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Background: Despite concerted efforts by the nephrology community to increase the quality of nephrology education via a plethora of free open access medical education tools and efforts by national nephrology societies, interest in nephrology has mostly remained stagnant., Methods: A 6-month virtual learning and mentoring program (NephSIM Nephrons) was launched in January 2021 to increase interest in nephrology careers among medical students and residents. Trainees were assigned one faculty mentor and a small group with faculty and other trainees. Learning opportunities consisted of both live and virtual sessions and an asynchronous curriculum. Feedback was collected from trainees at the end of the program each year through an online, anonymous survey. For trainees in the 2021 and 2022 cohort, residency/fellowship status for the July 2024-2025 academic year was assessed by survey., Results: Of 319 and 315 eligible applications received for the 2021 and 2022 programs, 111 and 108 trainees were accepted, respectively; 31 participants in the 2023 cohort completed the exit survey (response rate: 31/84, 37%) and rated the mean overall NephSIM Nephrons experience as 4.7 of 5. All respondents were very likely or somewhat likely to recommend the experience to other trainees. In the 2021 and 2022 cohorts, 37 of 49 (77%) and 29 of 38 (76%) trainees, respectively, who were eligible to match into adult or pediatric nephrology fellowships by July 2024 successfully matched. Similarly, among the 2021 and 2022 cohorts, 11 of 19 (58%) and 21 of 23 (91%), respectively, who could be internal medicine or pediatrics residents in July 2024 successfully matched., Limitations: Low survey response rate., Conclusions: Early outcome analysis of the NephSIM Nephrons program shows promising results, and individuals who participated had high rates of enrollment in nephrology pipeline residencies and nephrology fellowships. More work is needed to first continue rigorous follow-up of program participants, obtain qualitative program feedback, and improve participant and mentor engagement., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Background: It is not known how learners feel about free open access medical education (FOAMed) as they progress through their training from medical school to fellowship. Love and breakup letter methodology (LBM) is a technique that has been used extensively in user experience technology-based research but has not previously been used in evaluating medical education tools. LBM asks participants to creatively write a "love" or "breakup" letter to a product under study to capture their thoughts and emotions when engaging with it. We conducted qualitative analysis of data from focus groups to explore how attitudes toward a learning platform change at various training stages and to broaden our understanding of how we meet learners' needs through a nephrology FOAMed tool, NephSIM., Methods: Three virtual, recorded focus groups were conducted with second-year medical students, internal medicine residents, and nephrology fellows ( N =18). At the start of the focus group, participants composed and read their love and breakup letters. Semistructured discussions were then led by facilitator-driven questions and peer comments. After transcription, inductive data analysis was conducted using Braun and Clarke's six-step thematic analysis., Results: Four main themes were seen across all groups: attitudes toward teaching tool, perception of nephrology, learning needs and approach, and application to practice. Preclinical students positively viewed the opportunity to simulate the clinical setting and unanimously wrote love letters. Reactions from residents and fellows were mixed. Residents were interested in brevity and speed of learning, preferring algorithms and succinct approaches to meet their practice-based learning needs. Fellows' learning needs were driven by a desire to prepare for the nephrology board examination and review cases uncommonly seen in practice., Conclusions: LBM provided a valuable methodology through which to identify trainee reactions to a FOAMed tool and highlighted the challenges of meeting learning needs of a continuum of trainees with a single learning platform., (Copyright © 2023 by the American Society of Nephrology.)

Purpose: To evaluate medical student perceptions of a novel ophthalmology resource delivered through facilitated workshops in the core clerkship curriculum., Methods: We created www.2020sim.com, a free case-based learning (CBL) ophthalmology tool, adapted from NephSIM (www.nephsim.com). The tool was first piloted with the internal medicine (IM) residents. After confirming a need, we focused on undergraduate medical education (UME) by expanding the 20/20 SIM content and partnering with the neurology (pilot academic year [AY] 2020-2021) and pediatric clerkships (pilot AY 2021-2022) to deliver a facilitated one-hour ophthalmology workshop within each clerkship's didactic curriculum. We evaluated the tool using pre- and post-surveys and knowledge assessments., Results: Of 80 IM residents, 33 (41.3%) completed the needs assessment. Of the 25 residents who attended the workshop, 23 (92.0%) completed the exit survey. IM residents reported discomfort in several ophthalmology domains (9 of 14 rated mean score < 3.0), confirming a need. Most (n = 21/23, 91.3%) rated the tool as good/excellent. Of 145 neurology clerkship students, 125 (86.2%) and at least 88 (60.7%) students completed the pre- and post-test/exit surveys, respectively. On average, participants highly rated the tool, perceiving 20/20 SIM to be relevant to their education [4.1 (0.8)]. Mean pre- to post-test knowledge scores increased from 7.5 to 8.5/10.0 points (p < 0.001). Of the 136 pediatric clerkship students, 67 (49.3%) and 51 (37.5%) completed the pre- and post-surveys, respectively. Respondents perceived increased comfort with ophthalmology topics after the facilitated workshop [3.8 (0.8)]. Mean pre- to post-test knowledge scores trended from 1.8 to 2.0/5.0 points (p = 0.30). Collectively, 20/139 (14.4%) of exit survey respondents visited www.2020sim.com within 1 month after the workshop., Conclusion: After identifying areas of greatest need with residents, we partnered with core clerkships to deliver cross-disciplinary ophthalmology content in UME. We found high engagement with 20/20 SIM, with trends toward increased knowledge., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Task Force on the Future of Nephrology was established in April 2022 in response to requests from the American Board of Internal Medicine and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education regarding training requirements in nephrology. Given recent changes in kidney care, ASN also charged the task force with reconsidering all aspects of the specialty's future to ensure that nephrologists are prepared to provide high-quality care for people with kidney diseases. The task force engaged multiple stakeholders to develop 10 recommendations focused on strategies needed to promote: ( 1 ) just, equitable, and high-quality care for people living with kidney diseases; ( 2 ) the value of nephrology as a specialty to nephrologists, the future nephrology workforce, the health care system, the public, and government; and ( 3 ) innovation and personalization of nephrology education across the scope of medical training. This report reviews the process, rationale, and details (the "why" and the "what") of these recommendations. In the future, ASN will summarize the "how" of implementing the final report and its 10 recommendations., (Copyright © 2023 by the American Society of Nephrology.)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped the delivery of medical education, necessitating novel modes of instruction to facilitate distance learning. Online medical education resources provide opportunities for self-directed and asynchronous learning. GISIM is a free, open access educational website dedicated to gastroenterology (GI)/hepatology, which teaches pathophysiology and disease management, and supports clinical reasoning skill development through interactive, dynamic, case presentation-based journeys., Aims: (1) To describe the creation of a mobile-optimized, GI/hepatology educational resource for medical trainees, and (2) to report on trainee feedback on completing and authoring GISIM cases., Methods: GISIM was created on WordPress and modeled after NephSIM, an e-learning platform dedicated to Nephrology. Content was developed by internal medicine residents and GI/hepatology fellows and attendings. Cases are interactive, prompting users to select differential diagnoses and management plans, with immediate feedback provided on response. Self-reported user demographics and website feedback were collected with an embedded survey. A separate survey evaluated case authors' experiences., Results: GISIM launched in February 2021 and received 12,184 website views and 2003 unique visitors between February 1 2021 and February 28 2022. New cases are disseminated bimonthly. Sixty-one user surveys were collected, with a majority completed by fellows (38%) and residents (26%). All users found the website easy to use and most reported enhanced understanding of case topic areas. Nine author surveys were collected. Authors reported significant learning on chosen topics and improved clinical knowledge through their participation., Conclusions: We developed a novel GI/hepatology case-based resource that enables distance learning and was perceived as a valuable educational tool by users and authors., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Serum sodium disorders are generally a marker of water balance in the body. Thus, hypernatremia is most often caused by an overall deficit of total body water. Other unique circumstances may lead to excess salt, without an impact on the body's total water volume. Hypernatremia is commonly acquired in both the hospital and community. As hypernatremia is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, treatment should be initiated promptly. In this review, we will discuss the pathophysiology and management of the main types of hypernatremia, which can be categorized as either a loss of water or gain of sodium that can be mediated by renal or extrarenal mechanisms., (Copyright © 2022 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The shift in learning environments due to the COVID-19 pandemic necessitates a closer look at course design, faculty approaches to teaching, and student interaction, all of which may predict learner achievement and satisfaction. Transitioning to an online environment requires the reinvention, reimagining, and applying of "e-flavors" of general learning theory. With this shift to online learning comes the opportunity for misunderstandings and "myths" to occur, which may stand in the way of faculty embracing online learning and fully realizing its potential. This article seeks to address several myths and misconceptions that have arisen in higher education during the rapid shift to online teaching and learning. While not comprehensive, these myths represent a snapshot of common challenges. These are we can transfer our in-person course design to online; adult learners do not need an empathetic approach; and online teaching and learning is socially isolating. Through an appreciative inquiry framework, we present each myth in the context of relevant literature and invite faculty with varied online teaching experience to share their own case studies that illustrate how they have "busted" these myths with the goal to identify existing examples of locally effective practices for the express purpose of replication that leads to positive change., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (© The Association for Clinical and Translational Science 2021.)

Competing Interests: S. S. Farouk reports other interests/relationships as a member of the editorial boards of American Journal of Kidney Diseases, Clinical Transplantation, and Journal of Nephrology. The remaining authors have nothing to disclose.

The influence of patient characteristics and immunosuppression management on COVID-19 outcomes in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) remains uncertain. We performed a single-center, retrospective review of all adult KTRs admitted to the hospital with confirmed COVID-19 between 03/15/2020 and 05/15/2020. Patients were followed from the date of admission up to 1 month following hospital discharge or study conclusion (06/15/2020). Baseline characteristics, laboratory parameters, and immunosuppression were compared between survivors and patients who died to identify predictors of mortality. 38 KTRs with a mean baseline eGFR of 52.5 ml/min/1.73 m 2 were hospitalized during the review period. Maintenance immunosuppression included tacrolimus (84.2%), mycophenolate (89.5%), and corticosteroids (81.6%) in the majority of patients. Eleven patients (28.9%) died during the hospitalization. Older age (OR = 2.05; 1.04-4.04), peak D-dimer (OR = 1.20; 1.04-1.39), and peak white blood cell count (OR = 1.11; 1.02-1.21) were all associated with mortality among KTRs hospitalized for COVID-19. Increased mortality was also observed among KTRs with concomitant HIV infection (87.5% vs. 36.1%; p < .01). Conversely, immunosuppression intensity and degree of reduction following COVID-19 diagnosis were not associated with either survival or acute allograft rejection. Our findings potentially support a strategy of individualization of immunosuppression targets based on patient-specific risk factors, rather than universal immunosuppression reduction for KTRs at risk from COVID-19., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Although urine microscopy is an important step in the initial evaluation of a patient with kidney disease, internal medicine residents have minimal exposure to this technique during their training. The goal of this study was to understand knowledge of and attitudes toward urine microscopy among internal medicine residents and to implement virtual urine microscopy teaching sessions., Methods: A voluntary, anonymous, online survey was sent to all of the categorical internal medicine residents ( n =131) training at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS). The survey included 13 questions to assess attitudes toward, experience with, and clinical interpretation of urine microscopy specimens. In response to the survey results, we implemented virtual urine microscopy teaching sessions using video conferencing software that incorporated real-time urine sediment analysis with nephrology fellows and attending nephrologists., Results: The survey response rate was 45% (59 of 131). Forty-seven percent (28 of 59) of respondents reported performing urine microscopy at least once during their training, and 75% (44 of 59) of respondents did not feel comfortable performing urine microscopy. The majority of residents (92%; 54 of 59) reported they felt urine microscopy was very helpful or somewhat helpful in the evaluation of patients with AKI. Overall, 41% of responses to clinical interpretation questions were considered correct. Following survey completion, virtual urine microscopy sessions were held monthly and well received by the participants., Conclusions: Our study found that internal medicine residents perceive urine microscopy as a helpful diagnostic tool, although lack the skills to perform and interpret urine microscopy sediments. Virtual educational sessions using video conferencing software are a technically feasible approach to teaching urine microscopy to internal medicine residents. Future studies include a study of the effect of these sessions on learning of urine microscopy., Podcast: This article contains a podcast at https://www.asn-online.org/media/podcast/K360/2021&#95;01&#95;28&#95;KID0006282020.mp3., Competing Interests: S.S. Farouk reports other interests/relationships with American Journal of Kidney Diseases (editorial board), Clinical Transplantation (editorial board), and Journal of Nephrology (editorial board). M.A. Sparks reports honoraria from Elsevier-Nephrology Secrets and scientific advisor of or membership with the American Board of Internal Medicine (nephrology board), NephJC (board of directors), American Society of Nephrology (media and communications committee), American Journal of Kidney Diseases (editorial board), Kidney360 (editorial board), Kidney Medicine (editorial board), American Heart Association (Kidney & Cardiovascular Disease Membership and Communications Committee and Kidney & Cardiovascular Disease Scientific and Clinical Education Lifelong Learning Committee), and the National Kidney Foundation North Carolina (medical advisory board). All remaining authors have nothing to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 by the American Society of Nephrology.)

The novel coronavirus disease infection (COVID-19) outbreak that was declared a global pandemic in March 2020 had led to an internationally variable but concerning incidence of COVID-associated acute kidney injury (AKI), with prevalence reported as high as 46% in large cohorts of hospitalized patients. Variability in AKI may be explained by differences in traditional risk factors for AKI, heterogeneity among patient cohorts, and differences in racial and ethnic groups. Further, AKI requiring kidney replacement therapies (KRT) has been associated with increased mortality. Proposed mechanisms of kidney injury include direct viral-induced tubular or glomerular injury, sepsis-associated AKI, and thrombotic disease. Kidney pathology include acute tubular injury, glomerular fibrin thrombi, pigmented tubular casts, and collapsing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. "Viral-like" particles have been observed in renal samples at electron microscopy and viral RNA has been identified in both glomerular and tubular compartments of kidney specimens, but the link between viral presence and injury remain unclear. Though the link between AKI and poor outcomes is clear, prevalence and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with chronic kidney disease and end stage kidney disease has not yet been reported. In patients on immunosuppression like those with kidney transplants or glomerular disease, COVID-19 has presented a management dilemma. Herein, we review the existing literature on kidney disease in COVID-19 and discuss what remains to be learned.

Understanding and interpretation of acid-base disorders is an important clinical skill that is applicable to the majority of physicians. Although this topic is taught early in medical school, acid-base disturbances have been described as challenging by postgraduate trainees. We describe the use of Twitter, an online microblogging platform, to augment education in acid-base disturbances by using polls in which the user is shown laboratory values and then asked to select the most likely etiology of the disorder. The answer and a brief explanation are then shared in a subsequent tweet. Both polling questions and answers are shared from the account for the online, mobile-optimized, nephrology teaching tool NephSIM (https://www.nephsim.com/). An anonymous survey was administered to assess attitudes toward these polls. Using Twitter as an approach to enhance teaching of acid-base disturbances was both feasible and an engaging way to teach a challenging topic for trainees and physicians. Moreover, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has demonstrated the importance of incorporating virtual learning opportunities in all levels of medical education.

Kidney transplant recipients may be at a high risk of developing critical coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) illness due to chronic immunosuppression and comorbidities. We identified hospitalized adult kidney transplant recipients at 12 transplant centers in the United States, Italy, and Spain who tested positive for COVID-19. Clinical presentation, laboratory values, immunosuppression, and treatment strategies were reviewed, and predictors of poor clinical outcomes were determined through multivariable analyses. Among 9845 kidney transplant recipients across centers, 144 were hospitalized due to COVID-19 during the 9-week study period. Of the 144 patients, 66% were male with a mean age of 60 (±12) years, and 40% were Hispanic and 25% were African American. Prevalent comorbidities included hypertension (95%), diabetes (52%), obesity (49%), and heart (28%) and lung (19%) disease. Therapeutic management included antimetabolite withdrawal (68%), calcineurin inhibitor withdrawal (23%), hydroxychloroquine (71%), antibiotics (74%), tocilizumab (13%), and antivirals (14%). During a median follow-up period of 52 days (IQR: 16-66 days), acute kidney injury occurred in 52% cases, with respiratory failure requiring intubation in 29%, and the mortality rate was 32%. The 46 patients who died were older, had lower lymphocyte counts and estimated glomerular filtration rate levels, and had higher serum lactate dehydrogenase, procalcitonin, and interleukin-6 levels. In sum, hospitalized kidney transplant recipients with COVID-19 have higher rates of acute kidney injury and mortality., (© 2020 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.)

Medication adverse events are common and often preventable. Patients with diminished kidney function are particularly susceptible to adverse events, especially if the medication's primary means of elimination is through the kidneys. Neurotoxicity from baclofen (80% excreted by the kidneys) is increasingly being recognized in patients with diminished kidney function. Chauvin et al. performed a large population-based retrospective cohort study in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and showed a high rate of encephalopathy with hospitalizations shortly after baclofen exposure. This commentary discusses the high rate of altered mental status after baclofen exposure in patients with ESKD, potential reasons for the continued reports of this adverse event, and strategies to educate the health care community., (Copyright © 2020 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Concerns have been raised regarding proceeding with kidney transplantation using standard immunosuppression in COVID-19 endemic areas., Methods: We performed a single-center review of all adult kidney transplants performed during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. Patients were managed with standard immunosuppression protocols, including lymphocyte depleting induction and trough-guided tacrolimus. Retrospective data were collected for 3 months from the date of transplantation or until study conclusion (5/7/2020). The primary outcomes assessed included patient and allograft survival as well as COVID-19 related hospital readmission., Results: 30 kidney transplants were performed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. After a median follow-up of 51.5 days, 93.3% of patients were alive with 100% death-censored allograft survival. 9 patients were readmitted to the hospital during the study period, 4 (13.3%) related to infection with COVID-19. Infections were mild in 3/4 patients, with one patient developing severe disease leading to respiratory failure. Patients readmitted with COVID-19 were numerically more likely to be African American, have a BMI > 30 kg/m 2 , have a lymphocyte count ≤ 300 cells/mL, and be on maintenance corticosteroids., Conclusions: Kidney transplantation in areas endemic to COVID-19 using standard induction and maintenance immunosuppression appears to be associated with a modest risk for severe COVID-19 related disease., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

As paradigms of clinical care delivery have been significantly impacted by the novel coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic, so has the structure, delivery, and future of medical education. Both undergraduate and graduate medical education have seen disruptions ranging from fully virtual delivery of educational content and limited clinical care for medical students to increased clinical demands with redeployment for residents and fellows. Adherence to social distancing has led to the adoption and implementation of already available technologies in medical education, including video conferencing softwares and social media platforms. Efficient and effective use of these technologies requires an understanding not only of these platforms and their features but also of their inherent limitations. During a time of uncertainty and increased clinical demands, the approach to medical education must be thoughtful with attention to wellness of both the educator and learner. In this review, we discuss the influence of the pandemic on the existing medical education landscape, outline existing and proposed adaptations to social distancing, and describe challenges that lie ahead., (Copyright © 2020 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Kidney transplantation remains the optimal therapy for patients with end stage kidney disease (ESKD), though a small fraction of patients on dialysis are on organ waitlists. An important barrier to both preemptive kidney transplantation and successful waitlisting is timely referral to a kidney transplant center. We implemented a quality improvement strategy to improve outpatient kidney transplant referrals in a single center academic outpatient nephrology clinic., Methods: Over a 3 month period (July 1-September 30, 2016), we assessed the baseline kidney transplantation referral rate at our outpatient nephrology clinic for patients 18-75 years old with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of less than 20 mL/min/1.73m 2 (2 values over 90 days apart). Charts were manually reviewed by two reviewers to look for kidney transplant referrals and documentation of discussions about kidney transplantation. We then performed a root cause analysis to explore potential barriers to kidney transplantation. Our intervention began on July 1, 2017 and included the implementation of a column in the electronic medical record (EMR) which displayed the patient's last eGFR as part of the clinic schedule. In addition, physicians were given a document listing their patients to be seen that day with an eGFR of < 20 mL/min/1.73m 2 . Annual education sessions were also held to discuss the importance of timely kidney transplant referral., Results: At baseline, 54 unique patients with eGFR ≤20 ml/min/1.73 m 2 were identified who were seen in the Clinic between July 1, 2016 and September 30, 2016. 29.6% (16) eligible patients were referred for kidney transplantation evaluation. 69.5% (37) of these patients were not referred for kidney transplant evaluation. 46.3% (25) did not have documentation regarding kidney transplant in the EMR. nephrologist's most recent note. Following the intervention, 66 unique patients met criteria for eligibility for kidney transplant evaluation. Kidney transplant referrals increased to 60.6% (p <  0.001)., Conclusions: Our pilot implementation study of a strategy to improve outpatient kidney transplant referrals showed that a free, simple, scalable intervention can significantly improve kidney transplant referrals in the outpatient setting. This intervention targeted the nephrologist's role in the transplant referral, and facilitated the process of patient recognition and performing the referral itself without significantly interrupting the workflow. Next steps include further investigation to study the impact of early referral to kidney transplant centers on preemptive and living donor kidney transplantation as well as successful waitlisting.

Importance: Preliminary reports indicate that acute kidney injury (AKI) is common in coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 patients and is associated with worse outcomes. AKI in hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the United States is not well-described., Objective: To provide information about frequency, outcomes and recovery associated with AKI and dialysis in hospitalized COVID-19 patients., Design: Observational, retrospective study., Setting: Admitted to hospital between February 27 and April 15, 2020., Participants: Patients aged ≥18 years with laboratory confirmed COVID-19 Exposures: AKI (peak serum creatinine increase of 0.3 mg/dL or 50% above baseline). Main Outcomes and Measures: Frequency of AKI and dialysis requirement, AKI recovery, and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with mortality. We also trained and tested a machine learning model for predicting dialysis requirement with independent validation., Results: A total of 3,235 hospitalized patients were diagnosed with COVID-19. AKI occurred in 1406 (46%) patients overall and 280 (20%) with AKI required renal replacement therapy. The incidence of AKI (admission plus new cases) in patients admitted to the intensive care unit was 68% (553 of 815). In the entire cohort, the proportion with stages 1, 2, and 3 AKI were 35%, 20%, 45%, respectively. In those needing intensive care, the respective proportions were 20%, 17%, 63%, and 34% received acute renal replacement therapy. Independent predictors of severe AKI were chronic kidney disease, systolic blood pressure, and potassium at baseline. In-hospital mortality in patients with AKI was 41% overall and 52% in intensive care. The aOR for mortality associated with AKI was 9.6 (95% CI 7.4-12.3) overall and 20.9 (95% CI 11.7-37.3) in patients receiving intensive care. 56% of patients with AKI who were discharged alive recovered kidney function back to baseline. The area under the curve (AUC) for the machine learned predictive model using baseline features for dialysis requirement was 0.79 in a validation test., Conclusions and Relevance: AKI is common in patients hospitalized with COVID-19, associated with worse mortality, and the majority of patients that survive do not recover kidney function. A machine-learned model using admission features had good performance for dialysis prediction and could be used for resource allocation.

The significant growth of social media use by the medical community, including nephrology, has led to a need to equip health care professionals with the mentorship, knowledge, and tools to use these platforms both effectively and professionally. Social media is free and accessible to almost anyone with a computer or mobile device, which not only has revolutionized the dissemination of information, but also has created a venue for unprofessionalism and missteps. This article describes the Nephrology Social Media Collective internship, a 12-month, mentored training program during which selected interns participate in a curriculum of lectures, activities, and projects that aim to increase their knowledge, proficiency, and confidence in the use of social media. The goal of the internship is to train participants to acquire modern communication skills that are not taught in traditional medical training, and leverage these to become leaders in medicine. The structure of the internship, application process, and educational components, along with areas for improvement and future directions, are discussed., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objectives: FSGS recurrence after kidney transplantation is a major risk factor for graft loss. However, the natural history, clinical predictors, and response to treatment remain unclear because of small sample sizes and poor generalizability of single-center studies, and disease misclassification in registry-based studies. We therefore aimed to determine the incidence, predictors, and treatment response of recurrent FSGS in a large cohort of kidney transplant recipients., Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: The Post-Transplant Glomerular Disease (TANGO) project is an observational, multicenter, international cohort study that aims to investigate glomerular disease recurrence post-transplantation. Transplant recipients were screened for the diagnosis of idiopathic FSGS between 2005 and 2015 and details were recorded about the transplant, clinical outcomes, treatments, and other risk factors., Results: Among 11,742 kidney transplant recipients screened for FSGS, 176 had a diagnosis of idiopathic FSGS and were included. FSGS recurred in 57 patients (32%; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 25% to 39%) and 39% of them lost their graft over a median of 5 (interquartile range, 3.0-8.1) years. Multivariable Cox regression revealed a higher risk for recurrence with older age at native kidney disease onset (hazard ratio [HR], 1.37 per decade; 95% CI, 1.09 to 1.56). Other predictors were white race (HR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.08 to 4.22), body mass index at transplant (HR, 0.89 per kg/m 2 ; 95% CI, 0.83 to 0.95), and native kidney nephrectomies (HR, 2.76; 95% CI, 1.16 to 6.57). Plasmapheresis and rituximab were the most frequent treatments (81%). Partial or complete remission occurred in 57% of patients and was associated with better graft survival., Conclusions: Idiopathic FSGS recurs post-transplant in one third of cases and is associated with a five-fold higher risk of graft loss. Response to treatment is associated with significantly better outcomes but is achieved in only half of the cases., (Copyright © 2020 by the American Society of Nephrology.)

Calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) are both the savior and Achilles' heel of kidney transplantation. Although CNIs have significantly reduced rates of acute rejection, their numerous toxicities can plague kidney transplant recipients. By 10 years, virtually all allografts will have evidence of CNI nephrotoxicity. CNIs have been strongly associated with hypertension, dyslipidemia, and new onset of diabetes after transplantation-significantly contributing to cardiovascular risk in the kidney transplant recipient. Multiple electrolyte derangements including hyperkalemia, hypomagnesemia, hypercalciuria, metabolic acidosis, and hyperuricemia may be challenging to manage for the clinician. Finally, CNI-associated tremor, gingival hyperplasia, and defects in hair growth can have a significant impact on the transplant recipient's quality of life. In this review, the authors briefly discuss the pharmacokinetics of CNI and discuss the numerous clinically relevant toxicities of commonly used CNIs, cyclosporine and tacrolimus., (Copyright © 2019 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Digital innovations have the potential to enhance current graduate medical education strategies., Objective: We assessed the scope, reach, and effectiveness of Nephrology Simulator (NephSIM), a free, mobile-optimized, nephrology educational tool designed to teach pathophysiology with a diagnostic approach using interactive cases., Methods: NephSIM, launched in June 2018, was designed as a mobile-optimized website with peer-reviewed content in WordPress. Content, including interactive cases with iterative feedback, infographics, and tutorials, was developed by nephrology fellows and attending nephrologists. The teaching tool was shared via an e-mail subscriber list and Twitter. Website usage data and Twitter analytics were reviewed. Case content was categorized, and the case completion rate was calculated. A self-report survey was sent to subscribers to assess their demographics and experience., Results: Thirty-four cases have been published to date and represent a variety of nephrology topics. There have been 100 745 page views between June 2018 and June 2019, representing 17 922 unique visitors from more than 100 countries. There are 1929 accounts that follow NephSIM on Twitter. Tweets received 124 200 impressions and a 3% engagement rate. Median case completion rate was 69% (interquartile range 64%-78%). Our survey response rate was 17% (76 of 445). Nearly all NephSIM users rated the platform highly in terms of satisfaction and usability, and planned to continue using in the future., Conclusions: The development of a mobile-optimized, case-based teaching approach by nephrology fellows and faculty is feasible and has demonstrated global participation and high levels of learner satisfaction., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: The authors declare they have no competing interests., (Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education 2019.)

Background: Incidence of the opportunistic infection Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) in solid organ transplant patients ranges from 5 to 15% with a mortality of up to 38%., Case Presentation: We present a liver transplant recipient who developed hypoxemic respiratory failure related to PJP soon after treatment for allograft rejection. His presentation was preceded by severe hypercalcemia of 14.6 mg/dL and an ionized calcium of 1.7 mmol/L which remained elevated despite usual medical management and eventually required renal replacement therapy. As approximately 5% of PJP cases have granulomas, here we review the role of pulmonary macrophages and inflammatory cytokines in the pathophysiology of granuloma-mediated hypercalcemia. We also discuss the interpretation of our patient's laboratory studies, response to medical therapy, and clinical risk factors which predisposed him to PJP., Conclusions: It is important for clinicians to consider PJP as an etiology of granulomatous pneumonia and non-parathyroid hormone mediated hypercalcemia in chronically immunosuppressed organ transplant recipients for timely diagnosis and management.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of more than 100,000 people have revealed novel loci associated with coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction that present exciting opportunities to discover novel disease pathways. One such recently identified locus is on chromosome 10q11, near the gene for the chemokine CXCL12, which has been implicated in cardiovascular disease in both mouse and human studies. These GWAS demonstrate that CXCL12 may emerge as a potential therapeutic target for atherosclerosis and thrombosis., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)