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Matthew A. Sparks

Matthew A. Sparks

Associate Professor of Medicine
Medicine, Nephrology
matthew.sparks@duke.edu
DUMC Box 2747, Durham, NC 27710
DUMC Box 2747, 2424 Erwin Rd, Hock Nephrology Suite 605, Durham, NC 27705

Selected Publications

Impact of Treatment Modalities on Intensive Care Unit Length of Stay for Patients Admitted With Severe Hyponatremia.

Conference Ann Pharmacother · November 4, 2025 BACKGROUND: The diversity in presentation and cause of hyponatremia leads to a wide array of treatment modalities which are selected based on severity, chronicity, volume status, and putative cause. Due to the variability in treatment selection, it is pert ... Full text Link to item Cite

Fibroblast growth factor 23 and fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 promote cardiac metabolic remodeling in chronic kidney disease.

Journal Article Kidney Int · May 2025 Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global health epidemic that greatly increases mortality due to cardiovascular disease. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an important mechanism of cardiac injury in CKD. High serum levels of fibroblast growth factor (F ... Full text Link to item Cite

Post-transplant Thrombotic Microangiopathy.

Journal Article J Am Soc Nephrol · May 1, 2025 Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is a challenging and serious complication of kidney transplantation that significantly affects graft and patient survival, occurring in 0.8%-15% of transplant recipients. TMA is characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic a ... Full text Link to item Cite

Current State and Future Direction of Vascular Access Training in the United States.

Journal Article Clin J Am Soc Nephrol · April 1, 2025 KEY POINTS: Hands-on training is crucial for vascular access training. A multidisciplinary approach to vascular access training is paramount. Creation of a multifaceted vascular access curriculum is needed in all training programs. BACKGROUND: This study s ... Full text Link to item Cite

COMPLEMENT-MEDIATED TMA IN A PATIENT WITH SCLERODERMA RENAL CRISIS

Conference AMERICAN JOURNAL OF KIDNEY DISEASES · 2025 Cite

CJASN: A Prelude to the Future.

Journal Article Clin J Am Soc Nephrol · December 1, 2024 Full text Link to item Cite

Preliminary Outcomes of NephSIM Nephrons: A Virtual Mentorship Program to Foster Interest in Nephrology.

Journal Article Kidney Med · November 2024 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 rem ... Full text Link to item Cite

American Board of Internal Medicine Nephrology Procedure Requirements for Initial Certification: Time for a Change and Pursuing Consensus in the Nephrology Community.

Journal Article Am J Kidney Dis · October 2024 In 1988, the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) defined essential procedural skills in nephrology, and candidates for ABIM certification were required to present evidence of possessing the skills necessary for placement of temporary dialysis vascul ... Full text Link to item Cite

The Duke Paired Undergraduate Mentoring Program in Uronephrology: PUMPing Up the Research Workforce

Conference Journal of the American Society of Nephrology · October 2024 Full text Cite

Mental Health and Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease: A Narrative Review.

Journal Article Kidney360 · August 1, 2024 Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a genetic disorder marked by the development of cysts in the kidneys and other organs, leading to diverse clinical manifestations, including kidney failure. The psychological burden of ADPKD is substa ... Full text Link to item Cite

Point-of-Care Kidney and Genitourinary Ultrasound in Adults: Image Acquisition.

Journal Article J Vis Exp · June 21, 2024 A range of conditions involving the kidneys and urinary bladder can cause organ-threatening complications that are preventable if diagnosed promptly with diagnostic imaging. Common imaging modalities include either computed tomography or diagnostic ultraso ... Full text Link to item Cite

RheumMadness Over Two Years: Engaging Participants in Active Learning and Connecting Early Trainees to the Rheumatology Community.

Journal Article ACR Open Rheumatol · June 2024 OBJECTIVE: RheumMadness is an online learning collaborative that seeks to actively engage the rheumatology community. The objective of this manuscript is to analyze the educational experience of RheumMadness over two years. METHODS: Direct measures of part ... Full text Link to item Cite

Sodium/Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors and Magnesium Homeostasis: A Review.

Journal Article Am J Kidney Dis · May 2024 Magnesium (Mg2+), also known as "the forgotten ion," is the second most abundant intracellular cation and is essential in a broad range of intracellular physiological and biochemical reactions. Its deficiency, hypomagnesemia (Mg2+<1.8mg/dL), is a prevalent ... Full text Link to item Cite

TXA2 attenuates allergic lung inflammation through regulation of Th2, Th9, and Treg differentiation.

Journal Article J Clin Invest · March 14, 2024 In lung, thromboxane A2 (TXA2) activates the TP receptor to induce proinflammatory and bronchoconstrictor effects. Thus, TP receptor antagonists and TXA2 synthase inhibitors have been tested as potential asthma therapeutics in humans. Th9 cells play key ro ... Full text Link to item Cite

Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) 23 and FGF Receptor 4 promote cardiac metabolic remodeling in chronic kidney disease.

Journal Article Res Sq · December 23, 2023 Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global health epidemic that significantly increases mortality due to cardiovascular disease. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an important mechanism of cardiac injury in CKD. High serum levels of fibroblast growth fac ... Full text Link to item Cite

Recent Advances in Understanding the Molecular Pathophysiology of Angiotensin II Receptors: Lessons From Cell-Selective Receptor Deletion in Mice.

Journal Article Can J Cardiol · December 2023 The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is an essential hormonal system involved in water and sodium reabsorption, renal blood flow regulation, and arterial constriction. Systemic stimulation of the RAS with infusion of the main peptide angiotensin II (Ang II) ... Full text Link to item Cite

RheumMadness: Creating an Online Community of Inquiry in Rheumatology.

Journal Article Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) · November 2023 OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the educational impact of RheumMadness, an online tournament of rheumatology concepts grounded in social constructivist theory, as viewed through the community of inquiry (CoI) framework. METHODS: The curricular scaffold of RheumMadn ... Full text Link to item Cite

Heterogeneity in Acute Kidney Injury Management in Critically Ill Patients: National Survey

Journal Article Journal for Nurse Practitioners · November 1, 2023 We conducted a descriptive survey study with 365 multidisciplinary critical care providers to examine the heterogeneity in using tools for diagnosing acute kidney injury (AKI) in critical care settings. Results indicated that 52% of respondents used point- ... Full text Cite

Trainee Love and Breakup Letters to NephSIM: A Free, Mobile-Optimized, Nephrology Teaching Tool.

Journal Article Clin J Am Soc Nephrol · September 1, 2023 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 extensive ... Full text Link to item Cite

Engagement in Free Open Access Medical Education by US Nephrology Fellows.

Journal Article Clin J Am Soc Nephrol · May 1, 2023 BACKGROUND: As free open access medical education (FOAMed) use increases, it is important to characterize how and why learners are using this educational material in nephrology. We describe the frequency, purpose, and type of FOAMed usage across US nephrol ... Full text Link to item Cite

Sildenafil and Kidney Function in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction.

Journal Article Kidney360 · May 1, 2023 KEY POINTS: Sildenafil induced an acute effect on eGFR without change in the overall eGFR slope after 24 weeks in a heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) cohort. N-terminal pro–brain natriuretic peptide levels and baseline diuretic use wer ... Full text Link to item Cite

Angiotensin II Type 1A Receptor Expressed in Smooth Muscle Cells is Required for Hypertensive Vascular Remodeling in Mice Infused With Angiotensin II.

Journal Article Hypertension · March 2023 BACKGROUND: Ang II (angiotensin II) type 1 (AT1) receptors play a critical role in cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension. Rodents have 2 types of AT1 receptor (AT1A and AT1B) of which knock-in Tagln-mediated smooth muscle AT1A silencing attenuated A ... Full text Link to item Cite

Targeting Glomerular Hemodynamics for Kidney Protection.

Journal Article Adv Kidney Dis Health · March 2023 The kidney microcirculation is a unique structure as it is composed to 2 capillary beds in series: the glomerular and peritubular capillaries. The glomerular capillary bed is a high-pressure capillary bed, having a 60 mm Hg to 40 mm Hg pressure gradient, c ... Full text Link to item Cite

Novel Concepts in Nephron Sodium Transport: A Physiological and Clinical Perspective.

Journal Article Adv Kidney Dis Health · March 2023 The kidneys play a critical role in maintaining total body sodium (Na+) balance across a wide range of dietary intake, accomplished by a concerted effort involving multiple Na+ transporters along the nephron. Furthermore, nephron Na+ reabsorption and urina ... Full text Link to item Cite

The evolution of social media in nephrology education: A mini-review.

Journal Article Front Nephrol · 2023 Featured Publication Social media is defined as "a group of Internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0, that allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content". Social media can be used in medical education to enh ... Full text Link to item Cite

Cell-Specific Actions of the Prostaglandin E-Prostanoid Receptor 4 Attenuating Hypertension: A Dominant Role for Kidney Epithelial Cells Compared With Macrophages.

Journal Article J Am Heart Assoc · October 4, 2022 Featured Publication Background A beneficial role for prostanoids in hypertension is suggested by clinical studies showing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which block the production of all prostanoids, cause sodium retention and exacerbate hypertension. Among prostanoids ... Full text Link to item Cite

Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors and Management of Refractory Hypomagnesemia Without Overt Urinary Magnesium Wasting: A Report of 2 Cases.

Journal Article Kidney Med · October 2022 Featured Publication Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor have become widely used in patients with diabetes, heart failure, and kidney disease to improve clinical outcomes and diminish hospitalizations. They have also been associated with increased serum magnesium ... Full text Link to item Cite

Emerging Viral Infections and the Potential Impact on Hypertension, Cardiovascular Disease, and Kidney Disease.

Journal Article Circ Res · May 13, 2022 Featured Publication Viruses are ubiquitous in the environment and continue to have a profound impact on human health and disease. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted this with impressive morbidity and mortality affecting the world's population. Importantly, the link between ... Full text Link to item Cite

RheumMadness: Early Learner Experience and Impact

Conference ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATOLOGY · 2022 Cite

Modernizing Continuing Professional Development Using Social Media

Chapter · January 1, 2022 Continuing professional development has changed drastically in the era after the COVID-19 pandemic. In-person conferences are now a distant memory, but staying current and relevant (especially in interdisciplinary fields such as psychonephrology) continue ... Full text Cite

An introduction and guide to becoming a social media savvy nephrologist

Journal Article Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation · December 31, 2021 Featured Publication AbstractThe use of social media has increased over the last several decades, with ∼72% of the US adult population indicating the use of social networking platforms. Expansion of social media use beyond personal reasons now ... Full text Cite

Effect of Low-Dose Methotrexate on eGFR and Kidney Adverse Events: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Journal Article J Am Soc Nephrol · December 1, 2021 Featured Publication BACKGROUND: Low-dose methotrexate (LD-MTX) is contraindicated in advanced CKD, but kidney safety in normal kidney function or mild-to-moderate CKD is less clear. METHODS: We performed a secondary analysis for eGFR and kidney AEs using the randomized double ... Full text Link to item Cite

Evidence For and Against Direct Kidney Infection by SARS-CoV-2 in Patients with COVID-19.

Journal Article Clin J Am Soc Nephrol · November 2021 Featured Publication Despite evidence of multiorgan tropism of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), direct viral kidney invasion has been difficult to demonstrate. The question of whether SARS-CoV2 c ... Full text Link to item Cite

Onco-hypertension: An Emerging Specialty.

Journal Article Adv Chronic Kidney Dis · September 2021 Featured Publication Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. With the introduction of newer chemotherapeutic agents, targeted therapies, and immunotherapy, the prognosis and survival of patients with cancer has remarkably improved. As a result, patients are liv ... Full text Link to item Cite

Eight Years of AJKD Blog-Lessons Learned and What Lies Ahead.

Journal Article Am J Kidney Dis · August 2021 Featured Publication Full text Link to item Cite

Diarrhea in a Patient With Combined Kidney-Pancreas Transplant.

Journal Article Am J Kidney Dis · August 2021 Featured Publication Full text Link to item Cite

G protein- and β-arrestin Signaling Profiles of Endothelin Derivatives at the Type A Endothelin Receptor.

Journal Article Kidney360 · July 29, 2021 Featured Publication BACKGROUND: Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a potent vasoconstrictor in the cardiovascular system, an effect mediated through the type A endothelin receptor (ETAR), a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). Antagonists of the ETAR have shown promising results in randomi ... Full text Link to item Cite

Shining More Light on RAS Inhibition during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Journal Article Clin J Am Soc Nephrol · July 2021 Featured Publication Full text Link to item Cite

Angiotensin receptors in the kidney and vasculature in hypertension and kidney disease.

Journal Article Molecular and cellular endocrinology · June 2021 Featured Publication Kidney disease, blood pressure determination, hypertension pathogenesis, and the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) are inextricably linked. Hence, understanding the RAS is pivotal to unraveling the pathophysiology of hypertension and the determinants to maint ... Full text Cite

Vascular control of kidney epithelial transporters.

Journal Article Am J Physiol Renal Physiol · June 1, 2021 Featured Publication A major pathway in hypertension pathogenesis involves direct activation of ANG II type 1 (AT1) receptors in the kidney, stimulating Na+ reabsorption. AT1 receptors in tubular epithelia control expression and stimulation of Na+ transporters and channels. Re ... Full text Link to item Cite

Pannexin 1 channels control the hemodynamic response to hypoxia by regulating O2-sensitive extracellular ATP in blood.

Journal Article Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol · March 1, 2021 Featured Publication Pannexin 1 (Panx1) channels export ATP and may contribute to increased concentration of the vasodilator ATP in plasma during hypoxia in vivo. We hypothesized that Panx1 channels and associated ATP export contribute to hypoxic vasodilation, a mechanism that ... Full text Open Access Link to item Cite

Renin-angiotensin system blockade in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Journal Article Clin Kidney J · March 2021 Featured Publication In the early months of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a hypothesis emerged suggesting that pharmacologic inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may increase COVID-19 severity. This hypothesis was based on the role of angiotensi ... Full text Link to item Cite

Direct Actions of AT1 (Type 1 Angiotensin) Receptors in Cardiomyocytes Do Not Contribute to Cardiac Hypertrophy.

Journal Article Hypertension · February 2021 Featured Publication Activation of AT1 (type 1 Ang) receptors stimulates cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in vitro. Accordingly, it has been suggested that regression of cardiac hypertrophy associated with renin-Ang system blockade is due to inhibition of cellular actions of Ang II i ... Full text Link to item Cite

Onco-hypertension: Overview of hypertension with anti-cancer agents

Journal Article Journal of Onco-Nephrology · February 2021 Featured Publication Onco-hypertension is an emerging field investigating the relationship between hypertension and cancer. This paper details one part of this relationship—the effect of anti-cancer agents on blood pressure. We review the evidence linking targeted the ... Full text Cite

A case of pembrolizumab induced distal renal tubular acidosis

Journal Article Journal of Onco-Nephrology · February 2021 Featured Publication Immunotherapy has become a mainstay therapeutic in a variety of malignancies. Checkpoint inhibitors are used to enhance the endogenous immune response to target malignancy. The primary targets of checkpoint inhibitors include programed cell death ... Full text Cite

Urine Microscopy for Internal Medicine Residents: A Needs Assessment and Implementation of Virtual Teaching Sessions.

Journal Article Kidney360 · January 28, 2021 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 knowl ... Full text Link to item Cite

Acute tubular injury - Pathophysiology and clinical implications

Chapter · January 1, 2021 Acute tubular necrosis (ATN) is the most common cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) in hospitalized patients and is associated with a high morbidity and mortality. Incidence of ATN varies widely, depending on the criteria used to define an AKI, with up to 2 ... Cite

Acute Tubular Injury – Pathophysiology and Clinical Implications

Chapter · 2021 This book also addresses kidney injury in specialized populations like pregnant patients and patients with kidney transplant. A whole chapter is also dedicated to imaging in patients with kidney injury. ... Cite

Tackling acid-base disorders, one Twitter poll at a time.

Journal Article Adv Physiol Educ · December 1, 2020 Featured Publication 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 pos ... Full text Link to item Cite

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, COVID-19, and the Renin-Angiotensin System: Pressing Needs and Best Research Practices.

Journal Article Hypertension · November 2020 Featured Publication The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is associated with significant morbidity and mortality throughout the world, predominantly due to lung and cardiovascular injury. The virus responsible for COVID-19-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavi ... Full text Link to item Cite

Back off baclofen when the kidneys don't work.

Journal Article Kidney Int · October 2020 Featured Publication 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 bacl ... Full text Link to item Cite

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system update: full-court press.

Journal Article Nephrol Dial Transplant · September 1, 2020 Featured Publication Full text Link to item Cite

Therapeutic options for chronic kidney disease-associated pulmonary hypertension.

Journal Article Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens · September 2020 Featured Publication PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Pulmonary hypertension is a common and devastating complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Traditionally considered a consequence of volume overload, recent findings now expand this paradigm. These novel mechanisms herald new treat ... Full text Link to item Cite

Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Hypertension: The Role of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 and the Renin-Angiotensin System.

Journal Article Adv Chronic Kidney Dis · September 2020 Featured Publication Hypertension emerged from early reports as a potential risk factor for worse outcomes for persons with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Among the putative links between hypertension and COVID-19 is a key counter-regulatory component of the renin-angiot ... Full text Link to item Cite

Severe Acidemia in a Patient With Waldenström Macroglobulinemia.

Journal Article Kidney Int Rep · September 2020 Featured Publication Full text Link to item Cite

COVID-19 and the Kidney Community: Coalescing in Crisis.

Journal Article Adv Chronic Kidney Dis · September 2020 Featured Publication Full text Link to item Cite

Pathophysiology and Pathology of Acute Kidney Injury in Patients With COVID-19.

Journal Article Adv Chronic Kidney Dis · September 2020 Featured Publication Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common among hospitalized patients with Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19), with the occurrence of AKI ranging from 0.5% to 80%. The variability in the occurrence of AKI has been attributed to the difference in geog ... Full text Link to item Cite

Controversies of renin-angiotensin system inhibition during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Journal Article Nat Rev Nephrol · June 2020 The current COVID-19 pandemic is associated with unprecedented morbidity and mortality. Early reports suggested an association between disease severity and hypertension but did not account for sources of confounding. However, the responsible virus — SARS-C ... Full text Link to item Cite

Sound Science before Quick Judgement Regarding RAS Blockade in COVID-19.

Journal Article Clin J Am Soc Nephrol · May 7, 2020 Featured Publication Full text Link to item Cite

Pulmonary Hypertension Subtypes and Mortality in CKD.

Journal Article Am J Kidney Dis · May 2020 Featured Publication RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) contributes to cardiovascular disease and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), but the pathophysiology is mostly unknown. This study sought to estimate the prevalence and consequences o ... Full text Open Access Link to item Cite

Antihypertensive drugs and risk of COVID-19?

Journal Article Lancet Respir Med · May 2020 Featured Publication Full text Link to item Cite

Rigor before speculation in COVID-19 therapy.

Journal Article Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol · May 1, 2020 Featured Publication Full text Link to item Cite

Training the Public Physician: The Nephrology Social Media Collective Internship.

Journal Article Semin Nephrol · May 2020 Featured Publication 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 med ... Full text Link to item Cite

Shining a light on the evidence for hydroxychloroquine in SARS-CoV-2.

Journal Article Crit Care · April 28, 2020 Featured Publication Full text Link to item Cite

A20 in Myeloid Cells Protects Against Hypertension by Inhibiting Dendritic Cell-Mediated T-Cell Activation.

Journal Article Circ Res · December 6, 2019 Featured Publication RATIONALE: The ubiquitin-editing protein A20 in dendritic cells (DCs) suppresses NF-κB (nuclear factor-κB) signaling and constrains DC-mediated T-cell stimulation, but the role of A20 in modulating the hypertensive response requires elucidation. OBJECTIVE: ... Full text Link to item Cite

Design, Dissemination, and Assessment of NephSIM: A Mobile-Optimized Nephrology Teaching Tool.

Journal Article J Grad Med Educ · December 2019 Featured Publication 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 ... Full text Link to item Cite

The Acute Dialysis Orders Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE): Fellow Performance on a Formative Assessment of Acute Kidney Replacement Therapy Competence.

Journal Article Clin J Am Soc Nephrol · September 6, 2019 Featured Publication BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Acute kidney replacement therapy (KRT) prescription is a critical nephrology skill. We administered a formative objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) to nephrology fellows to assess acute KRT medical knowledge, patient ... Full text Link to item Cite

Preoperative stimulation of resolution and inflammation blockade eradicates micrometastases.

Journal Article J Clin Invest · June 17, 2019 Featured Publication Cancer therapy is a double-edged sword, as surgery and chemotherapy can induce an inflammatory/immunosuppressive injury response that promotes dormancy escape and tumor recurrence. We hypothesized that these events could be altered by early blockade of the ... Full text Link to item Cite

Renin-angiotensin system inhibition in advanced chronic kidney disease: how low can the kidney function go?

Journal Article Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens · March 2019 Featured Publication PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To present the available data on the risks and benefits for ACEi/ARB usage in patients with advanced CKD. RECENT FINDINGS: It has been well established that ACEi/ARB use is beneficial in patients with mild-to-moderate CKD, especially in ... Full text Link to item Cite

Complex Role for E-Prostanoid 4 Receptors in Hypertension.

Journal Article J Am Heart Assoc · February 19, 2019 Featured Publication Background Prostaglandin E2 ( PGE 2) is a major prostanoid with multiple actions that potentially affect blood pressure ( BP ). PGE 2 acts through 4 distinct E-prostanoid ( EP ) receptor isoforms: EP 1 to EP 4. The EP 4 receptor ( EP 4R) promotes PGE 2-dep ... Full text Open Access Link to item Cite

Renal Fellow Network: Past and Future.

Journal Article Clin J Am Soc Nephrol · December 7, 2018 Featured Publication Full text Link to item Cite

Targeting Pim Kinases and DAPK3 to Control Hypertension.

Journal Article Cell Chem Biol · October 18, 2018 Featured Publication Sustained vascular smooth muscle hypercontractility promotes hypertension and cardiovascular disease. The etiology of hypercontractility is not completely understood. New therapeutic targets remain vitally important for drug discovery. Here we report that ... Full text Link to item Cite

Vascular type 1 angiotensin receptors control blood pressure by augmenting peripheral vascular resistance in female mice.

Journal Article Am J Physiol Renal Physiol · October 1, 2018 Featured Publication Angiotensin II (ANG II) is a major mediator of hypertension pathogenesis. In addition, there are well-documented differences in expression of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) components and ANG II responses between males and females, which may explain se ... Full text Link to item Cite

The Social Media Revolution in Nephrology Education.

Journal Article Kidney Int Rep · May 2018 Featured Publication The past decade has been marked by the increasing use of social media platforms, often on mobile devices. In the nephrology community, this has resulted in the organic and continued growth of individuals interested in using these platforms for education an ... Full text Link to item Cite

Nephrology Secrets

Book · March 30, 2018 Featured Publication Acknowledgments -- Bibliography -- 79 Metabolic alkalosis -- Introduction and physiology -- Clinical examples of metabolic alkalosis -- Clinical approach -- Acknowledgments -- Bibliography -- XIV Palliative Care in Nephrology -- 80 ... ... Cite

Thrombotic Microangiopathies

Chapter · March 30, 2018 Featured Publication Cite

NephMadness After 5 Years: A Recap and Game Plan for the Future.

Journal Article Am J Kidney Dis · March 2018 Featured Publication Full text Link to item Cite

Baclofen Toxicity in Kidney Disease.

Journal Article Am J Kidney Dis · February 2018 Featured Publication Baclofen, a commonly prescribed muscle relaxant, is primarily excreted via the kidneys; toxicity is a potentially serious adverse outcome in patients with decreased kidney function. We describe a patient with end-stage kidney disease receiving hemodialysis ... Full text Link to item Cite

Podocyte-specific knockout of cyclooxygenase 2 exacerbates diabetic kidney disease.

Journal Article Am J Physiol Renal Physiol · August 1, 2017 Featured Publication Enhanced expression of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) in podocytes contributes to glomerular injury in diabetic kidney disease, but some basal level of podocyte COX2 expression might be required to promote podocyte attachment and/or survival. To investigate the r ... Full text Link to item Cite

The Evolution of the Journal Club: From Osler to Twitter.

Journal Article Am J Kidney Dis · June 2017 Featured Publication Journal clubs have typically been held within the walls of academic institutions and in medicine have served the dual purpose of fostering critical appraisal of literature and disseminating new findings. In the last decade and especially the last few years ... Full text Link to item Cite

Resistance to hypertension mediated by intercalated cells of the collecting duct.

Journal Article JCI Insight · April 6, 2017 Featured Publication The renal collecting duct (CD), as the terminal segment of the nephron, is responsible for the final adjustments to the amount of sodium excreted in urine. While angiotensin II modulates reabsorptive functions of the CD, the contribution of these actions t ... Full text Link to item Cite

Medical student attitudes toward kidney physiology and nephrology: a qualitative study.

Journal Article Ren Fail · November 2016 Interest in nephrology among trainees is waning in the USA. Early perceptions and attitudes to subject matter can be linked to the quality of pre-clinical curricula. We wanted to explore these attitudes in the setting of modern curriculum redesign. We util ... Full text Open Access Link to item Cite

Competing Actions of Type 1 Angiotensin II Receptors Expressed on T Lymphocytes and Kidney Epithelium during Cisplatin-Induced AKI.

Journal Article J Am Soc Nephrol · August 2016 Featured Publication Inappropriate activation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) contributes to many CKDs. However, the role of the RAS in modulating AKI requires elucidation, particularly because stimulating type 1 angiotensin II (AT1) receptors in the kidney or circulatin ... Full text Open Access Link to item Cite

Does Academic Blogging Enhance Promotion and Tenure? A Survey of US and Canadian Medicine and Pediatric Department Chairs.

Journal Article JMIR Med Educ · June 23, 2016 Featured Publication BACKGROUND: Electronic educational (e-learning) technology usage continues to grow. Many medical journals operate companion blogs (an application of e-learning technology) that enable rapid dissemination of scientific knowledge and discourse. Faculty membe ... Full text Link to item Cite

Impact of Angiotensin Type 1A Receptors in Principal Cells of the Collecting Duct on Blood Pressure and Hypertension.

Journal Article Hypertension · June 2016 Featured Publication The main actions of the renin-angiotensin system to control blood pressure (BP) are mediated by the angiotensin type 1 receptors (AT1Rs). The major murine AT1R isoform, AT1AR, is expressed throughout the nephron, including the collecting duct in both princ ... Full text Link to item Cite

Interleukin-1 Receptor Activation Potentiates Salt Reabsorption in Angiotensin II-Induced Hypertension via the NKCC2 Co-transporter in the Nephron.

Journal Article Cell Metab · February 9, 2016 Featured Publication Hypertension is among the most prevalent and catastrophic chronic diseases worldwide. While the efficacy of renin angiotensin system (RAS) blockade in lowering blood pressure illustrates that the RAS is broadly activated in human hypertension, the frequent ... Full text Link to item Cite

Vascular Type 1A Angiotensin II Receptors Control BP by Regulating Renal Blood Flow and Urinary Sodium Excretion.

Journal Article J Am Soc Nephrol · December 2015 Featured Publication Inappropriate activation of the type 1A angiotensin (AT1A) receptor contributes to the pathogenesis of hypertension and its associated complications. To define the role for actions of vascular AT1A receptors in BP regulation and hypertension pathogenesis, ... Full text Link to item Cite

Twitter-Based Journal Clubs: Additional Facts and Clarifications.

Journal Article J Med Internet Res · September 16, 2015 Featured Publication Full text Link to item Cite

Rational Dosing of Chemotherapy in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Chapter · August 7, 2015 Featured Publication Filling a significant knowledge gap in this burgeoning field, Onconephrology features the latest evidence and clinical approaches for the beginner or experienced practitioner. ... Link to item Cite

Tubulovascular cross-talk by vascular endothelial growth factor a maintains peritubular microvasculature in kidney.

Journal Article J Am Soc Nephrol · May 2015 Featured Publication Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) production by podocytes is critical for glomerular endothelial health. VEGFA is also expressed in tubular epithelial cells in kidney; however, its physiologic role in the tubule has not been established. Using t ... Full text Link to item Cite

NephMadness 2015: nephrology as a cornerstone of medicine.

Journal Article Am J Kidney Dis · March 2015 Featured Publication Full text Link to item Cite

Iatrogenic Baclofen Neurotoxicity in ESRD: Recognition and Management.

Journal Article Semin Dial · 2015 Featured Publication Baclofen is an oral derivative of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) used to treat muscular spasticity from disorders of the central nervous system. However, it is also being used for a variety of other conditions such as musculoskeletal pain, myoclonus, and a ... Full text Link to item Cite

Tumor necrosis factor-α produced in the kidney contributes to angiotensin II-dependent hypertension.

Journal Article Hypertension · December 2014 Featured Publication Immune system activation contributes to the pathogenesis of hypertension and the resulting progression of chronic kidney disease. In this regard, we recently identified a role for proinflammatory Th1 T-lymphocyte responses in hypertensive kidney injury. Be ... Full text Link to item Cite

Rare hereditary COL4A3/COL4A4 variants may be mistaken for familial focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.

Journal Article Kidney Int · December 2014 Featured Publication Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a histological lesion with many causes, including inherited genetic defects, with significant proteinuria being the predominant clinical finding at presentation. Mutations in COL4A3 and COL4A4 are known to cause ... Full text Open Access Link to item Cite

Mutations in the gene that encodes the F-actin binding protein anillin cause FSGS.

Journal Article J Am Soc Nephrol · September 2014 Featured Publication FSGS is characterized by segmental scarring of the glomerulus and is a leading cause of kidney failure. Identification of genes causing FSGS has improved our understanding of disease mechanisms and points to defects in the glomerular epithelial cell, the p ... Full text Link to item Cite

Classical Renin-Angiotensin system in kidney physiology.

Journal Article Compr Physiol · July 2014 Featured Publication The renin-angiotensin system has powerful effects in control of the blood pressure and sodium homeostasis. These actions are coordinated through integrated actions in the kidney, cardiovascular system and the central nervous system. Along with its impact o ... Full text Link to item Cite

Genetic determinants of renal transplant outcome: where do we stand?

Journal Article J Nephrol · June 2014 Featured Publication Kidney transplantation has become the preferred method of renal replacement. However, the rate of long term allograft survival has not changed over the last decade. Donor and recipient genetic interplay influences kidney transplant outcome but our knowledg ... Full text Link to item Cite

Type 1 angiotensin receptors on macrophages ameliorate IL-1 receptor-mediated kidney fibrosis.

Journal Article J Clin Invest · May 2014 Featured Publication In a wide array of kidney diseases, type 1 angiotensin (AT1) receptors are present on the immune cells that infiltrate the renal interstitium. Here, we examined the actions of AT1 receptors on macrophages in progressive renal fibrosis and found that macrop ... Full text Link to item Cite

Augmenting podocyte injury promotes advanced diabetic kidney disease in Akita mice.

Journal Article Biochem Biophys Res Commun · February 21, 2014 Featured Publication To determine if augmenting podocyte injury promotes the development of advanced diabetic nephropathy (DN), we created mice that expressed the enzyme cytosine deaminase (CD) specifically in podocytes of diabetic Akita mice (Akita-CD mice). In these mice, tr ... Full text Link to item Cite

ACE2 deficiency increases NADPH-mediated oxidative stress in the kidney.

Journal Article Physiol Rep · 2014 Featured Publication Abstract Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is highly expressed in the kidney and hydrolyzes angiotensin II (Ang II) to Ang(1-7). Since Ang II is a strong activator of oxidative stress, we reasoned that ACE2 could be involved in the regulation of renal ... Full text Link to item Cite

Rare hereditary COL4A3/COL4A4 variants may be mistaken for familial focal segmental glomerulosclerosis

Journal Article Kidney International · January 1, 2014 Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a histological lesion with many causes, including inherited genetic defects, with significant proteinuria being the predominant clinical finding at presentation. Mutations in COL4A3 and COL4A4 are known to cause ... Full text Cite

Quantitative susceptibility mapping of kidney inflammation and fibrosis in type 1 angiotensin receptor-deficient mice.

Journal Article NMR Biomed · December 2013 Featured Publication Disruption of the regulatory role of the kidneys leads to diverse renal pathologies; one major hallmark is inflammation and fibrosis. Conventional magnitude MRI has been used to study renal pathologies; however, the quantification or even detection of foca ... Full text Link to item Cite

Cells of renin lineage are progenitors of podocytes and parietal epithelial cells in experimental glomerular disease.

Journal Article Am J Pathol · August 2013 Featured Publication Glomerular injury leads to podocyte loss, a process directly underlying progressive glomerular scarring and decline of kidney function. The inherent repair process is limited by the inability of podocytes to regenerate. Cells of renin lineage residing alon ... Full text Link to item Cite

Novel educational approaches to enhance learning and interest in nephrology.

Journal Article Adv Chronic Kidney Dis · July 2013 Featured Publication The number of U.S. medical graduates pursuing careers in nephrology has declined over the last several years. Some of the proposed reasons for this declining interest include difficult-to-understand or unstimulating kidney pathophysiology courses in medica ... Full text Link to item Cite

Why not nephrology? A survey of US internal medicine subspecialty fellows.

Journal Article Am J Kidney Dis · April 2013 Featured Publication BACKGROUND: There is a decreased interest in nephrology such that the number of trainees likely will not meet the upcoming workforce demands posed by the projected number of patients with kidney disease. We conducted a survey of US internal medicine subspe ... Full text Link to item Cite

IgG4-related tubulointerstitial nephritis associated with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Journal Article J Nephrol · 2013 Featured Publication BACKGROUND: Tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN) is typically seen in association with drug exposure and infection or in autoimmune diseases such as Sjogren's syndrome or systemic lupus erythematosis. The recently described IgG4-related systemic diseases can ... Full text Link to item Cite

Thromboxane receptors in smooth muscle promote hypertension, vascular remodeling, and sudden death.

Journal Article Hypertension · January 2013 Featured Publication The prostanoid thromboxane A2 has been implicated to contribute to the pathogenesis of many cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension. To study the role of vascular thromboxane-prostanoid (TP) receptors in blood pressure regulation, we generated mice ... Full text Link to item Cite

Lack of specificity of commercial antibodies leads to misidentification of angiotensin type 1 receptor protein.

Journal Article Hypertension · January 2013 Featured Publication The angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT(1)R) mediates most hypertensive actions of angiotensin II. To understand the molecular regulation of the AT(1)R in normal physiology and pathophysiology, methods for sensitive and specific detection of AT(1)R protein ... Full text Link to item Cite

The state of the blog: the first year of eAJKD.

Journal Article Am J Kidney Dis · January 2013 Featured Publication Full text Link to item Cite

Career choice selection and satisfaction among US adult nephrology fellows.

Journal Article Clin J Am Soc Nephrol · September 2012 Featured Publication Although many anticipate that there will be an eventual shortage of practicing nephrologists, a complete understanding is lacking regarding the current factors that lead US adult nephrology fellows to choose nephrology as a career and their satisfaction wi ... Full text Link to item Cite

A novel role for type 1 angiotensin receptors on T lymphocytes to limit target organ damage in hypertension.

Journal Article Circ Res · June 8, 2012 Featured Publication RATIONALE: Human clinical trials using type 1 angiotensin (AT(1)) receptor antagonists indicate that angiotensin II is a critical mediator of cardiovascular and renal disease. However, recent studies have suggested that individual tissue pools of AT(1) rec ... Full text Link to item Cite

AT1 receptors in the collecting duct directly modulate the concentration of urine.

Journal Article J Am Soc Nephrol · December 2011 Featured Publication Mice lacking AT(1) angiotensin receptors have an impaired capacity to concentrate the urine, but the underlying mechanism is unknown. To determine whether direct actions of AT(1) receptors in epithelial cells of the collecting duct regulate water reabsorpt ... Full text Link to item Cite

Embracing the Internet as a means of enhancing medical education in nephrology.

Journal Article Am J Kidney Dis · October 2011 Featured Publication This review discusses how the internet currently is being used to provide medical education in the nephrology community and addresses some of the issues and dilemmas unique to using this media. It focuses on how blogs, wikis, podcasts/YouTube, social bookm ... Full text Link to item Cite

AT1A angiotensin receptors in the renal proximal tubule regulate blood pressure.

Journal Article Cell Metab · April 6, 2011 Featured Publication Hypertension affects more than 1.5 billion people worldwide but the precise cause of elevated blood pressure (BP) cannot be determined in most affected individuals. Nonetheless, blockade of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) lowers BP in the majority of pa ... Full text Link to item Cite

TRPC6 enhances angiotensin II-induced albuminuria.

Journal Article J Am Soc Nephrol · March 2011 Featured Publication Mutations in the canonical transient receptor potential cation channel 6 (TRPC6) are responsible for familial forms of adult onset focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). The mechanisms by which TRPC6 mutations cause kidney disease are not well understo ... Full text Link to item Cite

Angiotensin II type 1A receptors in vascular smooth muscle cells do not influence aortic remodeling in hypertension.

Journal Article Hypertension · March 2011 Featured Publication Vascular injury and remodeling are common pathological sequelae of hypertension. Previous studies have suggested that the renin-angiotensin system acting through the type 1 angiotensin II (AT(1)) receptor promotes vascular pathology in hypertension. To stu ... Full text Link to item Cite

A role for angiotensin II type 1 receptors on bone marrow-derived cells in the pathogenesis of angiotensin II-dependent hypertension.

Journal Article Hypertension · January 2010 Featured Publication Activation of type 1 angiotensin (AT(1)) receptors causes hypertension, leading to progressive kidney injury. AT(1) receptors are expressed on immune cells, and previous studies have identified a role for immune cells in angiotensin II-dependent hypertensi ... Full text Link to item Cite