Anti-Nephrin Antibodies in Minimal Change Disease
Approach to the Patient with Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter Dysfunction- Part 1
Want to write a case report? RFN has you covered with a list of journals to choose from
Have a Nephrology Question? There Might Be A #Tweetorial For That!
Conferences, Courses, & Grants
FOAMed
Interventional Nephrology Series
Focus on Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Nephrology (POCUN) Series
Kidney Biopsy of the Month Series
Middle Molecules
The term “Middle Molecules” is a little confusing, in part due to its evolving definition. It was initially used to describe anything not dialyzed off by the older dialyzer membranes of the 1970s, which predominantly filtered out only…
Scleroderma & the Kidney
Scleroderma is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by fibrosis and hardening of the skin and other organs–occasionally involving the kidney to such an extent that dialysis becomes necessary. There are two main flavors of scleroderma: (1) the CREST…
PAN versus MPA
Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) and Microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) are two vasculitides which were previously grouped together. However, they are currently thought of as two separate entities. PAN is a vasculitis of the medium-sized arteries, sparing the smaller vessels and…
Epidural Abscesses in ESRD Patients
Infectious metastases (e.g., infective endocarditis, epidural abscess, liver & lung abscesses, etc) are unfortunately not uncommon in the ESRD population, particularly in those with in-dwelling catheters. I have personally seen several cases of epidural abscesses as a fellow,…
ATRA Syndrome
The M3 subtype of acute myelogenous leukemia–also known as acute promyelocytic leukemia–is one of the most responsive forms of leukemia, as the addition of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is known to overcome the maturation block in affected lymphocytes. While…
Newly-Discovered Antigen for Membranous Nephropathy!
I went to a very memorable talk today at our Renal Grand Rounds during which fairly convincing data was presented that identifies the long-sought-after antigen which causes membranous nephropathy–still the most common cause of adult-onset nephrotic syndrome in…
IgA Nephropathy versus Post-Strep Glomerulonephritis
IgA Nephropathy & Post-Strep Glomerulonephritis (PSGN) are both relatively common causes of glomerulonephritis which can both be associated with upper respiratory infections. How can you tell them apart? One of the most important distinctions can be made in…
Review: The Juxtaglomerular Apparatus
The juxtaglomerular apparatus (JGA) is located between the afferent arteriole and the returning distal convoluted tubule of the same nephron. It is responsible for regulating both intrarenal (tubuloglomerular feedback) and extrarenal (renin-angiotensin-aldosterone) mechanisms necessary to maintain both renal…
WAGR
The WAGR Syndrome is a rare genetic syndrome whose acronym stands for Wilms tumor, Aniridia (an absence of the iris), Genitourinary abnormalities, and mental Retardation. It is caused by a deletion of chromosome 17p. The genitourinary abnormalities may…
Ciliary Hypothesis
The “ciliary hypothesis” refers to the idea that primary cilia–single, non-motile, microtubule-based structures which are found on the apical surface of renal tubular epithelial cells–play an integral role in the pathogenesis of polycystic kidney disease. Scientists have long…