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412-692-5182 Phone

412-692-7443 Fax

Michael L. Moritz, MD

Job Title Clinical Director of Pediatric Nephrology

Job Title Medical Director, Pediatric Dialysis

Job Title Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Division of Pediatric Nephrology

4401 Penn Avenue, Suite Floor 3

Pittsburgh, PA 15224

412-692-5182 Phone

412-692-7443 Fax

Email michael.moritz@chp.edu

Patient Appointment Information

Education and Training

Medical School:	1991 University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Residency:	1994 University of Chicago, Wyler Children's Hospital
Fellowship:	1997 Baylor University College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston

Memberships

American Society of Nephrology
International Society of Pediatric Nephrology
American Society of Pediatric Nephrology

Board Certifications

Pediatric Nephrology
Pediatrics

Awards

Selected Teacher of the Year by Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC Pediatric Residents
Included among "Favorite Faculty Members" at the Pritzker School of Medicine

Publications

Moritz, ML. Urine sodium composition in ambulatory healthy children: hypotonic or isotonic? Pediatr Nephrol. 2008. Jun;23(6):955-7.
Moritz ML, Ayus JC. Hospital-acquired hyponatremia--why are hypotonic parenteral fluids still being used? Nat Clin Pract Nephrol. 2007 Jul;3(7):374-82.
Moritz ML, Ayus JC. Preventing neurological complications from dysnatremias in children. Pediatr Nephrol. 2005 Dec;20(12):1687-1700.
Moritz ML, Manole MD, Bogen DL, Ayus JC. Breastfeeding-associated hypernatremia: are we missing the diagnosis? Pediatrics. 2005 Sep;116(3):e343-7.
Moritz ML, Ayus JC. The pathophysiology and treatment of hyponatremic encephalopathy: "An Update". Nephrol Dial Transplant 2003 Dec;18(12):2486-91.
Moritz ML, Ayus JC. Prevention of hospital-acquired hyponatremia: A case for using isotonic saline. Pediatrics 2003 111(2):227-30
Moritz ML, Ayus JC. The changing pattern of hypernatremia in hospitalized children. Pediatrics. 1999;104(3):435-439.

View Dr. Moritz's full list of publications from PubMed.

Biography Summary

Michael L. Moritz, MD, completed his fellowship in pediatric nephrology at Texas Children's Hospital in 1997. While there, he began collaboration with Carlos Ayus, MD, on the epidemiology, prevention and treatment of disorders of sodium and water metabolism in children. From there he moved on to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine where he was director of the pediatric dialysis unit. He joined the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh faculty in 1999. Dr Moritz has been recognized for his outstanding clinical work, teaching and research. He was recognized as an outstanding clinical faculty by the Department Chairmen in 2003. He has won teaching awards at the University of Chicago and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Moritz's primary research interests are in sodium and water metabolism in children. He has done seminal work in the field, pointing out the dangers of using hypotonic fluids in hospitalized children as it has resulted in numerous cases of iatrogenic death or permanent neurological injury. Dr. Moritz and Dr. Ayus were the first to recommend the use of 0.9% sodium chloride in maintenance fluids in hospitalized children as prophylaxis against developing hospital acquired hyponatremia. He has been the primary advocate in this field writing many review articles, editorials, and letters to the editor in order to increase awareness of this serious problem. Dr. Moritz also has expertise in the epidemiology and treatment of hypernatremia in children.

Dr. Moritz is active in teaching of medical students, residents and fellows. He is a speaker for the Academy of Health Education, lecturing on the management of neurohormones and electrolytes to physicians across the country. His areas of clinical expertise include dialysis and hypertension. He is on the continuous renal replacement therapy committee and is the primary educator for the critical care unit on CVVH. Dr. Moritz also is involved in multiple multicenter clinical trials investigating antihypertensive medications in children.

Last Update
October 20, 2010

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