NEPHROPATHY IN THE COURSE OF HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS INFECTION - A CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY

Abstract

We report 16 patients with HIV1 infection with biopsy-proven renal involvement. Nine patients were caucasians and seven were blacks. There were 11 patients at stage II and 5 at stage IV of the HIV1 infection. Three patterns of histologic lesions were found: 6 patients, all blacks, with nephrotic syndrome and/or renal insufficiency had focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) with tubulo-interstitial lesions. In contrast, 6 patients, all caucasians, had various types of glomerulonephritis characterized by immunoglobulin and complement deposits; 3 of them were membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN). The four remaining patients had predominant tubulo-interstitial lesions. In three patients who had FSGS, treatment by AZT induced temporary improvement of renal function and hemodialysis could be interrupted for a few months. The cure of infectious foci was followed by improvement in renal signs in two out of the 3 MPGN patients.