Risks and benefits of ChatGPT in informing patients and families with rare kidney diseases: an explorative assessment by the European Rare Kidney Disease Reference Network (ERKNet).

Journal: Pediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany)
Published Date: Apr 16, 2025

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Rare diseases affect fewer than 1 in 2000 individuals, but approximately 150 rare kidney diseases account for about 10% of the chronic kidney disease (CKD) population, impacting millions across Europe and globally. The scarcity of medical experts for these conditions results in an unmet need for accurate and helpful patient information. Large language models like ChatGPT may offer a technological solution to assist medical professionals in educating patients and improving doctor-patient communication. We hypothesized that ChatGPT could provide accurate responses to frequently asked basic questions from patients with rare kidney diseases.

Authors

  • Albertien M van Eerde
    Department of Genetics, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
  • Ana Teixeira
    Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Centro Materno-Infantil do Norte, Unidade Local de Saúde de Santo António, Porto, Portugal.
  • Flavia Galletti
    PKD International, Geneva, Switzerland.
  • Michal Maternik
    Department of Pediatrics, Nephrology, Hypertension, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
  • Valentina Capone
    Pediatric Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplant Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
  • Rik Westland
    Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Emma Children'S Hospital - Amsterdam UMC, Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
  • Jaap Mulder
    Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Sophia Children's Hospital, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
  • Jan Halbritter
    Department of Nephrology and Medical Intensive Care, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
  • Thomas Osterholt
    Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
  • Valentina Neukel
    Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
  • Lutz T Weber
    Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne and University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
  • Max C Liebau
    Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne and University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
  • Franz Schaefer
    Division of Pediatric Nephrology and KFH Children's Kidney Center, Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
  • Stefan Kohl
    Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Cologne and University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany. stefan.kohl@uk-koeln.de.

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