Bio


Dr. Bahrainwala is a board-certified, fellowship-trained nephrologist with the Stanford Medicine Kidney Clinic and Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Program. She is also a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology.

She diagnoses and treats a wide range of conditions, including blood in the urine, diabetic nephropathy, high blood pressure, and kidney disease. Dr. Bahrainwala is skilled at creating connections with her patients. She treats the whole person rather than the condition and was nominated for The Dr. Vanitha Appadorai Vaidya Award for Humaneness in Medicine by the Philadelphia County Medical Society.

Dr. Bahrainwala has led research on the risks associated with common surgeries performed on patients with chronic kidney disease receiving dialysis. Her work has been published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases, Kidney International Reports, and other peer-reviewed journals. She has also presented to her peers at national and regional meetings for the American Society of Nephrology, the American Transplant Congress Meeting, the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine, and the American Heart Association’s Council for High Blood Pressure Research.

Dr. Bahrainwala is a fellow of the American Society of Nephrology and a member of the National Kidney Foundation.

Clinical Focus


  • Nephrology

Academic Appointments


Professional Education


  • Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Nephrology (2016)
  • Fellowship: Penn Medicine Nephrology Fellowship (2016) PA
  • Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine (2014)
  • Residency: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Dept of Internal Medicine (2014) PA
  • Medical Education: Medical College of Wisconsin (2011) WI

All Publications


  • New-Onset Proteinuria in a Patient With Schwannoma AMERICAN JOURNAL OF KIDNEY DISEASES Abu Salman, L., Kallis, C., Palmer, M., Bahrainwala, J., Geara, A. S. 2021; 78 (3): A12-A15

    View details for DOI 10.1053/j.ajkd.2021.03.031

    View details for Web of Science ID 000686900900001

    View details for PubMedID 34420678

  • Use of Dietary Supplements in Living Kidney Donors: A Critical Review AMERICAN JOURNAL OF KIDNEY DISEASES Leonberg-Yoo, A. K., Johnson, D., Persun, N., Bahrainwala, J., Reese, P. P., Naji, A., Trofe-Clark, J. 2020; 76 (6): 851-860

    Abstract

    Dietary supplement use is high among US adults, with the intention by users to promote overall health and wellness. Kidney donors, who are selected based on their overall good health and wellness, can have high utilization rates of dietary supplements. We provide a framework for the evaluation of living kidney donors and use of dietary supplements. In this review, dietary supplements will include any orally administered dietary or complementary nutritional products, but excluding micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), food, and cannabis. Use of dietary supplements can influence metabolic parameters that mask future risk for chronic illness such as diabetes and hypertension. Dietary supplements can also alter bleeding risk, anesthesia and analgesic efficacy, and safety in a perioperative period. Finally, postdonation monitoring of kidney function and risk for supplement-related nephrotoxicity should be part of a kidney donor educational process. For practitioners evaluating a potential kidney donor, we provide a list of the most commonly used herbal supplements and the effects on evaluation in a predonation, perioperative donation, and postoperative donation phase. Finally, we provide recommendations for best practices for integration into a comprehensive care plan for kidney donors during all stages of evaluation. We recommend avoidance of dietary supplements in a kidney donor population, although there is a paucity of data that identifies true harm. Rather, associations, known mechanisms of action, and common sense suggest that we avoid use in this population.

    View details for DOI 10.1053/j.ajkd.2020.03.030

    View details for Web of Science ID 000591680400013

    View details for PubMedID 32659245

  • Preoperative Risk Assessment and Management in Adults Receiving Maintenance Dialysis and Those With Earlier Stages of CKD AMERICAN JOURNAL OF KIDNEY DISEASES Bahrainwala, J. Z., Gelfand, S. L., Shah, A., Abramovitz, B., Hoffman, B., Leonberg-Yoo, A. K. 2020; 75 (2): 245-255

    Abstract

    With an increasingly aging population and improved mortality in individuals with end-stage kidney disease, more surgeries are being performed on patients with all stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD). This high-risk population carries unique risk factors that have been associated with increased adverse perioperative outcomes, including acute kidney injury, cardiovascular events, and mortality. In this article, we review the literature describing absolute risks associated with common surgeries performed in patients with CKD and patients receiving maintenance dialysis. We also review perioperative optimization with special risk assessment including evaluation of cardiovascular and bleeding risk evaluation, hypertension management, and timing of dialysis. Predictive model scores are reviewed as a method to stratify risk for acute kidney injury, major adverse cardiac events, or other serious complications with elective surgeries. A multidisciplinary approach with individualized counseling is necessary to counsel the patient with advanced CKD or patients treated with maintenance dialysis considering elective surgery.

    View details for DOI 10.1053/j.ajkd.2019.07.008

    View details for Web of Science ID 000508617000014

    View details for PubMedID 31601429

  • Bilateral Renal Infarctions During the Use of Sumatriptan KIDNEY INTERNATIONAL REPORTS Abramovitz, B., Leonberg-Yoo, A., Bahrainwala, J. Z., Litt, H., Rudnick, M. R. 2018; 3 (5): 1233-1236

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.ekir.2018.05.003

    View details for Web of Science ID 000443612900029

    View details for PubMedID 30197992

    View details for PubMedCentralID PMC6127403

  • Use of Radiocontrast Agents in CKD and ESRD SEMINARS IN DIALYSIS Bahrainwala, J. Z., Leonberg-Yoo, A. K., Rudnick, M. R. 2017; 30 (4): 290-304

    Abstract

    Contrast exposure in a population with chronic kidney disease (CKD) requires additional consideration given the risk of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) after exposure to iodinated contrast as well as systemic injury with exposure to gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCA). Strategies to avoid CIN, and manage patients after exposure, including extracorporeal removal of contrast media, may differ among an advanced CKD population as compared to a general population. There is strong evidence to support the use of isotonic volume expansion and the lowest dose of low-osmolar or iso-osmolar contrast media possible to decrease CIN. The current literature on other newer prophylactic strategies such as statins, remote ischemic preconditioning, discontinuation of renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) blockade, and RenalGuard is limited thus these strategies cannot currently be recommended as routine prophylaxis for CIN. The use of extracorporeal removal of contrast agents as prophylaxis to reduce CIN has been the subject of multiple studies; however, data do not support a beneficial effect in reduction in CIN. Immediate removal of contrast by dialysis in a maintenance dialysis population is also not recommended, unless an individual's cardiopulmonary status is dependent on strict volume management. In patients with reduced renal function, GCBA exposure increases the risk of NSF. In patients with AKI, CKD stage 3 or greater (eGFR <30 ml/minute/1.73 m2 ), or patients on dialysis, we do not recommend the use of GBCA and alternative imaging modalities should be considered. If patients absolutely need magnetic resonance imaging with GBCA, we recommend the use of the lowest dose possible of the newer macrocylic, ionic agents (gadoterate meglumine) as well as immediate postprocedural HD in patients already on HD or peritoneal dialysis or with stage 5 CKD and with a functioning dialysis access already in place.

    View details for DOI 10.1111/sdi.12593

    View details for Web of Science ID 000407109400002

    View details for PubMedID 28382626

  • Atypical Antiglomerular Basement Membrane Disease With IgG1-kappa Staining KIDNEY INTERNATIONAL REPORTS Bahrainwala, J. Z., Stokes, M., Hannani, A. K., Hogan, J. J. 2017; 2 (1): 80-83

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.ekir.2016.08.014

    View details for Web of Science ID 000405958900011

    View details for PubMedID 29142944

    View details for PubMedCentralID PMC5678821

  • Diagnosis of Iron-Deficiency Anemia in Chronic Kidney Disease SEMINARS IN NEPHROLOGY Bahrainwala, J., Berns, J. S. 2016; 36 (2): 94-98

    Abstract

    Anemia is a common and clinically important consequence of chronic kidney disease (CKD). It is most commonly a result of decreased erythropoietin production by the kidneys and/or iron deficiency. Deciding on the appropriate treatment for anemia associated with CKD with iron replacement and erythropoietic-stimulating agents requires an ability to accurately diagnose iron-deficiency anemia. However, the diagnosis of iron-deficiency anemia in CKD patients is complicated by the relatively poor predictive ability of easily obtained routine serum iron indices (eg, ferritin and transferrin saturation) and more invasive gold standard measures of iron deficiency (eg, bone marrow iron stores) or erythropoietic response to supplemental iron. In this review, we discuss the diagnostic utility of currently used serum iron indices and emerging alternative markers of iron stores.

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.semnephrol.2016.02.002

    View details for Web of Science ID 000378018100003

    View details for PubMedID 27236129