A pinch of salt - A podcast by ERA

In this episode of A Pinch of Salt, you'll get the unique opportunity of trying to experience what it's actually like to be a dialysis patient, a kidney failure patient, what are the issues they're dealing with and how can we as physicians help them get through the day. I think it's one of the valuable opportunities that you really shouldn't miss because at the end of the day we really want to help them, don’t we? Listen to the episode with Malene Deele, a kidney failure patient, also chairman of the Danish Kidney Association.

We’re focusing on a challenging topic: anticoagulation in CKD patients with atrial fibrillation. With up to 25% of CKD patients affected, managing this common arrhythmia is no easy task. How do we balance stroke prevention and bleeding risks? What’s the role of DOACs versus vitamin K antagonists? And should dialysis patients even receive anticoagulation? Are there any new treatment options? To help us untangle these questions, we’re joined by Frida Welander from Karolinska University, Sweden, an expert on the field. Don’t miss this insightful discussion.

Steroids have long been a cornerstone in treating ANCA-associated vasculitis, but their toxicity remains a significant challenge. Could Avacopan, a selective oral C5a receptor antagonist, provide a safer and more effective alternative? In this episode, you’ll hear about what’s new in the pathophysiology of ANCA vasculitis, current remission induction therapies, the place of Avacopan in the treatment protocols and future possibilities for managing this complex condition. Guiding us through these topics is Lorraine Harper, a distinguished specialist from the University of Birmingham, whose expertise in immunology and vasculitis offers invaluable insights into the latest advancements.

In this episode, we explore sex and gender disparities in the epidemiology and outcomes of chronic kidney disease. Did you know that women are less likely to receive a CKD diagnosis, visit a nephrologist, or access guideline-recommended therapies—even in developed countries? To help us unpack these critical issues, we're joined by Professor Adeera Levin, Head of the Division of Nephrology at the University of British Columbia in Canada Together, we’ll discuss the biological, societal, and systemic barriers driving these disparities and, more importantly, how we can overcome them.

Today, we address a crucial and evolving topic: the Approach to Conservative Care for ESKD Patients. This area has garnered increasing attention at national and international levels, reflecting the need for better detection, diagnosis, and therapeutic strategies tailored to this growing patient population. We’re joined by Prof. Holly Koncicki, Associate Professor at Mount Sinai Health System, New York, USA, who will help us explore whether conservative care could be considered a legitimate therapeutic option for ESKD, how do we define and engage the target population and what tools and approaches can optimize conservative care delivery.