Clinical spectrum of renal disease in hospitalized HIV/AIDS patients: A teaching hospital experience

BACKGROUND: Renal involvement in HIV patients is relatively common and quite broad. However, despite an increasingly large number of HIV patients in Asia, systematic studies of renal involvement are lacking. OBJECTIVES: The study was carried out to delineate the clinical spectrum of renal disease in HIV/AIDS patients hospitalised in a tertiary care centre. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 510 consecutive hospitalised HIV/AIDS with age >18years were included in the study. Detailed demographic, clinical and laboratory data including urinalysis was obtained from all participants. RESULTS: Electrolyte disorders were seen in 71% of patients, with the most frequent being hyponatremia (61%). Acute renal failure was seen in 15.8% and CKD was found in 13% of HIV patients. Dipstick proteinuria of grade ≥1+ was seen in 147 patients (29% of total). CD4 count had a significant positive correlation with creatinine clearance, hyponatremia and total leukocyte count, and significant negative correlation with duration of disease and proteinuria. CONCLUSION: Electrolyte disorders and renal involvement are quite common in HIV/AIDS patients from India. Prompt diagnosis and management is required as their presence carry higher morbidity and mortality.