Department of Pediatrics
Department of Pediatrics
The Department of Pediatrics

Faculty Biography

The Department of Pediatrics at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston is dedicated to improving the health and welfare of all infants, children, and adolescents.


Dr. Rita D. Swinford

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Education:

M.D. State University of New York at Stony Brook, NY

Residency: New England Medical Center, Boston, MA

Fellowship: Massachusetts General Hospital-Boston, MA

Clinical and Research Interests:

  1. Director Pediatric End Stage Kidney Disease Program
  2. Director Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program
  3. Medical Director Children's Memorial Hermann Dialysis Unit

Dr. Swinford's clinical studies explore the ramifications of longer standing chronic kidney disease in children on growth and nutrition, with particular emphasis on traditional cardiovascular risk factors and modifications of those risk factor thereof. Additionally, nontraditional risk factors with respect to altered vascular compliance are being evaluated. She is also one of the major consultants for research studies performed in the use of human growth hormone in chronic kidney disease.

Publications and Presentations:

  • Gruber SA, Mancias P, Swinford RD, Prashner HR, Clifton J, Henry MH. Living-donor nerve transplantation for global obstetric brachial plexus palsy. J Reconstr Microsurg. 2006 May;22(4):245-54.
  • Portman RJ, McNiece KL, Swinford RD, Braun MC, Samuels JA. Pediatric hypertension: diagnosis, evaluation, management, and treatment for the primary care physician. Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care. 2005 Aug;35(7):262-94.
  • Swinford RD, Portman RJ. Measurement and treatment of elevated blood pressure in the pediatric patient with chronic kidney disease. Adv Chronic Kidney Dis. 2004 Apr;11(2):143-61.
  • Yoshida T, Kurella M, Beato F, Min H, Ingelfinger JR, Stears RL, Swinford RD, Gullans SR, Tang SS. Monitoring changes in gene expression in renal ischemia-reperfusion in the rat. Kidney Int. 2002 May;61(5):1646-54.
  • Swinford RD, Pascual M, Diamant D, Tang SS, Ingelfinger JR. Rapamycin increases transforming growth factor-beta mRNA expression in immortalized rat proximal renal tubular cells. Transplantation. 2002 Jan 27;73(2):319-20.
  • Bonilla-Felix M, Parra C, Dajani T, Ferris M, Swinford RD, Portman RJ, Verani R. Changing patterns in the histopathology of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome in children. Kidney Int. 1999 May;55(5):1885-90.
  • Vallhonrat H, Swinford RD, Ingelfinger JR, Williams WW, Ryan DP, Tolkoff-Rubin N, Cosimi AB, Pascual M. Rapid activation of the alternative pathway of complement by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. ASAIO J. 1999 Jan-Feb;45(1):113-4.
  • Pascual M, Swinford RD, Ingelfinger JR, Williams WW, Cosimi AB, Tolkoff-Rubin N. Chronic rejection and chronic cyclosporin toxicity in renal allografts. Immunol Today. 1998 Nov;19(11):514-9.
  • Swinford RD, Baid S, Pascual M. Dialysis membrane adsorption during CRRT. Am J Kidney Dis. 1997 Nov;30(5 Suppl 4):S32-7.
  • Pascual M, Swinford RD, Tolkoff-Rubin N. Acute renal failure: role of dialysis membrane biocompatibility. Annu Rev Med. 1997;48:467-76.

 

Faculty Biography

Dr. Rita D. Swinford
  • Dr. Rita D. Swinford
    Associate Professor
  • Department of Pediatrics
    Division of Pediatric Nephrology and Hypertension
  • University of Texas-Houston Medical School
    6431 Fannin Street, MSB 3.124
    Houston, Texas 77030
  • phone: (713) 500-5670
    fax: (713) 500-5680
    e-mail: Rita.D.Swinford@ uth.tmc.edu
Click for my PubMed publications