Dr. Susmitha Chandragiri
Consultant Nephrologist
KIMS Institute of Renal Sciences & Advanced Urology, Secunderabad
DM Nephrology (NIMS, Hyderabad) · MD General Medicine (JIPMER, Puducherry) · MBBS — women's nephrology subspecialty
Quick facts
| Designation | Consultant Nephrologist |
| Qualifications | DM (Nephrology) — Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), Hyderabad (Aug 2013 – Jul 2016) · MD (General Medicine) — JIPMER, Puducherry · MBBS — Siddhartha Medical College |
| Experience | Consultant practice at KIMS Secunderabad from June 2020 |
| Key expertise | Women's Nephrology · Pregnancy-Related Kidney Disease · Lupus Nephritis · Glomerular Diseases · CKD · AKI · Haemodialysis · Peritoneal Dialysis · Kidney Transplant Care |
| Key credential | MD General Medicine from JIPMER — designated an Institute of National Importance by the Parliament of India · DM Nephrology from NIMS · women's nephrology subspecialty focus |
| Hospital | KIMS Institute of Renal Sciences & Advanced Urology · 1-8-31/1, Minister Road, Secunderabad, Telangana 500003 |
| OP timings | Mon – Sat: 09:00 AM – 05:00 PM · Sunday: Not available |
| Appointments | 040-4488-5000 |
Book a consultation with Dr. Susmitha Chandragiri — call 040-4488-5000 or book online.
About Dr. Susmitha Chandragiri
Dr. Susmitha Chandragiri is a consultant nephrologist at KIMS Institute of Renal Sciences & Advanced Urology, Secunderabad, with a subspecialty interest in women's nephrology — the evaluation and management of kidney disease in women, including pregnancy-related renal complications, lupus nephritis and its activity during the reproductive years, and glomerular disease in women of reproductive age. She joined KIMS on 1 June 2020.
Her academic trajectory is distinguished by MD General Medicine from JIPMER, Puducherry — one of India's Institutes of National Importance, legislated as such by Parliament, and equivalent in academic standing to AIIMS. JIPMER's MD programme exposes residents to the full breadth of complex internal medicine in a high-volume national referral centre environment. This was followed by DM in Nephrology at NIMS, Hyderabad — the central government's premier nephrology training institution in Telangana — where she trained for three years (August 2013 to July 2016) and developed her subspecialty interest in women's nephrology and glomerular disease.
After completing her DM, Dr. Chandragiri worked at ESIC Medical College and Superspeciality Hospital before joining KIMS Secunderabad in June 2020. Her women's nephrology subspecialty addresses a critical gap in nephrology care — kidney disease in women has distinct characteristics across the reproductive life cycle that require specific expertise. Lupus (SLE) affects women predominantly and in the reproductive years; lupus nephritis requires careful activity monitoring and treatment modification during pregnancy. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (pre-eclampsia, HELLP syndrome) are leading causes of AKI in women. IgA nephropathy behaves differently during pregnancy. CKD affects fertility, pregnancy outcomes, and dialysis access planning in women differently from men.
At KIMS, Dr. Chandragiri manages the full range of adult nephrology alongside her women's nephrology subspecialty — CKD, AKI, haemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and kidney transplant care. She authored the KIMS Renal Sciences content on lupus podocytopathy — a rare glomerular variant of lupus nephritis requiring precise biopsy interpretation and a distinct treatment approach — reflecting her specific expertise in this area.
Areas of clinical expertise
Women's Nephrology
Dr. Chandragiri's subspecialty — the management of kidney disease specific to women's physiology and the female reproductive life cycle:
- Pregnancy-related kidney disease — physiological renal adaptation in pregnancy (GFR increase, lower creatinine; the ‘normal’ creatinine threshold in pregnancy differs from non-pregnant women), differentiation of pre-eclampsia from other causes of hypertension and proteinuria in pregnancy
- Pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome — diagnosis, management, and post-partum kidney recovery monitoring. AKI from obstetric causes
- CKD in pregnancy — risk stratification, obstetric nephrology coordination, monitoring for worsening CKD during pregnancy, timing of dialysis initiation in pregnant CKD patients
- Lupus nephritis in women — monitoring for lupus flares during pregnancy and post-partum. Hydroxychloroquine continuation in pregnancy, azathioprine as pregnancy-compatible maintenance, avoidance of mycophenolate. Disease activity monitoring (anti-dsDNA, complement)
- Lupus podocytopathy — a specific glomerular variant of lupus causing nephrotic syndrome without immune complex deposits, differentiated by kidney biopsy with electron microscopy. Responds dramatically to steroids, unlike classical lupus nephritis
- IgA nephropathy in women — activity assessment during pregnancy, risk of accelerated CKD progression in pregnancy
Lupus Nephritis
Lupus nephritis evaluation and management — ISN/RPS biopsy classification, induction treatment (hydroxychloroquine with mycophenolate for Class III/IV, prednisolone, cyclophosphamide for severe cases), maintenance with hydroxychloroquine and low-dose immunosuppression, monitoring for relapse, and specialist management in the reproductive years. Diagnosis rests on kidney biopsy, including recognition of lupus podocytopathy.
Glomerular Diseases
The evaluation and management of the glomerulonephritides in adult nephrology practice — IgA nephropathy, membranous nephropathy, minimal change disease, FSGS, lupus nephritis, and ANCA-associated vasculitis — through kidney biopsy-based diagnosis and evidence-based immunosuppressive management, including nephrotic syndrome.
CKD & AKI
Management of chronic kidney disease across all five stages — risk factor modification, complications management (anaemia, bone disease, cardiovascular risk), pre-dialysis education, and planning for renal replacement therapy including AV fistula creation. AKI evaluation and management across medical, surgical, and obstetric settings.
Dialysis & Transplant
Haemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis (CAPD and CCPD), and CRRT for AKI. Kidney transplant recipient evaluation and post-transplant care — including ABO-incompatible transplant recipients — with immunosuppression management that gives particular attention to female-specific considerations in transplant immunology: cyclosporin and tacrolimus effects on menstrual regularity, pregnancy after transplant, and contraception in transplant recipients.
Qualifications
| Degree | Institution |
|---|---|
| DM (Nephrology) | Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), Hyderabad (August 2013 – July 2016) — NIMS is a central government Institute of National Importance and the principal nephrology training and referral centre for Telangana. The three-year DM programme provides comprehensive exposure to the full spectrum of adult kidney disease including transplant, critical care nephrology, glomerular disease, and interventional nephrology. |
| MD (General Medicine) | JIPMER — Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry — designated an Institute of National Importance by an Act of Parliament. JIPMER is one of India's premier autonomous postgraduate medical institutions, equivalent in standing to AIIMS. MD General Medicine training at JIPMER provides rigorous exposure to complex internal medicine and multi-system disease at a national referral centre. |
| MBBS | Siddhartha Medical College — affiliated to the National Telugu University, Andhra Pradesh |
Career history
| Period | Role & Institution |
|---|---|
| June 2020 – present | Consultant Nephrologist · KIMS Institute of Renal Sciences, Secunderabad |
| 2019 | Consultant Nephrologist · ESIC Medical College and Superspeciality Hospital, Hyderabad |
| Aug 2013 – Jul 2016 | DM Nephrology Resident · Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), Hyderabad |
| Prior | MD General Medicine · JIPMER, Puducherry |
| MBBS | Siddhartha Medical College |
Awards & recognition
- MD General Medicine from JIPMER — one of India's Institutes of National Importance (designated by Parliament), equivalent to AIIMS in academic standing
- DM Nephrology from NIMS — the central government's premier nephrology training centre in Telangana
Publications & research
Dr. Chandragiri contributed the KIMS Renal Sciences condition content on lupus podocytopathy — a complex glomerular variant of lupus nephritis requiring specialist biopsy expertise and a distinct treatment approach from classical lupus nephritis — reflecting her specific clinical expertise in this area. Full publication list to be confirmed with the department.
Key procedures at KIMS
| Procedure | Clinical details |
|---|---|
| Lupus Nephritis Management | ISN/RPS class-based treatment — hydroxychloroquine maintenance, mycophenolate for Class III/IV, cyclophosphamide for severe proliferative lupus, and disease activity monitoring. |
| Pregnancy Nephrology | Pre-eclampsia workup and management, AKI from obstetric causes, CKD in pregnancy risk stratification, lupus monitoring in pregnancy, and medication adjustment for pregnancy safety. |
| Kidney Biopsy | Percutaneous ultrasound-guided native kidney biopsy for glomerular disease diagnosis — with particular expertise in the glomerular disease differential including lupus podocytopathy. |
| Haemodialysis | Acute and maintenance HD prescription and adequacy assessment. |
| Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD/CCPD) | PD prescription, adequacy monitoring, and peritonitis management. |
| CRRT | Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy for AKI in ICU — including obstetric AKI. |
| CKD Management | Risk stratification, complication management, pre-dialysis education, dietary advice, and cardiovascular risk reduction. |
| Kidney Transplant Care | Pre-transplant evaluation, post-transplant immunosuppression, contraception counselling, and pregnancy-after-transplant monitoring. |
Book a consultation with Dr. Susmitha Chandragiri
| Contact | Details |
|---|---|
| Appointments | 040-4488-5000 |
| assistance@kimshospitals.com | |
| Hospital | KIMS Institute of Renal Sciences & Advanced Urology · 1-8-31/1, Minister Road, Secunderabad, Telangana 500003 |
| OP timings | Mon – Sat: 09:00 AM – 05:00 PM · Sunday: Not available |
| Related treatments | |
| Related conditions | |
| All specialists | View the full KIMS kidney & urology team |
Dr. Susmitha Chandragiri is KIMS Renal Sciences' specialist for women's nephrology — lupus nephritis, pregnancy-related kidney disease, and glomerular disease in women of reproductive age. She is available Mon–Sat, 09:00–17:00.