Nephrology Research: The Chat wrap up

This was a surprisingly rejuvenating exciting chat, hosted by Jennie, Divya and Sinead. For such an, ahem, nerdy topic, 163 peeps showed up to discuss the ways we can improve nephrology research. Including first author, Markos Tomidis.

You can see the breakdown by each session below

The transcripts of the three sessions are available below

Summary of Discussion

The discussion did vary, as expected, in the three different chats. The ARRIVE guidelines were known by some, but not all (unlike the CONSORT checklist, which was widely known). The point was made that this does not show that nephrology research is poor in quality, but that the reporting of the research definitely had room for improvement. Another highlight was some trialists chiming in to point out that important trials are being done now. And that the tide is turning. See some of those tweets, as well as a curation on Wakelet by Hector below:

Its for us to change the culture
People like @lastwalsh @DrRonWald @Badves @fjcaskey @drpaddymark @VladoPerkovic @Thomas_Hiemstra and many more are actively designing and performing large RCTs in nephrology #NephJC

— Swapnil Hiremath, MD, MPH (@hswapnil) January 30, 2019

Others like Amit Garg, @LauraDember @VladoPerkovic again are designing and conducting cluster RCTs (leveraging dialysis units) #NephJC

— Swapnil Hiremath, MD, MPH (@hswapnil) January 30, 2019

just seen this...I'm not remotely on same level as these guys. also i note all male list so far! Meg Jardine, @angelacwebster Carmel Hawley @kidneydoc101 (and my fab trainees @jennifer_s_lees @RenalRutherford etc ..)

— Paddy Mark (@drpaddymark) January 30, 2019

Thanks Paddy :Megan Griffith, Lisa Willcocks, Lorraine Harper, Michelle Hladunewich, @KateBramham @DrKateWiles @shilpa_jes @doc_wilson3 @mkwillicombe @rheault_m @allisontong1 to name but a few @womeninnephro running, leading, participating, changing the game #RCTs In #nephrology

— Liz Lightstone #PeoplesVote (@kidneydoc101) January 30, 2019

1/2 Fundamentally disagree. This is blaming the disease instead of the profession. We can't say on the one hand CKD is verging on epidemic and the outcomes are terrible and then turn around and say it's too hard to measure the impact of interventions. #NephJC https://t.co/z75JxqoXkq

— mike walsh (@lastwalsh) January 30, 2019

2/2 "hard" (patient important) endpoints? How about the life altering events that happen with alarming frequency? ESKD, MI, stroke, heart failure, cognitive decline, disability, infection, bleeding, mood, pain... all are in our domain to intervene on. (steps off pulpit) #NephJC https://t.co/m3fk8a1Hwm

— mike walsh (@lastwalsh) January 30, 2019

I don't think it's necessarily true that it's difficult to recruit kidney patients to trials. We just have to ask nicely and have worthwhile trials to offer. #nephjc https://t.co/FVhfdEGx3b

— Charlie Tomson (@CharlieTomson) January 30, 2019

Industry are super keen to participate in these trials based on my conversations @angelacwebster , but we in the academic community must get organised and lead the process

— Vlado Perkovic (@VladoPerkovic) February 1, 2019

Wakelets