On Gatorade
Did you know that the inventor of the popular sports drink “Gatorade” was a Nephrologist? The 2007 NY Times obituary of J. Robert Cade, the University of Florida nephrologist who concocted Gatorade, describes the story of the beginning…
Nephrology Nobel Prizes
The Nobel Prize was first awarded in 1895. A number of awards have been given to individuals whose research is inseparable from the field of Nephrology. Here are a few of the notable examples: 1. 2003 Nobel Prize…
Renal (Cerebral) Salt Wasting versus SIADH
The term “cerebral salt wasting” has always been a confusing one to me, and in the most recent issue of C-JASN, the authors of an article “More on Renal Salt Wasting Without Cerebral Disease : Response to Saline…
Interesting Case of Adult Henoch-Schonlein Purpura
Saw a case in the clinic today of a 40-ish year old woman who was diagnosed about a year and a half ago with Henoch-Schonlein purpura. This is notable in that usually this is a pediatric disease–though as…
Churg-Strauss Syndrome
Churg-Strauss Syndrome lies within the spectrum of Wegener’s Granulomatosis, microscopic polyangiitis, and ANCA-associated vasculitis: all diseases which result from inflammation of small-to-medium-sized vessels. The “classic triad” of Churg-Strauss syndrome is asthma, eosinophilia, and vasculitis, and although “renal involvement”…
A Few Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder Facts
Heard a case in Renal Grand Rounds this morning regarding an elderly (72 year-old) 1st-time cadavaric renal transplant recipient who presented during his 3rd month post-transplant with fever, an elevated creatinine, and a CT scan showing mediastinal lymphadenopathy….
Orthostatic Proteinuria
Orthostatic proteinuria occurs in between 2-5% of all adolescents–it is primarily a pediatric condition, rarely occurring after age 30. Orthostatic proteinuria refers to the condition of an individual having proteinuria only while upright; the urine protein level returns…
Treatment of Acute Hyperkalemia
This is probably review as it is such a common occurrence for nephrologists as well as internists. Here’s my protocol, along with useful dosing info (sometimes lacking in textbooks): 1. Get an EKG. Look to see if there…
“The Catheter Epidemic”
In the most recent issue of C-JASN there is an intriguing article entitled “Ethical and Legal Obligation To Avoid Long-Term Tunneled Catheter Access” by Rehman et al, in which the authors argue strongly that tunneled catheters should be…
History of Renal Biopsy
Who was the first doctor to have the idea (and the audacity) to stick a needle into the kidney in order to obtain a tissue diagnosis of kidney disease? The “inventors of the renal biopsy” have been identified…