Nephrology Forum

A few years ago, as the editor of Kidney International, I was ap­ proached by Drs. Cohen, Kassirer, and Harrington who suggested that a new feature should be included in each monthly issue of the journal. They suggested that it should employ a case discussion format such as that used frequently at specialty rounds in teaching hospitals, and that the discussion should place a special emphasis on the relationship between basic science and important problems in clinical nephrology. The summary of an actual patient history would first be presented to exemplify a particular clinical problem, a seasoned person of proven expertise would be invited to deliver a well-documented analysis of the relevant issues, and perhaps most ambitiously of all, a critical audience would be assembled to challenge the principal discussant in an open­ ended, question-and-answer period. The entire affair would be recorded at the time of the live conference and transcribed subse­ quently in preparation for publication as a "Nephrology Forum. " I must confess that I was somewhat hesitant at first to endorse their proposal because, at the time, Kidney International had just begun to establish a solid reputation for the publication of high quality, peer­ reviewed manuscripts dealing with the clinical and laboratory research interests of the international nephrological community. A few years ago, as the editor of Kidney International, I was apƯ proached by Drs. Cohen, Kassirer, and Harrington who suggested that a new feature should be included in each monthly issue of the journal. They suggested that it should employ a case discussion format such as that used frequently at specialty rounds in teaching hospitals, and that the discussion should place a special emphasis on the relationship between basic science and important problems in clinical nephrology. The summary of an actual patient history would first be presented to exemplify a particular clinical problem, a seasoned person of proven expertise would be invited to deliver a well-documented analysis of the relevant issues, and perhaps most ambitiously of all, a critical audience would be assembled to challenge the principal discussant in an openƯ ended, question-and-answer period. The entire affair would be recorded at the time of the live conference and transcribed subseƯ quently in preparation for publication as a "Nephrology Forum." I must confess that I was somewhat hesitant at first to endorse their proposal because, at the time, Kidney International had just begun to establish a solid reputation for the publication of high quality, peerƯ reviewed manuscripts dealing with the clinical and laboratory research interests of the international nephrological community Front Matter....Pages i-xi Front Matter....Pages 1-4 Isolated Proteinuria in Asymptomatic Patients....Pages 5-26 Pathogenesis and Treatment of Membranous Nephropathy....Pages 27-54 Chronic Glomerulonephritis....Pages 55-84 Acute Renal Failure....Pages 85-106 Acute Olifuric Interstitia Nephritis....Pages 107-133 Front Matter....Pages 135-138 Sodium Homeostasis in Chronic Renal Disease....Pages 139-168 Refractory Ascites in Cirrhosis....Pages 169-186 Mechanisms of Urine Concentration....Pages 187-208 Neurogenic Diabetes Insipidus....Pages 209-224 Hyperkalemia and Hyporeninemic Hypoaldosteronism....Pages 225-258 Keptosis....Pages 259-278 Front Matter....Pages 279-282 Diagnostic Approach to Hypercalciuria....Pages 283-303 Renal Insufficiency and Hypercalcemia....Pages 305-316 Renal Osteodystrophy....Pages 317-347 Acute Hypophosphatemia....Pages 349-374 Back Matter....Pages 375-383