Nephrology Quiz and Questionnaire

Abstract

The Nephrology Quiz and Questionnaire returns to the pages of CJASN after an absence of 3 years, but it still remains one of the most popular sessions at the annual meeting of the American Society of Nephrology . The meeting in 2009 in San Diego was no exception, with a full-house attendance, estimated at more than 800 eager nephrologists. Eight challenging and educational cases were presented and discussed by four able and skilled experts. The discussants were asked to prepare vignettes of puzzling cases, each illustrating some topical, challenging, or controversial aspect of diagnosis or management of ESRD and dialysis (Dr. Bargman), fluid and electrolytes (Dr. Palmer), kidney transplantation (Dr. Samaniego), and glomerular disease (Dr. Fervenza). One or two single best answers questions followed each case presentation, which were addressed by the audience in a live electronic response system. In addition, several weeks before the meeting, the cases and questions (without the answers) were sent to all of the US nephrology training program directors as a questionnaire. Their responses to the questions were tallied and presented after the audience response but before the answers to the quiz and the analyses of the cases were given by the discussants. Each discussant prepared a manuscript summarizing his or her discussion of the cases, an edited version of which serves as the main text of this article. We hope that this “distillate” from San Diego will serve the subscribers to CJASN well and provide some fresh insights into the complexity and vibrancy of clinical nephrology for those who were unable to attend (Richard J. Glassock, MD, Moderator). The patient was a 59-year-old man from North Africa. A diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis was made in 1980 and was treated with anti-inflammatory agents. In 2002, he was noted to have significant proteinuria and microscopic hematuria. …