Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

A New CJASN Feature

2011; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Volume: 7; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.2215/cjn.11711111

1555-905X

David S. Goldfarb, Gary C. Curhan,

Health Sciences Research and Education

This issue introduces CJASN’s eJournal Club. We hope to get readers involved in an interactive “electronic” journal club experience, with more immediacy and timeliness. This format should also promote discussion among nephrologists and allow for a stimulating conversation with the authors. The first eJC article selected is by Kevin Chan et al.: “Early Outcomes among Those Initiating Chronic Dialysis in the United States” Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 6: 2642–2649, 2011. The eJC article selection for January is by Manfred Hecking et al.: “Dialysate sodium concentration and the association with interdialytic weight gain, hospitalization and mortality” Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 7: 100–108, 2012. There is also an accompanying editorial for this article. The eJC selections are available online at ejc.cjasn.org. There are a number of electronic communal experiences that provided inspiration for this format. Oprah Winfrey on her late television show encouraged people to read the same book concurrently. Local communities have done the same to promote reading among students and families. Conversations ensue that lead to a more enjoyable and intellectually stimulating shared experience. The Nephrol list was started in the mid-1990s by Dr. Kim Solez; it is an international phenomenon of impressive duration and topical discussion and exchange. The New York Times has required many of its reporters and columnists to have blogs to promote an immediacy to the news and allow participation and commentary that keeps things fresh. The eJC will work in the following way. An article published in CJASN will be selected on a monthly basis by the eJC editor and Editor-in-Chief. The criteria for selection will include (1) original articles only; (2) articles of broad interest to the nephrology community; and (3) articles that are notable for being controversial, innovative, possess potential to change practice, challenge practice guidelines, or in any other way are expected to be widely read and influential. We will select an article only if the authors agree to participate. Sir William Osler first formalized a journal club to save on the price of journal subscriptions; keeping with that tradition, a PDF of the article will be available at the eJournal Club website for ASN members and nonmembers alike. The articles and the ensuing comments will remain available at the eJC website and available to all. Currently, the typical journal club involves one individual who selects an article and leads the discussion. However, while preparing for journal club, questions always arise about the study methodology, results, and interpretation. There is no easy way to get the answers to these questions prior to presenting. Even more importantly, questions usually arise during the journal club discussion that only the authors could answer; yet, after time and energy are devoted to the discussion, everyone leaves the room with the questions unanswered. We hope that eJC will add a new dimension to the typical journal club by allowing individuals to pose questions to the authors before their presentation and after the discussion. This will provide interactive, longitudinal, and more timely “letters to the editor.” Comments from readers are encouraged. Posts will be identified by posters’ names; there will be no anonymous posts. Comments or questions can be directed to the authors and will be passed on and moderated by the eJC editor. Each comment will have a title that might include such obvious choices as hypothesis, methods, results, discussion, significance, or implications. Threads would develop by having posts in reply to other posts, and branches in threads will be possible. Authors will have their posts highlighted as “authors’ replies.” The editor will maintain decorum and civility and comment in reply to selected posts. We encourage nephrology fellowship training programs to participate by selecting the CJASN eJC article as the subject of their local journal club. After the local discussion in the hospital setting, a fellow could summarize some of the program's joint analysis, indicate controversial aspects of the study, and pose questions to the authors. Our goal is for CJASN readers to have an opportunity to participate in an international discussion of the latest literature. We hope the eJournal Club will provide an enjoyable and stimulating experience and look forward to its evolution to meet readers’ needs. We welcome your participation and feedback and encourage you to join the discussion online at ejc.cjasn.org. Disclosures None.