ASN Kidney Week Returns to Philadelphia to Highlight Latest Innovations, Issues in Renal Care

Thousands of clinicians and investigators will gather this week for the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Kidney Week 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The meeting will be returning to Philadelphia for the first time since 2014 and, notably, will feature new data regarding the role artificial intelligence (AI) and digital health in the field of nephrology.

The early agenda for ASN 2023 includes recurring programs bringing updates on maintenance dialysis, kidney transplantation, renal pathology, and glomerular disease; however, this year’s congregation will also introduce new programs presenting on the emerging field of nephrocardiology, advancements in multi-omics, as well as genetic testing in clinical nephrology.

Several posters will showcase new technological innovations regarding the use of AI in renal care. Presented data will touch on AI’s capacity to predict outcomes in, for example, cases of acute kidney injury (AKI), interdialytic hypotension, as well as dialysis and the associated hurdles with accessing adequate care. Furthermore, the potential efficacy of ChatGPT as a resource in patient care will be showcased in posters such as “Application of Large Language Models Such as ChatGPT to Support Nutritional Recommendations for Dialysis Patients.” Multiple poster sessions modeling the benefits of machine learning–based approaches will also be included.

Hands Holding Kidney | image credit: Sewcream Studia - stock.adobe.com

Among the educational opportunities highlighting technological advancements, this year’s meeting also emphasizes the disparities and shortcomings clinicians, researchers, and patients face in the field of nephrology.

These issues are reflected in sessions such as “Health Care Equity in Education, Clinical Care, and Community Engagement,” which will offer valuable perspectives on antiracism, the importance of cohort diversity in clinical trials, and the power of engaging with patients and their communities. Other presentations in line with these educational aims include “Social Determinants of BP and CVD in Patients with CKD” and “We Are Never Over the Rainbow: Nephrology Care for the LGBTQ+ Community,” which will evaluate the demographic factors that can influence outcomes or care approaches in certain patient populations.

The agenda will also feature a plethora of sessions concerning diabetic kidney disease, chronic kidney disease, nephrology in geriatric and pediatric populations, onconephrology, advances in bone and mineral metabolism, pharmacology, and discoveries in renal pathology.

The ASN’s goals for this year’s Kidney Week are solely learning based. As the presentations inform physicians, researchers, and other medical professionals on the newest discoveries in nephrology, they hope attendees can walk away from this meeting fully equipped to expand on this data and form new research questions to guide clinical practice and science moving forward.