Staff Profile

Background

Suren is the clinical lead for the Newcastle Hospitals Haemodialysis Service. He returned to Newcastle on his appointment as a Consultant Nephrologist in 2004 after completing undergraduate and early postgraduate training in Manchester and higher specialist training on the West Yorkshire rotation.

During his time in specialty training, he spent 3 years as the Saturo Nakamoto Hemodialysis Research Fellow at the Cleveland Clinic, USA, where NIH-sponsored work on renal support for acute kidney injury (AKI) formed the basis of his doctoral thesis. He maintains an interest in both AKI and haemodialysis through an active research programme and has authored a range of original articles and textbook chapters in both fields.

He was an expert advisor to the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD) for their 2009 report into AKI care ('Adding insult to injury'), co-authored the 2011 UK Renal Association clinical practice guideline for AKI and was the lead author for the current version, published in 2019 (https://renal.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/FINAL-AKI-Guideline.pdf).

Suren maintains an ongoing, professional commitment to improving the environmental impact of healthcare; he currently leads Newcastle Hospitals' Renal Green group, provides clinical representation on the Trust's Executive Oversight Group for the Climate Emergency and is now in partnership with the Sustainable Healthcare Coalition (shcoalition.org/) and industry, undertaking deep, life-cycle analyses of renal service environmental impacts. He co-founded the Newcastle Hospitals staff Green Gym, which undertakes conservation activities across the region and which was a finalist in the Trust’s inaugural Celebrating Excellence awards in 2019.

Areas of expertise

Acute kidney injury

Haemodialysis

Renal replacement therapy

Critical care nephrology

Sustainable Healthcare & Green Nephrology

Professional memberships

British Medical Association

Royal College of Physicians of London (Fellow)

UK Renal Association

ORCiD id    

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Google Scholar profile

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Journal peer review

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Researchgate profile

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Other peer review

Suren has provided peer review for the National Institutes of Health Research RfPB and Programme Grants for Applied Research funding streams, the Scottish executive's CSO research training programme, the Medical Research Council, the British Renal Society and Kidney Research UK. He also provides regular review of grant applications for the scientific sub-committee of our local kidney research charity, the Northern Counties Kidney Research Fund (http://www.nckrf.org.uk/ ) .

Research Interests

Acute kidney injury

Haemodialysis

Renal replacement therapy

Critical care nephrology

• Scott J, Finch T, Bevan M, Maniatopoulos G, Gibbins C, Yates B, Kilimangalam N, Sheerin NS, Kanagasundaram NS. Acute kidney injury electronic alerts: mixed methods Normalization Process Theory evaluation of their implementation into secondary care in England. BMJ Open 2019, 9(12), e032925.
• Kanagasundaram NS. Assessment and management of acute kidney injury. Medicine 2019, 47(9), P551-561.
• Kanagasundaram S. Book Review: Core Concepts in Acute Kidney Injury. British Journal of Hospital Medicine 2019, 80(3), 177.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Baudouin SV, Rowling S, Prabhu M, Dark JH, Goodship THJ, Chinnery PF, Hudson G. Mitochondrial Haplogroup and the Risk of Acute Kidney Injury Following Cardiac Bypass Surgery. Scientific Reports 2019, 9, 2279.
• The RISK Investigators. Risk prediction for acute kidney injury in acute medical admissions in the UK. QJM: An International Journal of Medicine 2019, 112(3), 197-205.
• Kanagasundaram S, Ashley C, Bhojani S, Caldwell A, Ellam T, Kaur A, Milford D, Mulgrew C, Ostermann M. UK Renal Association Clinical Practice Guideline for Acute Kidney Injury (AKI). The Renal Association, 2019. Available at: https://renal.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/FINAL-AKI-Guideline.pdf.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Lewington A. Extracorporeal therapies for drug overdose and poisoning. In: Johnson, R; Feehally, J; Floege, J; Tonelli, M, ed. Comprehensive Clinical Nephrology. Elsevier, 2018, pp.1124-1131.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Clark RA. General management of acute kidney injury. In: Sancho Rodriguez Villar, ed. Survival Kit Critical Care. Marban Books, 2017, pp.390-403.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Clark RA. General management of acute kidney injury. In: Sancho Rodriguez Villar, ed. Pocket Critical Care. Marban Books, 2017, pp.1146-1159.
• Wells TJ, Davison J, Sheehan E, Kanagasundaram S, Spickett G, MacLennan CA, Stockley RA, Cunningham AF, Henderson IR, De Soyza A. The Use of Plasmapheresis in Patients with Bronchiectasis with Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection and Inhibitory Antibodies. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 2017, 195(7), 955-958.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Bevan MT, Sims AJ, Heed A, Price DA, Sheerin NS. Computerised clinical decision support for the early recognition and management of acute kidney injury: a qualitative evaluation of end-user experience. Clinical Kidney Journal 2016, 9(1), 57-62.
• DeSoyza A, Wells TJ, Davison J, Sheehan E, Kanagasundaram S, Spickett G, Davies G, MacLennan CA, Stockley R, Henderson I. Plasmapheresis as rescue therapy in severe bronchiectasis with blocking anti pseudomonas antibodies. In: 1st World Bronchiectasis Conference. 2016, Hannover, Germany: Georg Thieme Verlag KG.
• Agrawal N, Kanagasundaram NS. Acute kidney injury in surgical patients. Surgery (Oxford) 2015, 33(10), 491-497.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Arunachalam C. Assessment and initial management of acute kidney injury. Medicine 2015, 43(8), 440-445.
• Bevan M, Heed A, Sheerin NS, Sims A, Price DA, Kanagasundaram NS. Electronic Clinical Decision Support for the Early Recognition and Management of Acute Kidney Injury: Qualitative Evaluation of End-User Experience. In: 52nd Congress of the ERA-EDTA. 2015, London, UK: Oxford University Press.
• Sims A, Heed A, Bevan M, Sheerin NS, Price DA, Kanagasundaram NS. Electronic clinical decision support for the early recognition and management of acute kidney injury: quantitative evaluation of outcomes. In: 52nd Congress of the ERA-EDTA. 2015, London, UK: Oxford University Press.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Perry JD, Hoenich NA, Clark RA, Fraser RA, Walton KE. Fluids for continuous renal replacement therapy - an evaluation of microbial integrity. International Journal of Artificial Organs 2015, 38(1), 13-16.
• Thirugnanasothy L, Davison J, Whitters D, Stockley RA, MacLennan CA, Cunningham AF, Kanagasundaram S, Spickett G, Stroud C, Wells TJ, Henderson IR, DeSoyza A. Immune dysfunction in bronchiectasis: blocking antibodies and a role for IVIG therapy?. In: British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2014 Annual Meeting. 2015.
• Kanagasundaram NS. Pathophysiology of ischaemic acute kidney injury. Annals of Clinical Biochemistry 2015, 52(2), 193-205.
• Kanagasundaram NS. Complications of Maintenance Haemodialysis and How to Avoid Them. In: Mark Harber, ed. Practical Nephrology. London: Springer, 2014, pp.685-703.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Lewington A. Dialytic therapies for drug overdose and poisoning. In: Richard J. Johnson, John Feehally, Jurgen Floege, ed. Comprehensive Clinical Nephrology. Elsevier Inc, 2014, pp.1116-21.
• Murray JS, Baines LA, Pearce SHS, Ball S, Leech N, Wood KM, Kanagasundaram NS. Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated small-vessel vasculitis in a patient with diabetic nephropathy and autoimmune polyendocrinopathy syndrome (APS) type 2: a case report. Clinical Nephrology 2013, 80, 223-226.
• Kanagasundaram NS. The NICE acute kidney injury guideline: questions still unanswered. British Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013, 74(12), 664-665.
• Imran M, Kanagasundaram NS. Acute kidney injury in surgical patients. Surgery (Oxford) 2012, 30(10), 536-542.
• Sims AJ, Hussein H, Prabhu M, Kanagasundaram NS. Are surrogate assumptions and use of diuretics associated with diagnosis and staging of acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery?. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 2012, 7(1), 15-23.
• Smith MP, Marr FE, Kanagasundaram NS. Chloramine reduction by reverse osmosis membranes. Hemodialysis International 2012, 16(1), 120-121.
• Muniraju TM, Lillicrap MH, Horrocks JL, Fisher JM, Clark RMW, Kanagasundaram NS. Diagnosis and management of acute kidney injury: deficiencies in the knowledge base of non-specialist, trainee medical staff. Clinical Medicine 2012, 12(3), 216-221.
• Kanagasundaram NS. Hemodialysis Adequacy and the Hospitalized End-Stage Renal Disease Patient-Raising Awareness. Seminars in Dialysis 2012, 25(5), 516-519.
• Moir JAG, Simms RJ, Wood KM, Talbot D, Kanagasundaram NS. Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder Presenting as Multiple Cystic Lesions in a Renal Transplant Recipient. American Journal of Transplantation 2012, 12(1), 245-249.
• Murray JS, Wijewickrama ES, Haslam P, Kanagasundaram NS. Apparent oliguria following urological surgery. Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh 2011, 42(3), 225-227.
• Griffiths L, Kanagasundaram NS. Assessment and initial management of acute kidney injury. Medicine 2011, 39(7), 390-397.
• Kanagasundaram NS. Clinical management: The best therapy for acute kidney injury. British Journal of Renal Medicine 2011, 16(4), 4-7.
• Kanagasundaram NS. Defining acute kidney injury: Further steps in the right direction but can detente be maintained?. Critical Care Medicine 2011, 39(12), 2764-2765.
• Kelly RJ, Hill A, Arnold LM, Khursigara G, Kanagasundaram NS, Hillmen P. Eculizumab for patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is effective during the maintenance of hemodialysis for end stage renal failure. Leukemia Research 2011, 35(4), 560-562.
• Hussein HK, Kanagasundaram NS. Manejo general de la lesion renal aguda (LRA). In: Sancho Rodriguez Villar, ed. Cuidados Criticos. Marban, 2011, pp.764-774.
• Luo Y, Kanagasundaram NS. Microbial Control in Renal Support for Acute Kidney Injury. Seminars in Dialysis 2011, 24(2), 203-207.
• Lewington A, Kanagasundaram S. Renal Association Clinical Practice Guidelines on acute kidney injury. Nephron Clinical Practice 2011, 118(s1), c349-c390.
• Mactier R, Davies S, Dudley C, Harden P, Jones C, Kanagasundaram S, Lewington A, Richardson D, Taal M, Andrews P, Baker R, Breen C, Duncan N, Farrington K, Fluck R, Geddes C, Goldsmith D, Hoenich N, Holt S, Jardine A, Jenkins S, Kumwenda M, Lindley E, MacGregor M, Mikhail A, Sharples E, Shrestha B, Shrivastava R, Steddon S, Warwick G, Wilkie M, Woodrow G, Wright M. Summary of the 5th Edition of the Renal Association Clinical Practice Guidelines (2009-2012). Nephron Clinical Practice 2011, 118(s1), C27-C70.
• Wright RJ, Kanagasundaram NS, Quinton R. Darbepoetin Alfa and Chronic Kidney Disease. New England Journal of Medicine 2010, 362(7), 653-653.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Lewington A. Dialytic Therapies for Drug Overdose and Poisoning. In: Floege, J; Johnson, RJ; Feehally, J, ed. Comprehensive Clinical Nephrology. Elsevier Inc, 2010, pp.1102 - 1107.
• Thompson A, Zammit-Maempel I, Stafford F, Narayanan M, Kanagasundaram N. Necrotising otitis externa: An unusual cause of cranial nerve palsy in a diabetic haemodialysis patient. Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh 2010, 40(1), 26-28.
• Kanagasundaram NS. The Failing Graft. In: Torpey, N; Moghal, N; Watson, E; Talbot, D, ed. Renal Transplantation (Oxford Specialist Handbooks). Oxford University Press, 2010.
• Moore I, Bhat R, Hoenich NA, Kilner AJ, Prabhu M, Orr KE, Kanagasundaram NS. A microbiological survey of bicarbonate-based replacement circuits in continuous veno-venous hemofiltration. Critical Care Medicine 2009, 37(2), 496-500.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Moore I, Hoenich NA. Biofilm in bicarbonate-based replacement fluid circuits in CVVH. Kidney International 2009, 76(6), 682.
• Hussein HK, Lewington AJP, Kanagasundaram NS. General management of acute kidney injury. British Journal of Hospital Medicine 2009, 70(7), M104-M107.
• McEleavy IM, Walton J, Baines L, Cressey DM, Kilner AJ, Nesbitt ID, Kanagasundaram NS, Cosgrove JF. IMPROVING INTENSIVE CARE OUTCOMES IN CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE. In: INTENSIVE CARE MEDICINE. 2009, 233 SPRING ST, NEW YORK, NY 10013 USA: SPRINGER.
• Kanagasundaram NS. New biomarkers of acute kidney injury: Promise for the future but beware the lure of novelty. Critical Care Medicine 2009, 37(2), 766-767.
• Hinchliffe W, Murray J, Kanagasundaram N. The unwell patient on haemodialysis: What you need to know on an acute medical take. British Journal of Hospital Medicine 2009, 70(Suppl. 10), M152-M155.
• Murray JS, Hinchliffe WT, Kanagasundaram NS. Theory and practical application of blood-based renal replacement therapy. British Journal of Hospital Medicine 2009, 70(12), M189-M191.
• Edey MM, Mead PA, Saunders RE, Strain L, Perkins SJ, Goodship THJ, Kanagasundaram NS. Association of a Factor H Mutation With Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Following a Diarrheal Illness. American Journal of Kidney Diseases 2008, 51(3), 487-490.
• Teo BW, Kanagasundaram NS, Paganini EP. Continuous renal replacement therapy. In: Critical Care Medicine, Principles of Diagnosis and Management in the Adult. Elsevier Inc, 2008, pp.301-26.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Greene T, Larive AB, Daugirdas JT, Depner TA, Paganini EP. Dosing intermittent haemodialysis in the intensive care unit patient with acute renal failure - Estimation of urea removal and evidence for the regional blood flow model. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 2008, 23(7), 2286-2298.
• Baines E, Kanagasundaram NS. Early warning scores. Student BMJ 2008, 16, 294–336.
• Simms RJ, Torpey N, Kanagasundaram NS, Baines L, Sayer JA. Emphysematous pyelonephritis leading to end-stage renal failure. NDT Plus 2008, 1(4), 264-265.
• Wright SE, Baudouin SV, Kaudeer N, Shrestha S, Malone J, Burn L, Kanagasundaram NS. Patient flow from critical care to renal services: a year-long survey in a critical care network. QJM: An International Journal of Medicine 2008, 101(8), 643-648.
• Kanagasundaram NS. Prescription of an intermittent haemodialysis dose using urea kinetic modelling is feasible in the critically ill patient. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 2008, 23(3), 1075-1075.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Jones KE. Transfer of patients with acute kidney injury to specialist renal services - physiological early-warning systems, applied prior to transfer from outside hospitals, can identify those at risk of deterioration. QJM: An International Journal of Medicine 2008, 101(3), 249-250.
• Davies J, Healey DA, Wood KM, Jones K, Kanagasundaram NS. Acute renal failure due to mantle cell lymphoma - a case report and discussion of the literature. Clinical Nephrology 2007, 67(6), 394-396.
• Refaie R, Moochhala SH, Kanagasundaram NS. How we estimate GFR - A pitfall of using a serum creatinine-based formula. Clinical Nephrology 2007, 68(4), 235-237.
• Sewpaul A, Sayer JA, Mohamed MAS, Ahmed A, Shaw M, Prabhu VR, Wood K, Jones NA, Talbot D, Kanagasundaram NS. Rapid onset intratubular calcification following renal transplantation requiring urgent parathyroidectomy. Clinical Nephrology 2007, 68(1), 47-51.
• Kanagasundaram NS. Renal replacement therapy in acute kidney injury: an overview. British Journal of Hospital Medicine 2007, 68(6), 292-297.
• Chowdhury R, Bow A, Kanagasundarem S, Griffiths TD. Successful treatment of severe antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody associated CNS vasculitis with a rituximab based regimen. In: ABN Spring Scientific Meeting 2007. 2007, Cambridge: Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, BMJ Group.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Paganini EP. Acute renal failure on the intensive care unit. Clinical Medicine 2005, 5(5), 435-440.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Posch A, Larive AB, Paganini EP, Van Lente F. Direct dialysis quantification: Investigation of the impact of dialysate preservation techniques on solute assays. Blood Purification 2004, 22(5), 435-439.
• Ikizler TA, Sezer MT, Flakoll PJ, Hariachar S, Kanagasundaram NS, Gritter N, Knights S, Shyr Y, Paganini E, Hakim RM, Himmelfarb J. Urea space and total body water measurements by stable isotopes in patients with acute renal failure. Kidney International 2004, 65(2), 725-732.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Larive AB, Paganini EP. A preliminary survey of bacterial contamination of the dialysate circuit in continuous veno-venous hemodialysis. Clinical Nephrology 2003, 59(1), 47-55.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Larive AB, Paganini EP. Continuous renal replacement therapies: potential for fluid-side bacterial contamination?. Critical Care Medicine 2003, 31(6), 1889-1890.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Greene T, Larive AB, Daugirdas JT, Depner TA, Garcia M, Paganini EP, PICARD Study Group. Prescribing an equilibrated intermittent hemodialysis dose in intensive care unit acute renal failure. Kidney International 2003, 64(6), 2298-2310.
• Liangos O, Sakiewicz PG, Kanagasundaram NS, Hammel J, Pajouh M, Seifert T, Paganini EP. Dialyzer fiber bundle volume and kinetics of solute removal in continuous venovenous hemodialysis. American Journal of Kidney Diseases 2002, 39(5), 1047-1053.
• Paganini EP, Kanagasundaram NS, Larive B, Greene T. Prescription of adequate renal replacement in critically ill patients. Blood Purification 2001, 19(2), 238-244.
• Paganini EP, Larive B, Kanagasundaram NS. Severity scores and outcomes with acute renal failure in the ICU setting. Contributions to Nephrology 2001, 132, 181-195.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Larive AB, Paganini EP. A fractional dialysate collection method to estimate solute removal in continuous venovenous hemodialysis. Kidney International 2000, 58(6), 2579-2584.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Sakiewicz PG, Liangos O, Paganini EP. Biocompatibility and acute renal failure. The Lancet 2000, 355(9200), 313-313.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Perry EP, Turney JH. Aneurysm of the splenic artery in a patient with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 1999, 14(1), 183-184.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Paganini EP. Critical care dialysis - a Gordian knot (but is untying the right approach?). Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 1999, 14(11), 2590-2594.
• Fletcher S, Kanagasundaram NS, Rayner HC, Irving HC, Fowler RC, Brownjohn AM, Turney JH, Will EJ, Davison AM. Assessment of ultrasound guided percutaneous ethanol injection and parathyroidectomy in patients with tertiary hyperparathyroidism. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 1998, 13(12), 3111-3117.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Macdougall IC, Turney JH. Massive haemoperitoneum due to rupture of splenic infarct during CAPD. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 1998, 13(9), 2380-2381.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Allan BJ, Kessel D, Newstead CG, Worth DP. Nephrotic syndrome after successful renal angioplasty. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 1998, 13(3), 767-768.
• Kumar A, Kanagasundaram NS, Collyns TA, Davison AM. Plasma exchange and haemodiafiltration in fulminant meningococcal sepsis. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 1998, 13(2), 484-487.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Bandyopadhyay D, Brownjohn AM, Meaney JF. The diagnosis of renal vein thrombosis by magnetic resonance angiography. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 1998, 13(1), 200-202.
• Kanagasundaram NS, Fletcher S, Gupta S, Davison AM. Acute small-bowel obstruction following mesenteric perforation by CAPD catheter. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 1997, 12(3), 599-600.
• Jones CH, Kanagasundaram NS, Coral AP, Coyne JD, Will EJ. Combined Waldenström's macroglobulinaemia associated AL and beta-2-microglobulin amyloidosis. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 1997, 12(12), 2708-2712.