax: 202-887-5093
