The European Society of Nephrology (ERA) will hold the 61st ERA Congress in Stockholm, Sweden. Themed “Rethinking Kidney Health, Transforming Kidney Care”, the conference features a packed programme of sessions delving into controversies, challenges and the latest research developments in nephrology.
The event, Europe's largest annual nephrology meeting, is expected to attract more than 6,500 attendees from 125 countries, with around 250 speakers set to present on topics ranging from developments in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and dialysis to artificial intelligence and compelling research findings from the latest clinical trials.
At the latter, key data will be presented in a full session dedicated to the highly anticipated FLOW study, a landmark trial showing positive renal outcomes of treatment with the glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist semaglutide in patients with type 2 diabetes and CKD.
This session will be the first in ERA conference history to focus entirely on the outcomes and impacts of a single trial.
“The latest results from the FLOW study will be a highlight of the conference,” said Albert Ong, MD, Chair of the ERA Scientific Committee. Medscape Medical News.
“these [results] “It has the potential to dramatically change clinical practice,” said Ong, a professor of nephrology, nephrologist and clinical lead for genetics at the University of Sheffield in Sheffield, UK.
Additionally, “several breaking sessions will present exciting findings on disease pathogenesis and novel treatments.”
Other recent studies providing new insights into GLP-1 include a secondary analysis of the pivotal SELECT trial describing semaglutide in relation to kidney function in patients with obesity and cardiovascular disease.
Additional recent research includes results from the pivotal Phase 3 APPEAR-C3G trial evaluating the oral factor B inhibitor iptacopan in the rare progressive form of C3 glomerulopathy kidney disease, as well as groundbreaking discoveries about new biomarkers to help track kidney disease progression.
There will be separate sessions on important clinical research, including notable results from the FIDELITY trial evaluating the risk of hyperkalemia and the effect of finerenone, and a study evaluating the effect of SGLT2 inhibition with or without a GLP-1 receptor agonist.
Kidney disease: a “global public health emergency”
Mr Ong chose “Rethinking Kidney Health and Transforming Kidney Care” as the conference theme, emphasizing the conference's mission to recognize and address the global impact of kidney disease, which will be elaborated on in the session “CKD as a Global Health Issue: A Call to Action.”
“The conference will highlight the importance of kidney disease as a global public health emergency and the importance of prevention, early detection and early intervention,” Mr Ong said.
The CME course offered on the first day of the conference will cover a variety of topics, including novel methods for assessing bone mineral abnormalities and vascular calcification in CKD.
The CME kidney transplant session will feature a series of talks on the various patient referrals clinicians encounter, including elderly patients, obese patients, non-compliant patients, and patients with cardiovascular disease.
A new pro-con debate format will see experts make their case on both sides of the topics “Treatment of obesity in diabetic kidney disease: are new drugs the answer?” and “Should 24-hour urine collection be continued to track kidney stone formers?”
Also fascinating special plenary sessions with leading international experts will include US cardiologist and evolutionary biologist Barbara Natterson Horowitz, MD, who will discuss “Discovering solutions for human life in nature”, Dutch molecular biologist and geneticist Dr Jan H.J. Hoijmakers, who will present “Can we extend the healthy lifespan of the kidneys?” and Dr Rosaline Macelay, also from the Netherlands, who will present “Novel biologically inspired therapeutic strategies for kidney disease”.
Overall, the broad offering should provide clinicians with resonant insights and experiences that will help improve their practice and clinical outlook.
“We hope that all participants will take home something that will impact their daily practice, be motivated to conduct better research to improve the lives of people with kidney disease, and build lasting friendships with colleagues from around the world,” said Ong.
Complete Program of the 61st ERA Conference Available online.
