More than half of patients attending a pediatric gastroenterology clinic met symptom-based criteria for a functional gastrointestinal disorder. Knowing how to relieve the physical and emotional suffering in children and…
Researchers have estimated that the human body contains 10 14 cells, only 10% of which are not bacteria and belong to the human body proper. Furthermore, the number of genes…
1. Why the history of nephrology? “To understand a science it is necessary to know its history,” said August Comte (1798–1857), founder of modern sociology. Rooted in sociology, this saying…
Metabolic acidosis The “secrets” of metabolic acidosis will be the emphasis of this chapter, given the breadth of this topic. This chapter is parsed into, first, a brief overview of…
Introduction and physiology 1. What is metabolic alkalosis? The metabolic alkaloses represent a heterogeneous group of disorders that have in common a high concentration of plasma bicarbonate [HCO 3 −…
Normal magnesium physiology 1. How is magnesium measured? The molecular weight of magnesium is 24.3 g/mol, with a 2+ valence (Mg2+). The normal serum magnesium level is 0.7 to 0.85…
Overview of palliative care and role in nephrology care 1. What is palliative care? Palliative care is specialized care that treats the symptoms and burdens associated with serious illness. Palliative…
Normal phosphorus physiology 1. What is the difference between phosphate and phosphorus and how are they measured in clinical medicine? Phosphorus is a critical element in physiology. Phosphorus is an…
1. What is calcium homeostasis? Calcium homeostasis refers to the regulation of the calcium concentration in the extracellular fluid. Normal serum calcium concentration varies between laboratories, but is usually 8.5…
1. What are dysnatremias? The term dysnatremia applies when an aberration in plasma sodium concentration is present. Changes in plasma sodium concentration can result in fluid shifts between the intra-…
