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Irish Nephrology Society President Prof Donal Reddan speaks to Catherine Reilly about the topical agenda for the Society’s Winter Meeting
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) features strongly in the programme for the Irish Nephrology Society (INS) Winter Meeting, which will take place in Galway on 24-25 January.
INS President Prof Donal Reddan told the Medical Independent (MI) that epidemiology, research and clinical trials are also prominent themes on the agenda.
Prof Reddan, a Consultant Nephrologist at Galway University Hospitals (GUH), praised the local organiser Prof Andrew Smyth (GUH) for devising a high-quality programme in collaboration with INS colleagues.
Expanding on the topical CKD theme, Prof Reddan said there is a “huge push” in Irish nephrology to establish a renal registry. He said a registry is vital for service planning in the context of the growing burden of CKD including end-stage kidney disease (ESKD).
Prof Donal Reddan
He outlined that several speakers and delegates at the INS Winter Meeting 2025 are key figures in driving improvements in renal data intelligence.
Another discussion point among delegates will be the planned inclusion of CKD in the HSE chronic disease management programme. Nephrologists understand that this will be implemented in 2025. Prof Reddan said the inclusion of CKD has been strongly advocated by the Clinical Lead of the HSE National Renal Office (NRO) Prof George Mellotte.
NCHDs
The INS meeting opens on Friday 24 January with an NCHD session. Prof Andrew Smyth will speak on clinical research while his GUH consultant colleague Dr David Lappin will lead an interactive clinical case discussion on acid-base disorders.
Nephropathology will be the focus of the next segment. Prof Reddan said kidney biopsy is a key part of diagnostics in kidney disease and there had been several “interesting” developments in renal pathology in recent years.
Dr Teresa McHale, Consultant Histopathologist, GUH, will deliver a presentation titled ‘Nephropathology: How to approach a kidney biopsy’ which will be followed by an interactive case review.
Prof Reddan said Dr McHale would provide “great perspectives on interesting cases we have had”.
Dr McHale’s expertise “is a fantastic resource for us in Galway, she reviews our kidney biopsies, and we have great discussions at our MDT”.
Prof Reddan said there is a ‘huge push’ in Irish nephrology to establish a renal registry
Four sessions
On Saturday 25 January there will be four themed sessions which each conclude with a Q&A.
The first session on CKD research in Ireland will be chaired by Dr Louise Giblin, Consultant Nephrologist, GUH.
Prof Austin Stack, Consultant Nephrologist, University Hospital Limerick, will discuss the burden of CKD in Ireland, while Dr Conor Judge, Consultant Nephrologist, GUH, will present on ‘Artificial intelligence and hypertension’.
Dr Michelle O’Shaughnessy, Consultant Nephrologist, GUH, will speak on patient-reported outcomes in glomerular disease. Her presentation will include information on new trials in glomerular disease, new interventions and outcomes. The session’s final talk is by Dr David Keane, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Galway. His presentation is titled ‘Volume status in dialysis patients at extreme body habitus’.
The second session, chaired by Dr Lappin, focuses on nephrology research careers and infrastructure. ‘Building careers together through academic advancement’ will be the topic of a presentation by Prof Phil Kalra, Consultant Nephrologist and Professor of Nephrology, University of Manchester, UK.
Prof Reddan said Prof Kalra is an esteemed UK nephrologist who has held a number of specialty leadership roles, including as national specialty lead for renal disorders at the National Institute for Health Research.
The future of nephrology research in Ireland will then be explored by Prof Smyth, while Dr Sarah Cormican, Consultant Nephrologist, Mater Hospital, Dublin, will share insights on her experience in the Irish Clinical Academic Training programme.
The third session focuses on clinical trials in nephrology and is chaired by Prof Matthew Griffin, Consultant Nephrologist, GUH.
Prof Reddan described the first speaker, Dr Michael Walsh, McMaster University, Canada, as “a real powerhouse of clinical trials in nephrology”.
“He is going to talk in general about clinical trials in uncommon diseases and he has led out in a number of large trials in nephrology recently, so he will give some great perspectives.”
Dr Walsh will be followed by another strong clinical triallist – Prof Patrick Mark, Consultant Nephrologist and Professor of Nephrology, University of Glasgow, Scotland. Prof Mark will speak on vitamin K trials in nephrology and the meeting will also tap into his broader expertise in academic nephrology and renal registries.
The final session, which focuses on CKD clinical care, will be chaired by Dr Suzanne D’Arcy, Consultant Nephrologist, GUH.
Prof Donal Sexton, Consultant Nephrologist, St James’s Hospital, Dublin, will discuss how apps can be used for patient management in CKD. He will be followed by Dr Susan Connolly, Consultant Cardiologist, GUH, who will speak on cardiorenal medicine including cardiovascular targets and CKD. Dr Connolly will also share insights on delivery of integrated cardiology care in the community.
A clinical case presentation and interactive discussion will be led by Dr Luke Harris, SpR in Nephrology, GUH; and Dr Niamh Kieran, Consultant Nephrologist, GUH.
Society structures
The close-out of the meeting includes an update on INS activities and concluding remarks from Prof Reddan.
Prof Reddan told MI a recent governance review of the INS has informed work to advance structures in the Society. Prof Donal Sexton, INS Secretary, will share updates on these reforms at the meeting.
Meanwhile, asked about wider developments relevant to the specialty, Prof Reddan said he was “encouraged” by the embryonic new structures in the HSE. He expressed hope these would facilitate “clearer” links between hospitals and the community over the coming years.
In the context of a growing and ageing population, he confirmed there is a “huge” capacity challenge for dialysis provision nationally. Due to welcome advances in medical care, a growing proportion of people are developing ESKD when they may not be clinically suitable for transplantation.
Increased access to transplantation and the further expansion of both in-centre haemodialysis capacity and home therapy provision were all required to meet patient needs.
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