Drasko Pavlovic

Green nephrology, also often called sustainable nephrology, has become a field of interest in our discipline in recent years. Although several reviews have been published, comparatively few original articles have appeared, witnessing interest but also lack of original data. Greater awareness of the effect nephrology has on the planet, including, but not limited to its carbon footprint, is needed to promote education and research on these issues. Increasing awareness entails increasing knowledge at various levels, and it is for this reason that we are presenting this review focusing on educational activities that have been and could further be undertaken to spread knowledge of these topics. We start from a description of the various approaches to green nephrology: technical, mainly focused on dialysis, clinical, encompassing medical and nonmedical treatments in all CKD phases, and comprehensive, embedding kidney care in the society. We further summarize what is known and the fundamental needs and problems we presently face in reducing dialysis carbon-print, optimizing the pathways of care, avoiding futility in clinical work and research, and implementing lifestyle interventions and education. We further acknowledge the lack of data on lifecycle of items and procedures, including commonly used drugs, and identify research needs at various levels. We finally discuss some examples of educational programs on green nephrology that are already available at various levels, from medical schools (an educational game), to medical meetings (healthy eating and reduction of plastic and paper waste), and daily clinical practice, in which teaching passes also through examples (personalizing dialysis and adapting schedules to each patient). Finally, we identify some barriers that educational approaches may offer ways to overcome, to promote effective, targeted interventions that will make us advance on the road to reduce nephrology's carbon footprint.

Background Chronic kidney disease associated mineral bone disorder (CKD-MBD) is one of the major causes of excess morbidity and mortality in hemodialysis patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether education about dietary intakes and specific food processing methods affect serum calcium and PTH concentrations in hemodialysis patients. Methods Forty-seven hemodialysis patients were randomly divided into a control and an intervention group. All participants were on individualized phosphate binder therapy. Both groups received education on dietary intake by a trained dietitian. The intervention group received additional education on specific preparation methods of different foodstuffs and consumed two hospital meals prepared according to these methods during hemodialysis. Serum calcium and PTH levels, and vitamin D analog therapy dosage were periodically monitored during the 1-year study period. Results At the baseline of the study, there were no differences between control and intervention groups in serum calcium (p = 0.078), serum PTH (p = 0.670), and vitamin D analog therapy dosage (p = 0.184). At the end of the study, serum calcium was better regulated in the intervention group, resulting in a significant difference between the study groups (p = 0.013). This was also confirmed by serum PTH levels in the intervention group, which remained stable until the end of the study (p = 0.110). Discussion Additional education on specific food processing techniques may result in improved management of serum calcium and PTH levels, which could ultimately provide better control of secondary hyperparathyroidism in hemodialysis patients. Graphical abstract

Background: The effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine may differ in hemodialysis patients. The aim of this prospective multicenter study was to determine the degree of serological response to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in the population of dialysis patients and its association with later SARS-CoV-2 infections. Methods: A blood sample was taken for the determination of COVID-19 serological status (IgG antibodies) in 706 dialysis patients 16 weeks after vaccination with the second dose (Pfizer-BioNTech). Results: Only 314 (44.5%) hemodialyzed patients had a satisfactory response to the COVID-19 vaccine. Eighty-two patients (11.6%) had a borderline response, while 310 patients (43.9%) had an unsatisfactory (negative) post-vaccinal antibody titer. A longer dialysis vintage had an increased odds ratio (OR) of 1.01 for the occurrence of COVID-19 positivity after vaccination. In the group of subsequently positive patients, 28 patients (13.6%) died from complications of COVID-19. We have found differences in mean survival time between patients with and without appropriate responses to vaccination in favor of patients with a satisfactory serological response. Conclusions: The results showed that the dialysis population will not have the same serological response to the vaccine as the general population. The majority of dialysis patients did not develop a severe clinical picture or die at the time of positivity for COVID-19.

Introduction: Control of serum phosphate is important for patients on hemodialysis. The aim of the study was to determine if education based on phosphorus‐reducing techniques in food preparation and thermal processing, and accordingly prepared and applied diets, will lead to better outcomes than a standard education program to improve phosphate control in patients on hemodialysis.Methods: Forty‐seven patients on hemodialysis were divided between an intervention and a control group. All subjects received training about nutrition for hemodialysis patients by trained dietitian. In addition, subjects in the intervention group received additional training in phosphorus‐reducing techniques in food preparation and received two hospital meals prepared using suggested cooking methods to reduce the phosphate content of food during dialysis treatment. Serum phosphate, serum albumin, and anthropometric parameters were measured, while nPCR was calculated, at the baseline and during the 1‐year study.Findings: No differences in serum phosphate levels were observed between intervention (1.68 mmol/L [1.48–2.03]) and control group (1.88 mmol/L [1.57–2.2]) at baseline (P = 0.130). Although not statistically significant between groups the mean reduction was more apparent in the intervention group (−0.3 mmol/L (−0.4 to 0.1) vs. −0.2 (−0.5 to 0.1)), and lead to significantly reduction of phosphate binder therapy. During the study, the nPCR and anthropometric status of the patients did not change significantly.Discussion: Providing additional education to hemodialysis patients on the specific cooking methods and accordingly prepared meals may decrease serum phosphate levels without significantly affecting nutritional status which may be useful in helping to prevent and treat hyperphosphatemia.