The Particulars: Previous studies indicate that some of the same risk factors are associated with both HIV and kidney disease, that HIV can affect the kidneys, and that some HIV treatments can cause renal problems. However, rates of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) among patients with HIV have not been well defined.
Data Breakdown: An analysis of nearly 40,000 patients found an ESRD incidence rate of 192 cases per 100,000 person years among patients with HIV, compared with a rate of 36 cases per 100,000 person years in the general public. Crude incidence of ESRD increased with age, female gender, and African-American race. Patients who acquired HIV through heterosexual contact had an incidence rate ratio of 1.47 when compared with men who have sex with men. Those with a history of an AIDS-defining illness had an incidence rate ratio of 1.45 when compared with those who did not.
Take Home Pearls: Patients with HIV appear to have a markedly higher rate of ESRD than the general population. Significant differences in ESRD rates among those with HIV appear to exist according to race, treatment experience, age, and gender.
