08793 - Nephrology

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and skills to be achieved

The course aims to provide the student with the essential elements for general theoretical and practical knowledge of the main primary and secondary diseases and syndromes involving, from a medical point of view, the kidneys and excretory tracts with the aim of providing synthetic elements for:

1. an appropriate knowledge and a correct methodological approach;

2. a characterization of the pathogenesis and the histological-morphological picture;

3. the acquisition of clinical pictures and knowledge of prevention, differential diagnostics, clinical course, decision making and possible complications.

At the end of the course the student knows the basic notions of the main pathologies of nephrological interest in their acute phase and the biochemical, instrumental and clinical investigations necessary for their diagnosis and outlines of therapy.

Course contents

Reminder of anatomy and physiology

Nephrological semiotics (clinical, laboratory tests, diagnostic imaging, renal biopsy)

Water balance and pathological conditions, acid-base balance and electrolyte disorders

Glomerular nephropathies: clinical presentation and pathogenetic mechanisms with in-depth analysis of nephritic and nephrotic syndrome. Minimal lesion GN, focal and segmental sclerosing GN, membranous GN, post-streptococcal/post-infectious GN, IgA nephropathy, membrano-proliferative GN and complement-related glomerulopathies, rapidly progressive GN and ANCA-related vasculitis

Secondary glomerular nephropathies: Lupus nephritis, Diabetic nephropathy, Glomerulopathies in the course of multiple myeloma and/or Amyloidosis, Glomerulopathies in the course of cryoglobulinemia

Pictures of thrombotic microangiopathy and hemolytic uremic syndrome

Acute kidney injury (AKI), pathophysiology and main clinical pictures: pre-renal, organic and post-renal forms

Hereditary nephropathies: Adult Polycystic Disease and other cystic nephropathies, Alport Syndrome, Fabry Disease

Interstitial nephropathies: acute and chronic pyelonephritis, analgesic and immuno-allergic nephropathies

Kidney modifications during pregnancy

Renovascular hypertension, renal infarction, atheroembolic nephropathy

Chronic kidney disease: epidemiology, and staging; progression of renal failure; main clinical alterations in the conservative phase and in the uremic phase including osteo-mineral disease.

Conservative therapy including the nutritional aspect

Dialysis replacement therapy (hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis)

Kidney transplant

Readings/Bibliography

Harrison, Principles of internal medicine, 20th ed., Milan, CEA Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, 2021 (or 21st edition in English)

Garibotto-Pontremoli, Manual of Nephrology, and Minerva Medica

For consultation: Comprehensive Clinical Nephrology, R. J. Johnson; J. Feehally; J. Floege; M. Tonelli, Elsevier Ed.

Teaching methods

Lectures and interaction with students

Assessment methods

At least 3 in-presence exam sessions

Teaching tools

Updated teaching material provided during the course in PDF format available on "virtuale"

Office hours

See the website of Andrea Buscaroli