Arshia Ghaffari, DO

In 2008, after several years of practicing in the Division of Geriatric, Hospital and General Internal Medicine at LAC+USC Medical Center, Dr. Ghaffari joined the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension. Dr. Ghaffari, a native of Iran who grew up in Santa Monica, came to the Keck School of Medicine after years of studying at UC San Diego, Boston University and the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. In addition to speaking English and Farsi, Dr. Ghaffari is also fluent in Spanish. He is a member of several prestigious societies, including the American Osteopathic Association, the American Medical Association and the American College of Physicians.

Along with his academic and clinical duties, Dr. Ghaffari is also an avid researcher, currently examining areas related to chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease. In 2007, he was a distinguished lecturer presenting on the rapid determination of caramylated hemoglobin at the Renal Week Meetings in Chicago. Prior to obtaining a Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Ghaffari has also earned graduate degrees in the fields of Medical Sciences and Health Care Management.

Dr. Ghaffari’s clinical areas of expertise:

ADVANCED KIDNEY DISEASES CLINIC

Dr. Ghaffari is recognized as an expert in the management of advanced kidney dysfunction with a goal to preserve kidney function and allow a smooth transition to dialysis at the appropriate time. He is focused on maintaining renal function utilizing all medical and non-medical means including diet, exercise and avoidance of exposures that would promote progression of kidney disease. Dr. Ghaffari is Director of the USC dialysis program and is an avid researcher in the field of peritoneal dialysis.

KIDNEY STONE/ELECTROLYTE CLINIC

Dr. Ghaffari developed an interest in kidney stone and electrolyte disorders during his fellowship training at the University of Illinois in Chicago. He is focused on preventing recurrent kidney stones by focusing on diet along with traditional and non-traditional treatments. He is the lead educator about medical management of kidney stones in the nephrology fellowship program.

POST-ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY CLINIC

Dr. Ghaffari’s expertise includes the management of acute kidney dysfunction and facilitation of kidney recovery in the intensive care unit. He provides close follow-up and management advice for such patients in the outpatient setting.

• Physician Leadership Meeting: DaVita Core Value Award for Continuous Quality Improvement, 2012
• American Society of Nephrology: Travel Grant, Advances in Research Conference- Stem Cells in Organ Maintenance and Repair, 2006

• Urgent-start peritoneal dialysis: Association with outcomes Perit Dial Int. 2023 03; 43(2):186-189. . View in PubMed
• Peritoneal Dialysis Should Be Considered the First Option for Patients Requiring Urgent Start Dialysis: PRO Kidney360. 2023 02 01; 4(2):134-137. . View in PubMed
• Policy and Pandemic: The Changing Practice of Nephrology During the Coronavirus Disease-2019 Outbreak Adv Chronic Kidney Dis. 2020 09; 27(5):390-396. . View in PubMed
• Attitudes toward Peritoneal Dialysis among Peritoneal Dialysis and Hemodialysis Medical Directors: Are We Preaching to the Right Choir? Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2019 07 05; 14(7):1067-1070.. View in PubMed
• Economic evaluation of urgent-start peritoneal dialysis versus urgent-start hemodialysis in the United States Medicine (Baltimore). 2014 Dec; 93(28):e293. . View in PubMed
• Infrastructure requirements for an urgent-start peritoneal dialysis program Perit Dial Int. 2013 Nov-Dec; 33(6):611-7. . View in PubMed
• PD First: peritoneal dialysis as the default transition to dialysis therapy Semin Dial. 2013 Nov-Dec; 26(6):706-13. . View in PubMed
• Urgent-start peritoneal dialysis: a quality improvement report Am J Kidney Dis. 2012 Mar; 59(3):400-8. . View in PubMed
• Intermittent peritoneal dialysis: urea kinetic modeling and implications of residual kidney function Perit Dial Int. 2012 Mar-Apr; 32(2):142-8. . View in PubMed
• Total and individual coronary artery calcium scores as independent predictors of mortality in hemodialysis patients Am J Nephrol. 2010; 31(5):419-25. . View in PubMed

• Lin, Eugene