Update in nephrology. Highlights from the 36th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Nephrology.

The 36th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Nephrology, held in San Diego, California, USA, November 12-17, 2003, presented the newest advances in basic and clinical nephrology science. Several presentations and symposia discussed many new aspects of the management of type 2 diabetic nephropathy as well as the recent advances in the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism in chronic kidney disease patients with cinacalcet HCl, a calcimimetic agent. New drugs that are under development for the treatment of renal anemia, such as the continuous erythropoiesis receptor activator (CERA), or for the treatment of pure red cell aplasia, a rare but severe complication of the erythropoietic treatment, were considered. The long-term safety of i.v. iron replacement therapy was also analyzed. The recent results of the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS), a large, multinational, observational study in hemodialysis patients were presented. Some complications of renal transplantation, recent advances in immunosuppressive agents and the experience of renal transplant in HIV patients recipients were also reviewed during the congress. The 36th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Nephrology offered the newest advances in basic and clinical nephrology science and was attended by more than 11,000 nephrologists from around the world. This year's sessions included 45 basic and clinical science symposia, 22 clinical nephrology conference sessions, 17 official symposia, as well as oral communications and poster sessions.