[The activity of the Soci SIN Mailing List (ML-SIN): an update]

The Soci SIN Mailing List (ML-SIN) is the automatic on-line moderated discussion group for nephrology professionals of the Italian Society of Nephrology, which regularly operates since October 2000. The new publishing initiative of the Giornale Italiano di Nefrologia reserves to the ML-SIN a special survey in which the most discussed topics will be summarised and commented. This paper presents an update of the last six months (October 2003 - march 2004) of ML-SIN activity. The number of ML-SIN members has increased from 525 to 603 (+15%), thus confirming an increasing interest in the ML-SIN as discussion instrument and reliable source of professional advice for the Italian nephrological community. The number of messages received and accepted was 1024, for the most part (49%) related to general or organizational topics (i.e., regulatory information, meeting announcements and management issues) and only 51% to scientific debate. Some of the topics are discussed in detail, e.g. the proposal for a retrospective study on cholesterol crystal embolism and the analysis of dialysis treatment reimbursement rates by the Health System Financial Organization.