Hello readers,

Welcome to Autumn. I have two fresh blog posts and a bonus set of links for your reading pleasure.

First up is a post about the supplement. Almost every significant manuscript now comes with a supplement. But every time I read a manuscript, I have questions about the protocol or a subgroup or want to get an overview of how the study was run and the answer is in the supplement. The word “supplement” is a misnomer. The supplement is not an optional add-on but a critical part of the manuscript, and it should be included with the core manuscript so that readers get the whole picture.

Next is a post about nephrology calculators, specifically Stephen Fadem’s MDRD.com. I incorporated MDRD.com into my workflow but underestimated how embedded into my habits it was until the site went down this past September. Without MDRD.com, I tried to find workarounds, but could not find anything that was nearly as good. Read my ode to a medical calculator (has there ever been a more nephrology-nerd sentence?).

Lastly, I came across this study in JASN that looked at using acetazolamide to induce the same type of tubular-glomerular feedback and reduction in GFR that we see with flozin therapy, but in patients with type 1 diabetes. Patients with type 1 diabetes have largely been unable to partake in the flozin revolution because of the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis (see the two links for an idea of how frequently this complication occurs with dapa and empa). Though it is unlikely that acetazolamide could be used chronically to prevent diabetic kidney disease, it is heartening to see work being done for this group of patients that have been largely left out of the recent advances in diabetic kidney disease.

If you are going to San Diego for Kidney Week make a donation to NephJC and join us for our rooftop party!

Thanks,

Joel Topf, MD