The Kidney Chronicles: A Pediatric Nephrology Podcast

Episode 32: Kidney Health Monitoring in NICU Graduates

We talk to the experts in the Neonatal Kidney Collaborative (NKC) about the recently published guidelines regarding kidney follow-up for NICU graduates, a product of the NIH-supported workshop in 2024 spearheaded by Dr. Michelle Starr of Indiana University/Riley Children's Hospital. Guests include Dr. Marissa DeFreitas, pediatric nephrologist at the University of Miami, Dr. Matt Harer, neonatologist at the University of Wisconsin, Dr. Kat Gist, pediatric cardiac intensivist at Cincinnati Children's, Dr. Heidi Steflik, neonatologist at the Medical University of South Carolina, and Dr. Tom Forbes, pediatric nephrologist at Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne, Australia. 
Links
Kidney Monitoring for NICU Grads Follow-Up Guidelines: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2823652
AWAKEN study: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5933049/ 
Join the NKC! https://www.babykidney.org/ 

Episode 31: Genetic Testing

Dr. Matthew Sampson, a pediatric nephrologist and associate professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, walks us through genetic testing for pediatric patients with kidney disease. He discusses indications for genetic testing and how to interpret results. He also talks about his lab and work as a genomics researcher. 
Episode References
Sampson Lab: https://www.sampsonlab.org/
ClinVar: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/clinvar/
KDIGO genetic testing guidelines: https://kdigo.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/KDIGO-Genetics-in-CKD-Conference-Report-Corrected-Proof.pdf
NKF genetic testing guidelines: https://www.ajkd.org/article/S0272-6386(24)00871-0/fulltext
CJASN Genomics of Kidney Disease Series: https://journals.lww.com/CJASN/Documents/collections/kidney.pdf

Episode 30: Anemia of Chronic Kidney Disease

Join us for an episode on anemia of chronic kidney disease with two pediatric nephrology experts on the topic, Dr. Meredith Atkinson, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins, and Dr. Mark Hanudel, Associate Professor of Medicine at UCLA. We will explore the underlying mechanisms behind anemia of CKD, novel treatments for anemia, thoughts on preventing hemoglobin cycling in the setting of Epoetin Alfa, and various iron supplementation tips. 

Episode 29: Timing of Kidney Replacement Therapy

Join us for a journal-style episode covering 2023 CJASN article, "Timing of Kidney Replacement Therapy among Children and Young Adults." Drs. Nick Larkins and Simon Carter discuss the findings from the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry and compare and contrast it to United States, Canada and European data. 
Article link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37279903/ 

Episode 28: Calcium and phosphorus disorders

Dr. Clemens Bergwitz, an associate professor of endocrinology at Yale University, walks us through how to work-up and treat patients with calcium and phosphorus disorders. He helped to discover the disease HHRH (hereditary hypophosphatemic rickets with hypercalciuria) and has wonderful knowledge to share with listeners regarding the bone-mineral axis! 
 
References
2024 KIR Update on HHRH https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38364990/ 
2009 Ped Nephrology Genetic causes of hypercalciuric nephrolithiasis https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2770137/ 
TMP calculation and reference ranges https://www.nbt.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/Protocol%20for%20measurement%20of%20TmP.pdf 

Episode 27: Hyperoxaluria and miscellaneous stone management

Join us to learn about hyperoxaluria from nephrolithiasis expert and division director of pediatric nephrology at Mayo Clinic, Dr. David Sas! We discuss pathophysiology, work-up and management of primary hyperoxaluria, including new game-changing therapies. Dr. Sas also answers other high-yield kidney stone management questions. 
 
Resources:
Novodetect primary hyperoxaluria/nephrolithiasis genetic panel testing: file:///Users/student/Downloads/BpG_GTP-for-NovoDetect-Panels-Form_GTP-NVDT-2P-B.pdf
 
Rare Kidney Stone Consortium (RKSC): 800-270-4637 or rarekidneystones@mayo.edu
Resources for physicians and patients regarding all forms of rare kidney stone diseases
 
Oxalosis and Hyperoxaluria Foundation (OHF): www.ohf.org
Resources for patients, parents, and physicians regarding primary hyperoxaluria

Episode 26: SGLT-2 Inhibitors

Dr. Laura Hesemann, a med/peds-trained adult and pediatric nephrologist and Chair of Pediatrics at the University of Missouri, shares her expertise about SGLT-2 inhibitors and their utility in clinical practice.

Episode 25: Pediatric dialysis directorship

Drs. Donna Claes, Vivian Shih and Annie Kouri (our co-host) discuss their roles as pediatric dialysis directors at their institutions. Donna Claes is an associate professor of pediatric nephrology and chronic dialysis director at Cincinnati Children's and Vivian Shih is an assistant professor of pediatric nephrology and acute dialysis director at Children's Hospital Colorado. We talk about the road to becoming a dialysis director, what the job entails, the challenges, the rewarding aspects of the job and tips for those who are considering stepping into this position at their institution. 

Episode 24: Post-transplant FSGS Recurrence

Dr. Katherine Twombley, professor and chief of pediatric nephrology at the Medical University of South Carolina, shares her knowledge on FSGS recurrence after transplant. She discusses the diseases that cause FSGS and her strategy for managing these complex patients. Dr. Twombley is the director of dialysis and kidney transplantation, and does clinical research in the area of transplant. She is involved with leadership roles both in ASPN and AST.
If you have any feedback or would like to come onto the podcast, please email doctoremilyz@gmail.com

Episode 23: Transplant Directorship

As part of the leadership series of podcast episodes, this episode discusses life as a pediatric kidney transplant director. Dr. Jodi Smith, Seattle Children's transplant director and ASPN president, Dr. Gina Barletta, Phoenix Children's transplant director, and Dr. Sarah Kizilbash, co-host and University of Minnesota transplant director, talk about why and how they got to be transplant director, their program's structure, strengths, weaknesses and the greatest joys of their job. 
For more information about the ASPN transplant interest group, check out this link https://aspneph.org/transplant-interest-group/ or email jodi.smith@seattlechildrens.org
For information about UNOS, check out the calendar of events https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/news/calendar-of-events/ 
For UNOS requirements to become a transplant physician, check out this link https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/media/2785/membership_requirements-for_pediatric_components.pdf