The glomerular basement membrane is a thin layer of extracellular membrane proteins that is an important part of the filtration barrier, particularly glomerular permselectivity, by preventing proteins from crossing into the filtrate. The major proteins in the GBM…
There are two important issues to remember when assessing glucose control in patients ESRD, one relating to immediate blood sugar measurement, and another relating to longer term diabetes control. The first has previously been mentioned on this blog….
I often get curb-sided by cardiologists and internists for my opinion on using warfarin or other anticoagulants for thromboembolic risk prophylaxis in CKD +/- Afib patients. A similar conundrum of using anticoagulation for stroke prophylaxis in dialysis patients…
Cystatin C has been proposed as an alternative marker of kidney function and studies have shown that CyC is a better predictor of mortality that serum creatinine. Although, when first introduced, it was thought that CyC was not…
The routine use of estimating equations for GFR has revolutionized the way that we view renal disease over the last 15 years and although some argue that this has lead to overdiagnosis of CKD, I believe that this…
Hyperoxaluria is an important risk factor for kidney stones, approximately 80% of which are primarily composed of calcium oxalate. Hyperoxaluria is typically diagnosed by performing a 24 hour urine collection and levels above 45 mg/day are considered abnormal…
In June’s edition of JASN Jacques et al. highlighted the emerging importance of the role of chloride in the pathogenesis of hypertension. Their group developed a mouse model that over expressed the protein pendrin in the aldosterone-sensitive region…
An article from a few years ago that might provoke some discussion. Some of the recommendations are a little out of date (I don’t think I would target a Hb of 12 anymore in patients with CKD) but…
This was an interesting case. A woman with a previous history of hyperparathyroidism and multiple neck surgeries who developed severe, symptomatic hypocalcemia 3 hours following a parathyroidectomy was thought to have failed because of a persistently elevated PTH…
Continuing our practice of highlighting excellent courses for Nephrologists and Fellows, here is a message from Professor W. Charles O’Neill regarding the annual Ultrasound for Nephrologists Course at Emory University this October. The course brochure and application form…
