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National Kidney Foundation 2008 Spring Clinical Meetings April 2-6, 2008 Gaylord Texan Dallas, TX

The National Kidney Foundation 2008 Spring Clinical Meetings (CM.08) are designed to bring you fresh approaches to dealing with difficult clinical issues. The program includes interactive sessions for Nephrologists, Fellows and Residents, Nephrology Nurses and Technicians, Renal and Clinical Dietitians, Nephrology Social Workers, Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants. All programs are accredited for CME and/or CE credit hours. For more information call, (888) JOIN NKF or email clinicalmeetings@kidney.org.

Internal Medicine Grand Rounds Presentation

The following is an excerpt from an Internal Medicine Grand Rounds presentation by Robert D. Toto, MD, Mary M Conroy Professorship in Kidney Disease, Department of Internal Medicine:

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a major public health problem and more common than previously recognized. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III data estimate that 11% of adults in the U.S. have some degree of chronic kidney disease.  

CKD is characterized by:

1) abnormalities of kidney structure and function
2) high prevalence of co-morbidity (e.g. hypertension, anemia, etc)
3) increased risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality
4) progression of kidney disease to end–stage

Among care-givers, it is generally believed that most, if not all, CKD is progressive, and in the absence of a fatal CV event, will culminate in end–stage renal disease (ESRD). ESRD is a catastrophic illness that necessitates dialysis or transplantation, and nationwide medical costs to manage ESRD are in excess of $30 billion annually. While effective therapeutic approaches to slow progression of kidney disease have emerged over the past 10 years, halting the progression of disease in most individuals has not become a reality. However, for the first time in the past 24 years, the incidence of end–stage kidney disease in the U.S. is decreasing. At the same time, cumulating evidence from both animal and human studies indicates that it is possible to halt progression of kidney disease and even improve kidney function and structure.

It is widely believed that all chronic kidney disease is progressive once it reaches a critical turning point. The problem with this dogma is that the critical point for a given patient is not well defined. For example, it has been estimated that, at the point where kidney function (estimated by GFR) is 20–25% of normal, one can expect an inexorable decline in kidney function to end-stage (GFR – 10% normal). However, numerous cases in the literature and in our own practices provide examples of patients with GFR in this range but demonstrate no decline in glomerular filtration rate after years of follow up. Stopping progression of kidney disease is defined clinically as stabilization of kidney function with no evidence of decline in GFR above normal, i.e. ≤ 0.75 ml/min/year.

Parkland again named one of 'America's Best Hospitals'

For the 14th consecutive year, Parkland Memorial Hospital has been named one of "America's Best Hospitals" by U.S. News & World Report. This 18th annual listing of elite medical centers appears in the July 25 edition of the magazine, which hits newsstands July 16.

This year, Parkland is named in two specialties based on excellence, ranking 15th in gynecology and 36th in kidney disease.

To read more about this honor, please click here.