T. Alp Ikizler, M.D.
Catherine McLaughlin Hakim Professor of Medicine
Director of Clinical Research in Nephrology
Director, Master of Science in Clinical Investigation Program
Medical Director, Vanderbilt Outpatient Dialysis Unit
M.D., Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, 1987 (Medicine)
Dr. Ikizler’s laboratory studies the role of oxidative stress and inflammation in the progressive loss of kidney function, endothelial dysfunction, and accelerated development of cardiovascular disease. Dr. Ikizler leads a multi-center randomized clinical study of the effect of antioxidant therapy on inflammation and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with renal dysfunction. Additional research in his laboratory focuses on nutrition and metabolism in patients with chronic kidney disease. Patients with kidney disease suffer from a unique form of protein-calorie malnutrition which could be termed “uremic wasting.” Studies have focused on three specific areas related to uremic wasting, namely factors affecting the nutritional and metabolic status of these patients, markers to assess their nutritional status, and interventions to prevent and/or treat nutritional and metabolic derangements in acute and chronic kidney disease patients. This laboratory utilizes labeled isotope techniques (deuterium oxide, sodium bromide, labeled urea) to assess protein and amino acid metabolism, as well as multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and air-displacement plethysmography to study body composition.
Recent Publications
Ikizler TA. Resolved: being fat is good for dialysis patients: the Godzilla effect: pro. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2008 19:1059-62.
Ramos LF, Shintani A, Ikizler TA, Himmelfarb J. Oxidative stress and inflammation are associated with adiposity in moderate to severe CKD. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2008 19:593-9.
Majchrzak KM, Pupim LB, Sundell M, Ikizler TA. Body composition and physical activity in end-stage renal disease. J Ren Nutr. 2007 17:196-204.
Himmelfarb J, Ikizler TA. Acute kidney injury: changing lexicography, definitions, and epidemiology. Kidney Int. 2007 71:971-6.
Ikizler TA. Protein and energy intake in advanced chronic kidney disease: how much is too much? Semin Dial. 2007 20:5-11. Review.
Ikizler TA. Effects of glucose homeostasis on protein metabolism in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease. J Ren Nutr. 2007 17:13-6. Review.
Pupim LB, Flakoll PJ, Ikizler TA. Exercise improves albumin fractional synthetic rate in chronic hemodialysis patients. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007 61:686-9.
Siew ED, Pupim LB, Majchrzak KM, Shintani A, Flakoll PJ, Ikizler TA. Insulin resistance is associated with skeletal muscle protein breakdown in non-diabetic chronic hemodialysis patients. Kidney Int. 2007 71:146-52.
Cho KC, Himmelfarb J, Paganini E, Ikizler TA, Soroko SH, Mehta RL, Chertow GM. Survival by dialysis modality in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2006 17:3132-8.
Pupim LB, Majchrzak KM, Flakoll PJ, Ikizler TA. Intradialytic oral nutrition improves protein homeostasis in chronic hemodialysis patients with deranged nutritional status. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2006 17:3149-57.
Ikizler TA, Himmelfarb J. Trials and trade-offs in haemodialysis vascular access monitoring. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2006 21:3362-3.
Chertow GM, Soroko SH, Paganini EP, Cho KC, Himmelfarb J, Ikizler TA, Mehta RL. Mortality after acute renal failure: models for prognostic stratification and risk adjustment. Kidney Int. 2006 70:1120-6.
Ikizler TA, Himmelfarb J. Muscle wasting in kidney disease: Let's get physical. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2006 17:2097-8.
Yilmaz MI, Korkmaz A, Kaya A, Sonmez A, Caglar K, Topal T, Eyileten T, Yenicesu M, Acikel C, Oter S, Yaman H, Aktug H, Oguz Y, Vural A, Ikizler TA. Hyperbaric oxygen treatment augments the efficacy of a losartan regime in an experimental nephrotic syndrome model. Nephron Exp Nephrol. 2006 104:e15-22.
Pupim LB, Cuppari L, Ikizler TA. Nutrition and metabolism in kidney disease. Semin Nephrol. 2006 26:134-57. Review.