The Need to Emphasize Nephrology Knowledge in Residents-in-Training

Background: Chronic kidney disease is an increasingly prevalent health problem with the potential for poor outcome of end-stage renal disease. Hospitalized critically ill patients are prone to acute renal injury from numerous factors such as poor renal perfusion secondary to ischemia and hypotension, nephrotoxin exposure, and intravenous contrast exposure.

Aims: We set to explore resident awareness and knowledge about chronic kidney disease management, timely nephrology referrals, preventing inadvertent acute kidney injury (AKI), and the understanding of basic electrolyte physiology.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire survey of internal medicine, Medicine/Pediatrics and Family Medicine residents in the United States to determine the knowledge of residents during their training about nephrology.

Results: The survey questionnaire was sent out to 270 residents. Forty-seven (17%) respondents completed the survey. Out of them, 57% of the residents chose to refer a patient with an estimated glomerular filtration rate <30 mL/min/1.73 m(2) to a nephrologist; 66% felt that it was safe to use aspirin in stage IV chronic kidney disease; 82% did not want to use metformin or Lovenox in stage IV chronic kidney disease; 87% answered that they would make the patient resume angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) about 48-72 h after contrast exposure. Only 7.5% decided to hold angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors/ARBs before contrast exposure. Meanwhile, 70% correctly identified the efferent arteriole as the site of action of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors/ARBs and 76% identified nitrofurantoin as a contraindication in renal insufficiency.

Conclusion: Residency offers a golden opportunity for resident physicians to create a strong foundation of concepts in medicine. There are several basic areas in the field of nephrology that need to be further emphasized during residency training to help improve patient care and potentially decrease the incidence of AKI.