Lack of clinical evidence for a specific HIV-associated glomerulopathy in 203 patients with HIV infection.

Abstract

Several authors described a high incidence of proteinuria with frequent progression to nephrotic syndrome and/or renal failure in patients with HIV infection. Though renal histological changes were rather non-specific, the existence of a specific, HIV-associated glomerulopathy was postulated. We repeatedly investigated proteinuria and serum creatinine in 203 HIV-infected patients. One hundred and twenty-two patients (group 1) had early stages of the disease without opportunistic infections, 81 suffered from acute opportunistic infections (group 2). In patients with a positive qualitative test (Combistix), quantitative measurement (Biuret) for proteinuria was carried out; when proteinuria was greater than 0.5 g/24 h, SDS gel electrophoresis was performed. None of the patients of group 1 had a proteinuria greater than 0.5 g/24 h or an elevated serum creatinine. Eleven of 81 patients from group 2 had a proteinuria between 0.5 and 3 g/24 h; one further patient of group 2 developed a transient proteinuria of 7.7 g/24 h. Only three of the proteinuric patients showed a glomerular pattern in SDS gel electrophoresis, all three during acute CMV or EBV infections. Fourteen of 81 group 2 patients showed a transient elevation of serum creatinine (x +/- SD of the maximum serum creatinines: 225.3 +/- 163 mumol/l), most during pentamidine therapy for Pneumocystis carinii infection; one patient treated with high-dose acyclovir had to be temporarily dialysed. In the investigated 203 HIV patients no nephrotic syndrome and no sustained elevation of serum creatinine greater than 200 mumol/l was observed. All cases of proteinuria and elevation of serum creatinine were associated with severe opportunistic infections and the administration of potentially nephrotoxic antibiotics.

• Authors: R Brunkhorst, U Brunkhorst, G M Eisenbach, I Schedel, H Deicher, K M Koch
• Journal: Nephrology, dialysis, transplantation : official publication of the European Dialysis and Transplant Association - European Renal Association (Nephrol Dial Transplant) Vol. 7 Issue 2 Pg. 87-92 ( 1992) ISSN: 0931-0509 [Print] England
• PMID: 1314985 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Creatinine

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Creatinine (blood)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• HIV Infections (blood, complications, urine)
• Humans
• Kidney Diseases (blood, complications, urine)
• Kidney Glomerulus
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Opportunistic Infections (complications)
• Proteinuria (complications)