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Introduction: Triggered by the recent revolution posed by the digital era, medical education has evolved enormously over the last decade. Much of this transformation was further accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Video Abstracts are an innovative tool in science communication allowing a quick overview of a scientific paper. It can be used to build capacity by connecting patients and healthcare professionals to education and research, fostering critical thinking, and filling gaps in education. The Video Abstracts Series is an initiative that was envisioned by the ISN Education Working Group in association with the DOPPS collaboration and put into action by the ISN Education Social Media Team. Starting in Dec 2021, the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) Video Abstracts Series has integrated the ISN global education strategy. The videos are allowed a maximum length of 2:20 min to fit the Twitter limits. It constitutes a video narrative of a study's principal characteristics and findings. The project was fully developed based on voluntary work, from conception to video production. Method(s): This study aimed to assess quantitatively the impact of the ISN Video Abstracts Series initiative. From Dec 2021 to Sept 2022, video impressions, engagements, and video views from Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and the Academy were analyzed. Result(s): The ISN Video Abstracts Series highlighted studies published in the Kidney International Reports (KIR, n=12);Kidney International (KI, n=12);and the ISN-DOPPS initiative (n=1). In combination, the 25 Video Abstracts, resulted in 139,402 impressions;3,434 engagements;and 25,041 video views. Most of the interactions occurred on Twitter (79.8%). In this digital platform, on average videos had 5,300 impressions and 790 views. The videos redirected the user to the journal publication in 435 instances. The ISN Video Abstracts Series addressing the KIR publication "Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Biosynthetic Impairment and Urinary Metabolomic Alterations Observed in Hospitalized Adults With COVID19-Related AKI", had the most views (n=2,125). Conclusion(s): The future of continuing medical education relies on new strategies and media to build capacity and bridge the gaps. The ISN offers a wide variety of educational and interactive resources through Social Media and the ISN Academy, its official e-Learning portal. The Video Abstracts Series is an innovative, inclusive, and resourceful tool. It combines sharp and concise information with an entertaining format that captures and retains the user's attention, opening new perspectives in the ISN strategy to boost continuing medical education in nephrology globally. No conflict of interestCopyright © 2023
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Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic influenced the conduct of ISN WCN over past three years. ISN WCN 2019 was live conference, ISN WCN 2020 was cancelled due to pandemic, ISN WCN 2021 was a fully virtual conference while ISN WCN 2022 was conducted in hybrid form. This pandemic has impacted conference demographics. We evaluated the impact of this transition from live to virtual and hybrid forms on social media coverage. Method(s): We compared social media coverage data of ISN WCN 2019, 2021 and 2022. All three congresses were covered on various platforms by @ISNeducation SoMe Team, an integral component of the ISN Education Working Group. The group provides comprehensive coverage of congress lectures and presentations since 2017. The coverage data from twitter was compared and evaluated. Result(s): Lesser number of sessions were held in virtual (86) and hybrid (97) conference compared from live congress (158). Likewise, twitter users decreased in virtual (857) and hybrid forms (886) of congress compared from live form (1943). Though the number of tweets decreased from live to virtual (17,507 vs 13,300), number of impressions (25 million vs 27 million) increased. Both number of tweets and impressions increased further in hybrid conference (15,100;46.6 million) indicating the robust social media engagement. Thirty-nine percent sessions (62/158) were live tweeted in live conference while 85% (73/86) and 69% (67/97) sessions were live tweeted in virtual and hybrid forms. Number of visual abstracts were higher (59) in 2022 compared from 2019 (30) and 2021 (29). In WCN 2022, social media team introduced Twitter Space where live audio discussions were held during four congress days. [Formula presented] [Formula presented] [Formula presented] Conclusion(s): Social media engagement of participants of ISN World Congress of Nephrology has increased in each conference over years and it was highest in hybrid form of congress. Number of sessions and users were higher in live form but engagement and percentage of live tweeted sessions were higher in virtual and hybrid forms of congress. No conflict of interestCopyright © 2023
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Background: The effect of time to surgery after completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and outcomes in breast cancer patients remains poorly defined and unclear. Acceptable time to surgery has frequently been arbitrarily defined as between four to eight weeks. Various factors including resource limitation, scheduling conflicts, complications after chemotherapy, patient hesitation or interruptions from major events such as the recent Covid-19 pandemic can delay time to surgery, raising concern of an adverse impact on recurrence and survival outcomes. This study aims to ascertain if time to surgery after completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy impacts disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Material(s) and Method(s): This single-institution retrospective study included patients who underwent neoadjuvant therapy and subsequent surgery from 2006 to 2017. Demographic, clinicopathological factors and surgical data from 250 patients were analysed. 105 patients received surgery within 28 days (group 1). 119 patients received surgery within 29 to 56 days (group 2), and 26 patients received surgery after 57 days or more (group 3). DFS and OS among the three groups were compared. Result(s): Age, race, pre-chemotherapy stage, tumour type, grade, hormone receptor status, Her2 status, focality, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), radiological response to chemotherapy, type of surgery, pathological response to chemotherapy, and receipt of adjuvant radiotherapy were not significantly different between the three groups. Receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy was statistically significant (p = 0.0248) with 39 patients (37.1%) in group 1, 32 patients (26.9%) in group 2 and 3 patients (11.5%) in group 3 receiving further chemotherapy after surgery. Mean follow-up duration was 44.5 months. DFS and OS between the three groups were not found to be significantly different (p = 0.5920 and p = 0.6133 respectively). Conclusion(s): Time to surgery after completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy did not appear to affect recurrence or survival outcomes. This result was demonstrated despite fewer patients in the group with the longest duration to surgery receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. This may be due to the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in decreasing or eliminating micro-metastatic disease, an important factor in cancer recurrence and survival. Limitations of this study includes its retrospective nature and small sample size. Findings from this study may allow more flexibility and reduce the burden of scheduling patients for surgery within the usual four to eight week window in centres with resource and scheduling constraints. Further studies examining a larger population over a wide range of time durations could help clinicians better tailor time to surgery after neoadjuvant therapy. No conflict of interest. Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
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BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate pregnancy frequency and evaluate the factors affecting live births in hemodialysis (HD) patients. METHODS: Female HD patients whose pregnancy was retrospectively reported between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2019. The duration of HD, primary disease, and the information on whether the pregnancy resulted in abortion, stillbirth, or live birth, whether the HD duration was prolonged after diagnosing the pregnancy and whether it accompanied preeclampsia were recorded. RESULTS: In this study, we reached 9038 HD female patients' data in the study. A total of 235 pregnancies were detected in 145 patients. The mean age was 35.42 (35 ± 7.4) years. The mean age at first gestation was 30.8 ± 6.5 years. The average birth week was 32 (28 -36) weeks. A total of 53.8% (no = 78) of the patients had live birth, 51.7% (no = 70) had at least one abortion in the first 20 weeks, and 13.1% (no = 19) had at least one stillbirth after 20 weeks. The rate of patients' increased numbers of dialysis sessions during pregnancy was 71.7%. The abortion rate was 22.4% in those with increased HD sessions, whereas 79.3% in those not increased HD sessions (p < 0.001). Live birth frequency was 67.2% in the increased HD sessions group and 3.4% in those who did not differ in HD sessions (p < 0.001). DISCUSSION: For the first time, we reported pregnancy outcomes in HD female patients, covering all regions of Turkey. It has been observed that;increasing the number of HD sessions in dialysis patients will decrease fetal and maternal complications and increase live birth rates.
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BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Although existing data suggest an increased mortality rate, data about the course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, its short-and long-term effects on the patient and technique survival are limited. Moreover, specific factors associated with increased risk of death have not been clearly defined yet. Therefore, we aimed to study the characteristics of PD patients with COVID-19, determine the short-term mortality and other medical complications, and delineate the factors associated with COVID-19 outcome. METHOD: This national multicenter study included all PD patients who had confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection based on positive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction testing of a nasopharyngeal swab recorded in this database from the attending 27 PD centers. The demographic data, comorbidities, medications used, PD-related data were recorded as well as clinical, laboratory and radiological findings of COVID-19 and outcomes at the end of the first month were recorded. RESULTS: We enrolled 142 COVID-19 patients (median age: 52 years). A total of 58.2% of patients had mild disease at diagnosis, lung involvement was detected in 60.8% of patients. A total of 83 (58.4%) patients were hospitalized, 31 (21.8%) patients were admitted to intensive care unit and 24 needed mechanical ventilation. A total of 15 (10.5%) patients were switched to hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration was performed for 4 (2.8%) patients. Persisting pulmonary symptoms (n = 27), lower respiratory system infection (n = 12), rehospitalization for any reason (n = 24), malnutrition (n = 6), hypervolemia (n = 13), peritonitis (n = 7), ultrafiltration failure (n = 7) and in PD modality change (n = 8) were reported in survivors. During the 1 month from the diagnosis of COVID-19, 26 patients (18.31%) died. The non-survivor group was older and comorbidities were more prevalent. Fever, dyspnea, cough, serious-vital disease at presentation, bilateral pulmonary involvement and pleural effusion were more frequent among non-survivors. Age (OR:1.102;95% CI: 1.032- 1.117;P:0.004), moderate-severe clinical disease at presentation (OR:26.825;95% CI: 4.578-157.172;P < 0.001) and CRP levels (OR:1.008;95% CI;1.000-1.016;P:0.040) were associated with increased first-month mortality in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Early mortality rate and medical complications are quite high in PD patients with COVID-19. Age, clinical severity of COVID-19 and baseline CRP level are the independent parameters associated with mortality.
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BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Haemodialysis (HD) patients are at increased risk for adverse short-term consequences of COVID-19. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of chronic HD patients in the post-COVID-19 period and compared them with the control group. METHOD: We conducted a national multicentre observational study involving adult chronic HD patients recovering from COVID-19. The control HD group was selected from patients with similar characteristics who did not have COVID-19 in the same center. SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR negative patients and patients in the active period of COVID-19 were not included. RESULTS: A total of 1223 patients (635 COVID-19 groups, 588 control groups) were included in the study from the data collected from 47 centres between 21 April 2021 and 11 June 2021. The patients' baseline demographics, comorbidities, medications, HD characteristics and basic laboratory tests were quite similar between the groups (Table 1). 28th-day mortality and between 28th day and 90th day mortality were higher in the COVID-19 group than in the control group [19 (3.0%) patients and 0 (0%) patients;15 (2.4%) patients and 4 (0.7%) patients, respectively]. Presence of respiratory symptoms, rehospitalization, need for home oxygen therapy, lower respiratory tract infection and A-V fistula thrombosis were significantly higher in the COVID-19 group in the first 28 days of illness and between 28 and 90 days. Mortality was significantly associated with preexisting COVID-19, age, current smoking, use of tunneled HD catheter, persistence of respiratory symptoms, rehospitalization, need for home oxygen support, presence of lower respiratory tract infection within 28 days and persistence of respiratory symptoms. CONCLUSION: In the post-COVID-19 period, mortality, rehospitalization, respiratory problems and vascular access problems are higher in maintenance HD patients who have had COVID-19 compared to control HD patients. (Table Presented).
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Objectives: There is limited data about coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) characteristics and results in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics and outcomes among PD patients and compare them with matched hemodialysis (HD) patients and a control group without kidney disease. Methods: We included 18 PD patients and consecutive age- and gender-matched 18 HD and 18 patients without kidney disease (control group) registered into the Turkish Society of Nephrology database including 1301 COVID-19 patients. We compared demographic, clinical, radiological, laboratory data, and outcomes namely intensive care unit (ICU) admission, mechanical ventilation, mortality, and composite outcome (death and/or ICU admission). Results: ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, and mortality rates in PD patients (27.8%, 22.2%, and 22.2%, respectively) and the HD group (16.7%, 11.1%, and 16.7%, respectively) were higher than the control group (11.1%, 11.1%, and 5.6%, respectively), but intergroup comparison did not reveal difference. A total of 11 (20.3%) patients had composite outcome (6 PD patients, 3 HD patients, and 2 patients in the control group). In Cox regression analysis, higher age and higher CRP level were related to increased risk of composite outcome. Adjusted rate of composite outcome in PD group was significantly higher than the control group (P =.050). This rate was similar in HD and control groups (P =.30). Conclusions: Combined in-hospital mortality and/or ICU admission of PD patients with COVID-19 was significantly higher than the control patients. There is a need for careful surveillance of PD patients for infection signs and prompt treatment of COVID-19.
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Introduction: The appearance of the COVID -19 pandemic in the early months of 2020 has changed the way education is delivered, by drastically reducing face to face interaction. In the light of the current situation, professional bodies have ramped up virtual modes of education in the form of webinars, quizzes and various gamifications of learning formats. @ISN Education and its social media team has been in the forefront in presenting and propagating educational initiatives using social media and interacting with ISN Education Working Group and the Academy platform since early 2020. In this study we look at the changing dynamics of online nephrology education in 2020, focussing on @ISN Education Webinars and Quizzes. Methods: The study looks at the participation, attendance, interest rating and attentiveness of the webinars (and the linked social media activities) conducted by the @ISN Education in 2020.The data regarding the webinars conducted by the ISN Education group from May 2019 till November 2020 was collected and analysed for the number of registrations, attendance, attentiveness and interest rating. The data collected was compared between two time points (May 2019 to December 2019 vs January 2020 to November 2020) to better understand the impact of the pandemic on virtual educational initiatives. Data generated from social media activities (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube) and quizzes linked to these webinars in 2020 was analysed.Statistical Analysis was done using SPSS Version 22. Results: There were 7 webinars in 2019 and 11 in 2020 till November 2020. The total number of registrations in 2020 was higher than in 2019 (4729 vs 1299:p=0.079). Similarly, the number of attendees in 2020 was higher than in 2019 (2146 vs 465;p=0.084). This was expected as there were more webinars in 2020 (11) than in 2019 (7). The mean (±sd) registrations and attendees in 2020 were still higher than in 2019. (registrations 429.91 ±40.269 in 2020 vs. 185.57 ±96.609 in 2019, p=0.08 and attendees 195.09 ±180.65 in 2020 vs 66.43±36.65 in 2019,p=0.08). The percentage of registrants who actually attended the webinars in 2019 (35.8%) was significantly lower than in 2020 (45.4%)(p=0.01). In 2020 the percentage of attendance was higher in April-June (48%), July -September (49.1%) than in the Jan -March (41.7%). The Spanish language webinars had a lesser attendance perhaps a result of the time at which the webinars were conducted (morning hours in Latin America) All webinars were promoted and introduced on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. 3 webinars were introduced in Instagram also.Twitter was the most commonly used media tool for promotion of the webinars(78.5%) and Instagram was least preferred(6%). The webinar titled “COVID19 for the Nephrologist- Real life experience from Italy” was the most popular webinar with 2940 engagements and 41978 impressions on Twitter and had the highest quiz engagement. Conclusions: The webinars conducted by @ISN Education had a higher level of meaningful participation (registration and attendance) during the COVID 19 pandemic. A robust social media interaction in relation to the webinars was noted and demonstrated to be a useful tool to propagate the educational content. A quiz linked to the webinars also garnered interest and had encouraging participation statistics. No conflict of interest