The prevalence of renal disorder in HIV/AIDS patients on HAART

Abstract

Before HAART, HIVAN was the third leading cause of death due to End Stage Renal Disease in African Americans and the disease was almost exclusively restricted to the blacks. However the prevalence and the role of HAART in reducing the prevalence are not established. The prevalence of renal disorder in HIV/AIDs patients was studied in one hundred (I00) HIV/AIDS patient. Fifty patients on HAART for at least three years served as study subjects while the remaining fifty who are HAART naïve (pre- HAART) served as control. The patients were both male and female subjects in the age range of 25-60 years. Blood sample was taken from each patient for the following parameters: sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, urea, and creatinine, total protein and albumin. Urine was also taken for qualitative analysis of protein and glucose. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured, and the sizes of both kidneys were determined through ultrasonography. The results of the analysis revealed mild hyponatraemia and hypokalaemia in 13% and 19.3% in the patients on HAART respectively. Hypochloriemia was 14.8% while bicarbonate was 3.7%. 29.6% of patients suffered from azotaemia which is a good marker for HIV nephropathy. 7.4% of patients had a mild increase in creatinine concentration. Total protein values were maintained within the reference range and 9.3% had a slight reduction in albumin. 7.4%   had protenuria and none of the patients had glucosuria. Both the systolic and diastolic blood pressures were found to be within the reference range. The sizes of the two kidneys were also normal.