This episode discusses depression in people on dialysis in light of the PCORI-funded ASCEND study.  Major depressive disorder is four times more common in people undergoing long-term dialysis than in the general population and is associated with greater non-adherence, higher healthcare utilization, poorer quality of life, and higher mortality. A panel discussion puts these results in perspective and discusses next steps in the treatment of depression from the vantage point of the study team.

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This episode discusses transitions of care for kidney patients. This includes patients who had never had any kidney issues who present to the hospital with acute kidney injury, some of whom require dialysis - at least temporarily. It includes patients who have known chronic kidney disease who crash into dialysis, as well as outpatient chronic kidney disease patients who are transitioning to outpatient dialysis. 

These transitions can be hard for patients to undertake. It is our role as healthcare providers to understand their struggle and familiarize ourselves with the perspectives of the different players in patient care, as well as of course, the patients themselves.

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Becoming a new parent can be overwhelming. A major difficulty facing new parents is determining how best to feed their new baby, and when you have kidney disease there are additional risks and benefits regarding breastfeeding versus formula feeding. In this episode of the Kidney Commute we are joined by experts who will address some of the unique issues facing new parents with kidney disease when it comes to breastfeeding, including the most up to date recommendations and safety of various medications to the breastfeeding infant. Given the current formula shortages, this is a very pertinent conversation that many kidney patients with infants are having right now and we hope to shed light on this important issue.

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In this episode, the interprofessional panel will discuss the various treatment modalities available to ESKD patients. The team will outline treatment options, pros and cons of treatment options for different patients, and how treatment planning can improve patient outcomes. Hear a dietitian and social worker review the dietary and psychosocial implications of different treatment modalities.

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In this episode we discuss salt intake in the setting of chronic kidney disease. We start our discussion defining salt vs sodium and further discuss the physiology and outcomes of a high-sodium diet. We also review the guidelines and some helpful tips on implementing them. Understanding that patient challenges to a low-sodium diet might be present, we hear from our multidisciplinary panel on recommendations to overcome these problems. The episode finishes with a review, and discussion of the beneficial outcomes of successful implementation of a low-sodium diet.

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After listening, check out episode 12 of NKF's Hot Topics in Kidney Health podcast series, How Much Sodium is Safe for Kidney Patients?

In this episode of the Kidney Commute will explore the issues that are specific to women with kidney disease who undergo kidney transplant. Our interprofessional team includes a physician, Dr. Silvi Shah, who explores topics such as family planning after transplant, the impact that transplant has on fertility, and graft monitoring during pregnancy. Amanda Trinsey, who has a kidney transplant, discusses her experiences navigating pregnancy after transplant. Lisa Coscia offers information from a nursing perspective, as well as highlights the resources available from Transplant Pregnancy Registry International. Heather Hames highlights medication changes and monitoring that are key to a successful pregnancy after transplant, and Leah Madden explains how a transplant coordinator supports a woman with her reproductive journey. Finally, Amanda Earley discusses how a social worker can round out the interdisciplinary team approach to reproductive health after kidney transplant. All members of the interprofessional kidney team can learn something new from this insightful discussion!

Limited or low Health literacy impacts about 80 million Americans. It is associated with poor health outcomes and upwards of $236 billion in health care costs.  Health literacy affects everyone, and most negatively effects communities of color. It is important to realize that limited health literacy is not always associated with education level and regardless of education, everyone should be evaluated.  In this episode, you will learn how providers can influence health literacy and implement evaluation and intervention strategies in their practice settings. You will hear a patient account of the impression each individual has on improving health literacy in patients.

Frailty syndrome is a multi-system impairment resulting in decreased reserve and resistance to stressors. For those living with renal disease and pursuing transplant this syndrome is measured by many transplant centers as frailty can impact post-transplant outcomes. Join us as we explore more about frailty risk factors, how it is measured, its impact, and how the multi-disciplinary team can address components leading to frailty.

Infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality for patients with kidney disease, and vaccines are the cornerstone of preventing infection. Nephrologists often provide general health care to their patients so the kidney health team is well suited to address what is typically a primary practitioners area.  It’s a timely topic, as we are in the midst of pandemic, however the discussion in this episode addresses vaccines beyond COVID 19. 

This episode is the first in a series of three that will focus on women's health and the kidney. This discussion focuses on the importance of interprofessional team communication and implementing shared decision making, as well as using an individualized approach when it comes to understanding the preferences of women with kidney disease. Amanda, a kidney disease patient and mother of three, discusses her experience navigating her care with her health team.