Ali Abu-Alfa, MD, FASN, FAHA
Professor AdjunctCards
Additional Titles
Chairperson and Professor, AUB-Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut
Director, AUB-Human Research Protection Program, American University of Beirut
Director, AUBMC-Research Affairs Office, American University of Beirut
Contact Info
Appointments
Additional Titles
Chairperson and Professor, AUB-Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut
Director, AUB-Human Research Protection Program, American University of Beirut
Director, AUBMC-Research Affairs Office, American University of Beirut
Contact Info
Appointments
Additional Titles
Chairperson and Professor, AUB-Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut
Director, AUB-Human Research Protection Program, American University of Beirut
Director, AUBMC-Research Affairs Office, American University of Beirut
Contact Info
About
Titles
Professor Adjunct
Positions outside Yale
Chairperson and Professor, AUB-Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut; Director, AUB-Human Research Protection Program, American University of Beirut; Director, AUBMC-Research Affairs Office, American University of Beirut
Biography
Dr Ali Abu-Alfa is a tenured Professor of Medicine, and Chairperson of the Department of Internal Medicine at the American University of Beirut (AUB). He is the Director for the Human Research Protection Program at AUB, and for Research Affairs at AUB Medical Center. He joined AUB in 2010 after spending 2 decades at the Yale School of Medicine and remains Professor Adjunct at Yale in the Section of Nephrology. He led the Division of Nephrology and Hypertesion at AUB from 2010 to 2023.
He earned his MD degree from AUB in 1985, completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Northwestern University in 1990 and a fellowship in Nephrology at Yale in 1993. He is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine-Nephrology, is a certified hypertension specialist (AHSCP) and a Fellow of the American Heart Association and member of its hypertension council.
Dr Abu-Alfa is the immediate past Chair of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN)-Middle East Regional Board. He assumed the role of Chair of ISN Renal Disaster Preparedness Working Group in April 2023. He is a former member of the ISN Dialysis and CME committees and had completed a 3-year term as member of the KDIGO Executive committee in Dec 2018. He is the immediate past-President of the Lebanese Society of Nephrology and Hypertension.
Dr Abu-Alfa has been a strong advocate for peritoneal dialysis (PD) for over 25 years. He has been involved in ISPD in leadership roles since 2008, first as co-Chair of the North American Chapter then as founding and current Chair of the Middle East Chapter, in addition to serving on its various committees over the years. Most recently, he was instrumental in helping put together the successful bid for ISPD 2024 congress to be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Sept 26-29), and is co-chair for the organizing committee and the scientific program committee.
In addition to his strong engagement in these regional and international nephrology circles, Dr Abu-Alfa continues to teach and mentor students, residents and fellows while pursuing his scientific interests in the areas of peritoneal dialysis, complex hypertension, chronic kidney disease, imaging issues in kidney patients including nephrogenic systemic fibrosis and use of gadolinium-based contrast agents. He is also very active in the sphere of research ethics, its regulatory and administrative frameworks, and protection of human subjects in research.
Appointments
Nephrology
Professor AdjunctPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- Trainee
- Yale University (2004)
- Auditor
- Yale University (1996)
- Clinical Fellow
- Yale University (1993)
- Resident
- Northwestern University (1990)
- Research Fellow
- Northwestern University (1987)
- Intern
- American University of Beirut (1986)
- BS
- American University of Beirut, Mathematics (1985)
- MD
- American University of Beirut, Medicine (1985)
Board Certifications
Nephrology
- Certification Organization
- AB of Internal Medicine
- Latest Certification Date
- 2015
- Original Certification Date
- 1992
Research
Overview
I am primarily interested in improving the delivery and methods of peritoneal dialysis, as part of improving delivery of care and increasing accessibility to the therapy in both resource-rich and resource-limited settings. Use of PD in Lebanon is centralized through a unique setup with a private vendor, which may offer advantages but needs to be formally studies as to outcomes, cost, growth and satisfaction. A study is being launched soon having secured access to the rich dataset spanning over 2 decades from the vendor under AUB auspices and governance by its IRB. Findings should help guide advocacy efforts for PD on a larger scale especially in low-resource settings, Given that 15 million patients in need of kidney replacement therapy will not have access to it in 2030 worldwide, solutions such as cheaper PD has been a focus for both the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis and the International Society of Nephrology.
I have maintained a long-standing interest in optimizing the care of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) with particular focus on anemia management and CKD-MBD, and on the transition to the renal replacement therapy phase. Another long-standing interest has also been on Gadolinium-based Contrast Agents and their use in renal patients, focusing on risk reduction and updating policies, watching for any new adverse events now that Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis has essentially disappeared.
More recently, and with some funding becoming available, I rekindled our group's interest in studying glomerular diseases and the genetic basis for familial clustering we commonly seen in our practice at AUB, caring for patients from Lebanon as well as from surrounding countries with even higher consanguinity rates. A project has now moved to execution phase starting with establishment of a registry. A large number of biopsies have been sent to Yale for Electron Microscopy evaluation since 2012 which provide strong basis for diagnostic accuracy. Collaboration is planned with the Nephrology team at Yale as work progresses. Similar work was started for Polycystic Kidney Disease with an already launched prospective registry.
Finally, and with the clear benefit of using SGLT2 inhibitors in CKD, including in non-diabetic patients, a study is being readied to examine barriers to the use of this new class of medications, through AUBHealth-EPIC.
Medical Research Interests
Public Health Interests
ORCID
0000-0001-8122-0221
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
Shawn Cowper, MD
Peter S. Aronson, MD
Mark Perazella, MD
Michael Girardi, MD, FAAD
Gilbert Moeckel, MD, PhD, FASN
Jeffrey Weinreb, MD, FACR, FISMRM, FSABI
Nephrogenic Fibrosing Dermopathy
Gadolinium
Peritoneal Dialysis
Chronic Kidney Disease-Mineral and Bone Disorder
Hypertension
Publications
2024
Fostering international coordination in renal disaster preparedness: a collaboration between the Renal Disaster Preparedness Working Group of the International Society of Nephrology and the Disaster Preparedness and Response Committee of the Korean Society of Nephrology
Yoo K, Lee S, Park H, Hwang W, Lee J, Liew A, Abu-Alfa A, Park H, Lee Y. Fostering international coordination in renal disaster preparedness: a collaboration between the Renal Disaster Preparedness Working Group of the International Society of Nephrology and the Disaster Preparedness and Response Committee of the Korean Society of Nephrology. Kidney Research And Clinical Practice 2024, 43: 832-835. PMID: 39622276, PMCID: PMC11615451, DOI: 10.23876/j.krcp.24.222.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNavigating Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS) in Pregnancy
Hoteit M, KFoury H, Abu-Alfa A. Navigating Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS) in Pregnancy. Journal Of The American Society Of Nephrology 2024, 35: 10.1681/asn.20247c4ezt6v. DOI: 10.1681/asn.20247c4ezt6v.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchEthics in humanitarian settings—relevance and consequences for dialysis and kidney care
Luyckx V, Van Biesen W, Ponikvar J, Heering P, Abu-Alfa A, Silberzweig J, Fontana M, Tuglular S, Sever M. Ethics in humanitarian settings—relevance and consequences for dialysis and kidney care. Clinical Kidney Journal 2024, 17: sfae290. PMID: 39417070, PMCID: PMC11481472, DOI: 10.1093/ckj/sfae290.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsKidney careHumanitarian settingsEthical principlesPublic health ethics principlesKidney care communitiesTransparent priority settingEthical guidanceEthical standardsEthical challengesEthicsMaximization of benefitsCare communityDialysis carePriority settingStakeholder engagementCareKidney healthPublic healthPractical realitiesHumanitarian emergenciesHealthSeverity of disastersHumanitarian actionPrinciplesResponse plansThe role of international renal disaster preparedness working groups in difficult settings: bridge over troubled water
Yoo K, Chao C, Lee J, Abu-Alfa A. The role of international renal disaster preparedness working groups in difficult settings: bridge over troubled water. Current Opinion In Nephrology & Hypertension 2024, 33: 636-640. PMID: 39234876, DOI: 10.1097/mnh.0000000000001024.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCapacity for the management of kidney failure in the International Society of Nephrology Middle East region: report from the 2023 ISN Global Kidney Health Atlas (ISN-GKHA)
Karam S, Amouzegar A, Alshamsi I, Al Ghamdi S, Anwar S, Ghnaimat M, Saeed B, Arruebo S, Bello A, Caskey F, Damster S, Donner J, Jha V, Johnson D, Levin A, Malik C, Nangaku M, Okpechi I, Tonelli M, Ye F, Abu-Alfa A, Savaj S, Authors R, Abou-Jaoudeh P, Al Hussain T, Al Salmi I, Alrukhaimi M, Alyousef A, Bahous S, Cai G, Hassan H, Cho Y, Davids M, Davison S, Diongole H, Divyaveer S, Ekrikpo U, Ethier I, Fung W, Ghimire A, Hooman N, Houston G, Htay H, Ibrahim K, Irish G, Jindal K, Kelly D, Lalji R, Mitwali A, Mortazavi M, Nalado A, Neuen B, Olanrewaju T, Osman M, Ossareh S, Petrova A, Riaz P, Saad S, Sakajiki A, See E, Sozio S, Tiv S, Tungsanga S, Viecelli A, Wainstein M, Wannous H, Yeung E, Zaidi D. Capacity for the management of kidney failure in the International Society of Nephrology Middle East region: report from the 2023 ISN Global Kidney Health Atlas (ISN-GKHA). Kidney International Supplements 2024, 13: 57-70. PMID: 38618498, PMCID: PMC11010631, DOI: 10.1016/j.kisu.2024.01.009.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChronic kidney disease registryImprovement of early detectionHealth-related quality-of-life scoresLower health-related quality-of-life scoresGlobal Kidney Health AtlasChronic kidney diseaseHealth information systemsConservative kidney managementLevels of careBurden of kidney diseaseQuality-of-life scoresPrevalence of chronic kidney diseaseManagement of kidney failureIncidence of kidney transplantationKidney failure treated with dialysisSymptom burdenKidney diseaseKidney managementPeritoneal dialysisTailored guidelinesKidney transplantationKidney failureMiddle East regionEast regionRegistryWCN24-2555 AN UNUSUAL CASE OF ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY DUE TO SULFADIAZINE CRYSTAL NEPHROPATHY AND SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT WITH URINE ALKALINIZATION
Hoteit M, Ghaddar M, Kfoury H, Abu-Alfa A. WCN24-2555 AN UNUSUAL CASE OF ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY DUE TO SULFADIAZINE CRYSTAL NEPHROPATHY AND SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT WITH URINE ALKALINIZATION. Kidney International Reports 2024, 9: s643-s644. DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2024.02.1354.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchWCN24-2589 Metformin Misuse Unveiled: Navigating Severe Lactic Acidosis in the Spectrum of Eating Disorders
Hoteit M, Khattab N, Abu Alfa A. WCN24-2589 Metformin Misuse Unveiled: Navigating Severe Lactic Acidosis in the Spectrum of Eating Disorders. Kidney International Reports 2024, 9: s644. DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2024.02.1355.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAn update on the global disparities in kidney disease burden and care across world countries and regions
Bello A, Okpechi I, Levin A, Ye F, Damster S, Arruebo S, Donner J, Caskey F, Cho Y, Davids M, Davison S, Htay H, Jha V, Lalji R, Malik C, Nangaku M, See E, Sozio S, Tonelli M, Wainstein M, Yeung E, Johnson D, Group I, Abu-Alfa A, Amouzegar A, Anand S, Arogundade F, Ashuntantang G, Bavanandan S, Coppo R, Diongole H, Divyaveer S, Ekrikpo U, Ethier I, Fung W, Gaipov A, Ghimire A, Houston G, Ibrahim K, Irish G, Jindal K, Kelly D, Lightstone L, Madero M, Nalado A, Neuen B, Olanrewaju T, Osman M, Parekh R, Petrova A, Prasad N, Prikhodina L, Racki S, Riaz P, Saad S, Sakajiki A, Savaj S, Shah D, Suzuki Y, Tesar V, Tiv S, Tungsanga S, Tzanno-Martins C, Viecelli A, Wang A, Wong M, Zaidi D. An update on the global disparities in kidney disease burden and care across world countries and regions. The Lancet Global Health 2024, 12: e382-e395. PMID: 38365413, DOI: 10.1016/s2214-109x(23)00570-3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsConservative kidney managementLow-resource settingsCountry income levelKidney replacement therapyKidney careHealth workforce shortagesWHO building blocksLiterature review of published reportsGlobal Kidney Health AtlasWorld Bank income groupsKidney care deliveryBurden of chronic kidney diseaseBurden of kidney diseaseGlobal burden of kidney diseaseAnnual median costsChronic kidney diseaseHigh-income countriesKidney disease burdenPhases of data collectionPrevalence of chronic kidney diseaseIncome levelPoint of deliveryAffordability of medicinesCare deliveryWorkforce shortagesImpact of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors in the Management of Chronic Kidney Disease: A Middle East and Africa Perspective
Elkeraie A, Al-Ghamdi S, Abu-Alfa A, Alotaibi T, AlSaedi A, AlSuwaida A, Arici M, Ecder T, Ghnaimat M, Hafez M, Hassan M, Sqalli T. Impact of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors in the Management of Chronic Kidney Disease: A Middle East and Africa Perspective. International Journal Of Nephrology And Renovascular Disease 2024, 17: 1-16. PMID: 38196830, PMCID: PMC10771977, DOI: 10.2147/ijnrd.s430532.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChronic kidney diseaseSodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitorsCotransporter 2 inhibitorsDiabetes mellitusKidney diseaseType 2 diabetes mellitusMajor public health concernAldosterone system inhibitorsBetter clinical outcomesCause of deathPublic health concernNephrology referralCKD managementClinical outcomesSystem inhibitorsCardioprotective propertiesEarly initiationTreatment pathwaysConsensus recommendationsHigh riskPatientsBetter careHealth concernEarly detectionHypertension
2023
Biospecimen Repositories in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Insights From an American University of Beirut and Memorial Sloan Kettering Collaboration
Faraj W, Robson M, Tawil A, Reuter V, Mahfouz R, Cambria R, Saheb N, Ferrer C, Vemuri S, Yaghi M, Kanso M, Abdullah A, Nounou G, Jabbour M, Muenkel K, Kaufman K, Wakim J, Badson S, Wilson R, Houston C, Drobnjak M, Hoballah J, Ziyadeh F, Zaatari G, Brennan M, O'Reilly E, Abu-Alfa A, Abou-Alfa G. Biospecimen Repositories in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Insights From an American University of Beirut and Memorial Sloan Kettering Collaboration. JCO Global Oncology 2023, 9: e2300140. PMID: 37883726, PMCID: PMC10846789, DOI: 10.1200/go.23.00140.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsMemorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer CenterMiddle-income countriesPatients age 18 yearsBiospecimen repositoryPatient participation ratesAge 18 yearsPotential participantsDocumentation of reasonsPrimary physicianCancer CenterJoint tissuesTherapeutic interventionsBody sitesPatientsAbnormal tissueConsentFamily membersTissueResearch awarenessAUBParticipation ratesBiospecimensParticipantsCancer genomics
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
activity American University of Beirut, Dean's Advisory Committee of the Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center
CommitteesMemberDetails09/01/2020 - Presentactivity Peritoneal Dialysis International
Journal ServiceReviewerDetails2005 - Presentactivity Peritoneal Dialysis International
Journal ServiceEditorial Board MemberDetails2011 - Presentactivity Clinical Nephrology
Journal ServiceReviewerDetails2004 - Presentactivity New England Journal of Medicine
Journal ServiceReviewerDetails2011 - Present