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NephJC 2026 Fall Pledge Drive

Help keep NephJC a vital, original, and unbiased source of medical education.

NephJC 2026 Fall Pledge Drive
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Brian Rifkin
REFINe-ing AI’s Role in Nephrology Diagnosis

This week, we will discuss the use of LLMs for the diagnosis of complex nephrology cases. Can AI help nephrologists nail the correct diagnosis?

REFINe-ing AI’s Role in Nephrology Diagnosis
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Akshaya J
Too sweet to be true? Prophylactic SGLT2 ...

MERCURI-2 reports that dapagliflozin cuts postoperative AKI after cardiac surgery, but the headline result is mostly a urine-output story, not a creatinine one. That matters: urine output after surgery is easily swayed by anesthesia, fluid shifts, vasopressors, and a diuretic drug in the mix. Until dapagliflozin shows it protects kidney function, not just urine output.

Too sweet to be true? Prophylactic SGLT2 inhibitors before cardiac surgery
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Cristina Adriana Popa
Buffering without benefit? The SODa-BIC study

This week, we will discuss SODaBIC trial: with ICU acidosis driven by multiple overlapping mechanisms, is bicarbonate infusion supported by robust evidence, or does it persist mainly out of habit rather than physiology?

Buffering without benefit? The SODa-BIC study
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Pallavi Prasad
Beyond Diabetic Kidney Disease: FIND-ing ...

FIND-CKD extends finerenone beyond diabetic kidney disease, showing slower eGFR decline and sustained albuminuria reduction in non-diabetic CKD. While the benefits are modest and cardiovascular effects remain uncertain, the trial opens the door to broader use of nsMRAs and raises important questions about combination therapy with SGLT2 inhibitors.

Beyond Diabetic Kidney Disease: FIND-ing Finerenone's Next Role

bicarbonate

SODa-BIC on Instagram

SODa-BIC on Instagram

A more visual summary of the trial and relevant context (just 6 images to look at!). Infographics by Daniel Ramirez and Urvashi Khan

Will PRESERVE preserve the contrast AKI status quo?

Will PRESERVE preserve the contrast AKI status quo?

This week, we will discuss the fresh-off-the-press NEJM paper on the utility of using NAC (vs placebo) or bicarb-based hydration (vs saline) in preventing contrast AKI. A medical reversal that has taken almost 2 decades...