Online Curricula: Geriatric Nephrology
Introduction to the American Society of Nephrology Geriatric Nephrology Curriculum
People 75 and older comprise the fastest-growing group of patients initiating dialysis. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has mandated that fellows receive formal training in geriatric nephrology, but nearly 25% of US institutions with ACGME-accredited nephrology training programs do not have comparable training programs in geriatrics. As a result, these institutions lack an educational structure for teaching geriatric nephrology to fellows.
Recognizing the importance of this issue to physician training and patient care, the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) convened the ASN Geriatrics Task Force. Co-chaired by Dimitrios G. Oreopoulos, MD, PhD, and Jocelyn Wiggins, BM, BCH, the task force designed and developed the ASN Geriatrics Nephrology Online Curriculum, with generous financial support from the Association of Specialty Professors (ASP).
This curriculum is based on the ACGME's six core competencies (patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, and systems-based practice). The 38 chapters in this online text address the most significant aspects of caring for aging patients with kidney disease, including assessing GFR in the elderly, drug dosing and renal toxicity, management of ESRD in elderly patients, and end of life decision making.
ASN's members, leadership, and staff are grateful to the task force and chapter authors who devoted considerable time and expertise to developing this text. Providing the best medical care for geriatric patients requires a host of special skills and training. This curriculum will be freely accessible to all ASN members and other members of the renal community, to physicians and other providers. The curriculum will make a tangible difference to the care of the aging patient. ASN thanks ASP for supporting the Society's continued efforts to lead the fight against kidney disease.
For more information about the curriculum, the Society's efforts related to geriatric nephrology, or ASN, please contact policy@asn-online.org or 202-640-4660.
Thomas M. Coffman, MD, FASN
American Society of Nephrology
Chapters
- 1 Geriatric Nephrology Has Come of Age: At Last
Dimitrios G. Oreopoulos, MD, PhD and Jocelyn Wiggins, BM, BCh - 2 Why Do We Need a Geriatric Nephrology Curriculum?
Jocelyn Wiggins, BM, BCh - 3 The Coming Pandemic of CKD/ESKD and the Aging Population
Jocelyn Wiggins, BM, BCh and Sanjeevkumar Patel, MD - 4 Kidney Senescence
Lynn Schlanger, MD - 5 Rate of Decline in eGFR and Clinical Evaluation of the Elderly With
a Low eGFR
Rosemarie L. Shim, MD and Ann M. O'Hare, MD - 6 Limitations of Various Formulae and Other Ways of Assessing GFR
in the Elderly: Is There a Role for Cystatin C?
Devraj Munikrishnappa, MD - 7 Decline of Renal Function in Normal Aging, Role of Oxidants
/Inflammation: When Does It Begin: Is It Inevitable,
Preventable, or Treatable?
Helen Vlassara MD, Luigi Ferucci, MD, PhD, James Post, MD
and Gary Striker, MD - 8 Kidney Disease in Elderly Diabetic Patients
Mark E. Williams, MD, FASN and Robert C. Stanton, MD - 9 Drug Dosing and Renal Toxicity in the Elderly Patient
Ali J. Olyaei PharmD, BCPS and William M. Bennett, MD, FASN - 10 Glomerular Disease in the Elderly
Christine K. Abrass, MD - 11 Hypertension, Chronic Kidney Disease, and the Elderly
Ann M. O'Hare, MD - 12 Cardiovascular Disease in the Elderly With Kidney Disease
Wolfgang C. Winikelmayer, MD, ScD, FASN - 13 Vascular Disease in the Elderly
Nobuyuki Bill Miyawaki, MD and Paula E. Lester, MD - 14 Bone Disease and Calcium Abnormalities in Elderly Patients With CKD
Harmeet Singh, MD - 15 Anemia in the Elderly With CKD
Julio C. Vijil Jr, MD - 16 Disorders of Serum Sodium Concentration in the Elderly Patient
Michael F. Michelis, MD - 17 Fluid Balance Disorders in the Elderly
Myron Miller, MD - 18 Acute Kidney Injury in the Elderly
Mitchell H. Rosner, MD - 19 Nocturia in Elderly Persons and Nocturnal Polyuria
Dean A. Kujubu, MD - 20 Hemodialysis in Elderly Patients
Seth Wright, MD - 21 Vascular Access for Hemodialysis in the Elderly
Seth Wright, MD and John Danziger, MD - 22 Peritoneal Dialysis in Elderly Patients
Seth Wright, MD and John Danziger, MD - 23 Assisted Peritoneal Dialysis in Elderly Persons
M.J. Oliver, MD and R.R. Quinn, MD - 24 Renal Transplantation in the Older Adult
Erica L. Hartmann, MD - 25 Interactions of Dialysis Teams With Geriatricians
Nicole Stankus, MD and Kellie Campbell, MD - 26 Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment: A Multidimensional Process
Designed to Assess an Elderly Person's Functional Ability, Physical
Health, Cognitive and Mental Health, and Socio-Environmental
Situation
Steven R. Gambert, MD - 27 Rehabilitation Services for Elderly Dialysis Patients
Sarbjit Vanita Jassal, MD - 28 Integrated Care of the Elderly With ESKD
Jocelyn Wiggins, BM, BCh - 29 Nutrition and the Kidney in the Elderly Patient
John E. Morley, MD, BCh - 30 Urinary Incontinence in the Elderly
George A. Kuchel, MD and Catherine E. DuBeau, MD - 31 Lower Urinary Tract Conditions in Elderly Patients
Damon Dyche, MD and Jay Hollander, MD - 32 Urinary Tract Infections in Elderly Persons
Manisha Juthani-Mehta, MD - 33 Falls in Elderly Patients With Kidney Disease
John E. Morley, MD, BCh - 34 Association Between CKD and Frailty and Prevention of Functional
Losses
Emaad Abdel-Rahman, MD, PhD, FASN - 35 Methods to Assess Quality of Life and Functional Status and Their
Applications in Clinical Care in Elderly Patients with CKD
Tara I. Chang, MD and Manjula Kurella Tamura, MD, MPH - 36 Recognizing Delirium, Dementia, and Depression
Manjula Kurella Tamura, MD, MPH - 37 Dialysis Decisions in the Elderly Patient With Advanced CKD
and the Role of Nondialytic Therapy
Mark Swidler, MD - 38 End of Life and Decision Making in Elderly Persons With Kidney Failure
Richard Swartz, MD and Erica Perry, MSW