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Brian Rifkin
Why Can’t I Quit You: Steroid Tapering in ...

This week, we will discuss the best schedule for tapering steroids in adult patients with podocytopathies (MCD/FSGS).

Why Can’t I Quit You: Steroid Tapering in Adults with Podocytopathies (START)
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joel topf
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

TenPosts: pegcetacoplan in C3GN

Check out VALIANT recap: a 26-week analysis of the phase 3 trial of pegcetacoplan in C3GN! Thread by NephJC intern Bogdan Agavriloaei.

VALIANT: El Resumen Visual

El ensayo clínico aleatorizado fase 3 VALIANT demostró que la inhibición proximal de C3 con pegcetacoplan logra una reducción significativamente mayor de la proteinuria en comparación con placebo en pacientes con glomerulopatía C3 (C3G) y glomerulonefritis membranoproliferativa primaria mediada por complejos inmunes (IC-MPGN). Este estudio se basa en estrategias previas de inhibición proximal del complemento y refuerza el papel de las terapias dirigidas a la fisiopatología en la C3G.

No te pierdas el resumen visual creado por Dra. Akshaya Jayachandran y súmate a la discusión en #NephJC por Bluesky 🦋

VALIANT: The Visual Abstract

The VALIANT phase 3 RCT shows that proximal C3 inhibition with pegcetacoplan leads to a significantly greater reduction in proteinuria compared with placebo in patients with C3G and primary immune-complex MPGN. This trial builds on prior upstream complement strategies and strengthens the case for disease-targeted therapy in C3G.

Check out the VA Dr. Akshaya Jayachandran and don´t forget to join #NephJC on bluesky.

LIBERATE-D: El Resumen Visual

En pacientes con lesión renal aguda en diálisis, se evaluó si una estrategia más conservadora impacta en la recuperación renal. ¿Será que menos es más? Únete a la discusión del ensayo clínico LIBERATE-D y, antes, no olvides revisar el resumen visual creado por Sejal Lakhani

Taking the reigns

In April 2014, Swapnil and I launched NephJC—and within weeks we were overwhelmed by the sheer work of running a twice-monthly, Twitter-based journal club. Fortunately, we also had a deep bench of friends on the internet. A rotating cast of brilliant volunteers stepped in, proving the old fortune-cookie wisdom true: many hands make light work.

Over the years, both Swap and I have taken on new responsibilities and new roles. Swap even has a big announcement on the horizon. As NephJC has grown, we’ve had to confront the hardest part of any grassroots digital project: succession. The good news is we’ve been spoiled with talent. Two exceptional leaders have been (not so) quietly steering the ship for the last 18–24 months, so much so that most of you won’t notice any change at all.

Today we’re making it official:

Your new Editors-in-Chief of NephJC are Brian Rifkin and Cristina Popa.

Both are highly decorated graduates from the NSMC. Brian won Rookie of the Year in 2021 and Cristina followed right behind him in 2022. She also tacked on the MVP award in 2024.

Swap and I will still be around, but less.