New Research in the Field of Nephrology

The 44th ERA-EDTA Renal Congress was successfully held in Barcelona, Spain earlier this year. Like its predecessors, the Congress offered an excellent and diverse program highlighting the most recent developments in the field of nephrology. Over 1900 original abstracts from extensive research were presented.

The 44th European Renal Association – European Dialysis Transplant Association (ERA-EDTA) Congress was held in Barcelona on June 21st to 24th of 2007. This provided the forum to report the most recent advances in clinical nephrology, dialysis and renal transplantation fields of medicine. Experts in renal medicine from across the globe attended the congress and presented their research findings in the form of abstracts, posters and interactive talks.Main areas addressed during the free communication sessions at the ERA-EDTA Congress included:

• Genetics and development
• Mechanisms of progression and cardiovascular and chronic kidney disease interaction
• Chronic kidney disease 1
• Potential interventions and therapies
• Transplantation
• Novel markers for chronic kidney disease and glomerular disease
• Lupus, fibrosis, renal failure

One of the central themes of the congress included the reciprocal relationships between cardiovascular disease and end-stage renal disease. It was highlighted that since the advent of sophisticated immunosuppressant therapies, the most important cause of graft loss and death in renal transplant patients is now cardiovascular disease. Chronic rejection is no longer as prevalent in the evolved renal transplant patients, who more commonly die from cardiovascular disease with a functional graft. This emphasises the importance of strict control of cardiovascular risks factors before and after renal transplant. The various biological bases of interactions between renal and cardiac were largely explored. In addition, a number of abstracts considered the assessment mechanisms for cardiovascular disease and potential management of risk factors. The precise role of ACE-inhibitors and antihypertensives were deemed suitable subjects of future meta-analysis. The concurrent synopsia consisted of series of short speeches addressing the following areas:

• Basic science
• Transitional nephrology
• Clinical nephrology
• Clinical hypertension – cardio-renal risk
• Haemodialysis
• Peritoneal dialysis
• Critical care & nephrology
• Guidelines, quality research
• Transplantation

Interesting highlights included discussion of bone disease in end-stage renal failure and dialysis patients. Bone mineral density is at threat in renal failure due to secondary hyperparathyroidism and vitamin D deficiency. Thus it was concluded that further study is needed to address the long-term outcomes of treatments such as vitamin D analogues and bisphosphonates. A further highlight emerged during the discussion of transplantation. This synopsium provided insight into potential future advances in renal transplantation, specifically inducing transplant tolerance, cloning and xenotransplantation. An overview of the Congress is now available online. By attending the website (http://www.eraedta2007.org/index.htm) and registering online, you can browse the vast number of accepted abstracts. These are intended to cover all aspects of nephrology, including the treatment of renal disease and scientific backgrounds to the study of the kidney.Source:

1. Morales J, Castillo D, Campistol J et al. The Cardiovascular Death is the Main Problem After Renal Transplantation in the New Immunosuppressive Era. 2007.
2. Locatelli F. ACE inhibitors and Angiotensin II antagonists and renal disease progression: from clinical trials to sound meta-analysis.
3. Stavroulopoulos A, Porter C, Roe S. et al. Relationship Between Vitamin D Status, Parathyroid Hormone Levels and Bone Mineral Density in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease Stages 3 and 4, 2007.
4. European Renal Association- European Dialysis and Transplant Association, ERA-EDTA Congress, Barcelona, Spain- Main Announcement, 2007.