501630 - NEPHROLOGY (M-Z)

The Nephrology course is part of the Integrated Course of Kidney Diseases and Urinary System.
Educational objectives of the course:
The course will provide the student with the elements:
a) to understand and know the etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, symptomatology and therapy of the alterations of body fluid volumes, alterations in plasma osmolarity, hydroelectrolytic and acid-base balance and the main nephropathies
b) to know how to interpret a urine test and measure/estimate the glomerular filtration rate.
c) to understand the causes, pathogenesis, diagnostic tools and general principles of treatment of acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease
d) to understand the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations (nephrotic and nephritic syndromes) and the main histological pictures of primary and secondary glomerulonephritis
e) to understand the role of the kidney in pregnancy, in cardiorenal and hepatorenal syndromes
f) the basic elements of replacement therapy (extracorporeal hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis), kidney transplantation (from cadavers and living)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student must:
a) Know and describe the alterations of body fluid volumes, plasma osmolarity, define the diagnostic algorithm and know the basic principles of their therapy.
b) Know the alterations of hypo- and hypernatremia, hyper- and hypokalemia, hypo- and hypercalcemia and acid-base balance, define the diagnostic algorithm and know the basic principles of their therapy.
c) Interpret a urine test and know the methods of measuring / estimating glomerular filtration
d) Know the causes, pathogenic mechanisms of acute kidney injury, the diagnostic tools useful for the differential diagnosis between the different forms of acute kidney injury, the basic principles of therapy.
e) Know the pathogenic mechanisms, the main histological pictures of primary and secondary glomerulonephritis
f) Know the pathogenic mechanisms and clinical manifestations of nephrotic and nephritic syndrome
g) Know the causes, pathogenesis, complications and basic principles of therapy of chronic kidney disease.
h) Know the causes and tools useful for the diagnosis of interstitial nephropathies, hereditary nephropathies and oncological pathologies
i) Know the pathogenetic mechanisms, histological aspects and the therapeutic principles of diabetic nephropathy
j) Know the pathogenetic mechanisms and the basic principles of the therapy of cardiorenal and hepatorenal syndrome
k) Know the physiopathological aspects of kidney function during pregnancy
l) Know the general principles of replacement therapies: extracorporeal hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis
m) Know the various types of kidney transplants and their differences, the immunological mechanisms of rejection, the main complications of kidney transplantation