Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Nephrology
Teaching staff
Students may ask lecturers questions at the end of each class. For enquiries outside of class time, students must make an appointment by email:
Dr. Josep Maria Galceran: jmgalceran@uic.es
Dr Vicente Juan Esteve: vesteve@uic.es
Dra Isabel Trias Puig Sureda: itrias@uic.es
Dra Maria Isabel Comerma Coma: mcomermac@uic.es
Dr Juan José Sánchez Fernández: jjsanchez@uic.es
Introduction
The subject of Nephrology deals with prevention, diagnosis and treatment of renal diseases that require a medical approach.
Pre-course requirements
Must have passed the subject “Structure and Function: Renal and Urogenital system” (second year).
Objectives
To understand the signs and symptoms which allow to identify the different renal diseases and renal syndromes, and to guide both diagnosis and treatment of them.
In all of the diseases addressed, to know the incidence (epidemiology), mechanisms of the disease (pathophysiology), structural lesions , signs and symptoms, diagnostic techniques, differential diagnosis, prognosis, prevention and treatment.
To identify a serious condition and the need of an emergency treatment, to identify the need to send the patient to a nephrologist and to know those end stage situations where limitation or palliative treatment could apply.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- 05 - Recognize own limitations and the need to maintain and upgrade professional skills, with particular emphasis on autonomous learning of new knowledge and skills and motivation for quality.
- 08 - Recognize the basis of normal human behavior and its disorders.
- 09 - Understand and recognize the effects, mechanisms and manifestations of disease on the structure and function of the human body.
- 10 - To understand and recognise the agents and risk factors which determine health status, and learn how they determine the symptoms and natural development of acute or chronic diseases in individuals and populations.
- 11 - Understand and recognize the effects of growth, development and aging on the individual and their social environment.
- 12 - Understanding the foundations for action, the indications and efficacy of therapeutic interventions, based on available scientific evidence.
- 15 - Ability to formulate an initial diagnosis and establish a rationalised diagnostic strategy.
- 16 - Recognize and deal with situations that put life in immediate danger and those that require immediate attention.
- 17 - Establish the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment, applying principles based on the best information possible and safe clinical practice..
- 18 - To indicate the most appropriate (pharmacological, surgical, psychological, social or other) treatments that are pertinent to the most prevalent procedures, in terms of rehabilitation and also terminally ill patients, including an evaluation of their effectiveness.
- 19 - Propose preventive measures appropriate to each clinical situation.
- 26 - Assume role in the prevention and protection from diseases, injuries or accidents and maintenance and promotion of health, both individual and at the community level.
- 31 - Understand, critically evaluate and know how to use sources of clinical and biomedical information to obtain, organize, interpret and communicate scientific and health care information.
Learning outcomes of the subject
Students who pass the subject will know:
- The different ways to measure renal function and to understand the main image techniques in Nephrology.
- To identify renal syndromes, to establish differential diagnosis and to choose the necessary tests to try to diagnose the disease.
- The current treatments for the different glomerulopathies.
- The approach to diagnosis, evaluation and treatment of hypertension.
- How to guide the diagnosis of acute renal failure, and the corresponding treatment according to the etiology.
- How to guide the diagnosis of chronic kidney disease, the associated comorbidities and the treatment to slow its progression and to reduce the associated risk.
- The different types of renal replacement therapy, and the problems associated with each of them.
- How to interpret acid-base abnormalities, and the corresponding causes.
- How to guide the diagnosis and management of electrolytic abnormalities.
- How to perform a medical record oriented to the study or renal diseases.
- How to measure blood pressure correctly with the different devices.
- How to cannulate a central vein.
- How to identify the basic pathological lesions in a renal biopsy.
Syllabus
Master classes
Unit 1. Renal function and ways to measure it. Renal biopsy.
Unit 2. Renal syndromes. Proteinuria, nephritic and nephrotic syndrome.
Unit 3. Primary glomerulopathies.
Unit 4. Secondary glomerulopathies 1: Lupus, vasculitis, Schönlein, infectious.
Unit 5. Secondary glomerulopathies 2: Myeloma, Amyloidosis, Diabetes.
Unit 6. Tubulointerstitial diseases.
Unit 7. Tubulopathies. Hereditary diseases.
Unit 8. Hypertension.
Unit 9. Acute kidney injury.
Unit 10. Chronic kidney disease.
Unit 11. Peritoneal dialysis.
Unit 12. Renal transplantation.
Unit 13. Clinical disorders of fluid and electrolytes.
Unit 14. Hemodialysis.
Case method
1. Primary glomerulopathies, case study.
2. Secondary glomerulopathies, case study.
3. Hypertension, case study.
4. Acute kidney injury, case study.
5. Chronic kidney disease, case study.
6. Fluid therapy.
Problem-based learning
1. Facing a case of proteinuria and microhematuria.
2. Disorders of electrolytes and acid-base, case studies.
Laboratory skills
1. Acid-base balance.
2. Central vein cannulation.
3. Image diagnosis in Nephrology.
Teaching and learning activities
In person
- Master class: the teacher transmits knowledge in a classroom to the entire group of students.
- Case method: group activities where the students work on case studies that are solved with the active participation of the teacher after deliberation.
- Problem-based learning: has similarities with the case method, but differs in that students are responsible to find the solution. The teacher acts as mentor to facilitate the process of learning from their metacognitive skills. It is also done in groups.
- Skill labs: the students learn how to explore and use devices, sometimes on mannequins, either for diagnosis or for specific procedures. They are held in small groups supervised by the teacher.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
- Continuous assessment (14%): In the case methods taught by Drs. Comerma, Esteve and Galceran (7 CMs), 2 quick questions will be asked at the beginning of the class, the correct answer to each of which will correspond to a 1% of final grade.
- Final exam (86%): 45 test type questions with 4 possible answers.
- The delivery of case methods is obligatory and must reach an adequate level of correction. Otherwise, the final grade can be decreased up to 0.5 points.
* In both exams, each correct question will be scored with 1 point. For each question with incorrect answer, 1/3 of the value of the answer will be discounted.
* The subject can not be approved without having scored ≥ 5/10 in the final exam.
* The second call exam replaces the final examination of the first call.
* No honors will be granted on second call.
Bibliography and resources
Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine. Mc Graw Hill.
Nefrología al día. Grupo editorial Sociedad Española de Nefrología. http://nefrologiadigital.revistanefrologia.com/modules.php?name=home
Kaplan's Clinical Hypertension. Editorial Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
Documents provided at the moodle system.