PROTEINURIA IN HIV POSITIVE PATIENTS;

Abstract

objective: To determine the frequency of proteinuria in HIV positive patients at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi. Studydesign: Cross-sectional. Place and duration of study: This study was carried out in Infectious diseases wards and all medical wards of CivilHospital Karachi, from Jan 2011 to the Dec 2011. Methodology: A total of 170 patients from infection diseases wards and all medical wards ofCivil Hospital Karachi. Age more >12 years of either sex who were newly diagnosed cases of HIV based on positive HIV serology by ELISA andWestern blot in Infection diseases ward were Included. Patients having known kidney disease. urinary tract infection, serum creatinine morethan 1.5 mg/dl, diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure and old diagnosed cases of HIV who have already taken or who are taking HIV infectiontreatment were excluded from this study. Spot urinary sample was taken to measure the proteinuria by urine dipstick. To minimize bias allspecimen sent to same laboratory of the hospital. Results: 170 newly diagnosed cases of HIV were included in this study. Gender distributionshowed male preponderance (Male: Female = 6.4:1). Majority of cases 120 (70.6%) had age between 26 – 50 years. Mean age of women was30.3 ±7.4 years (min – max = 18 – 45 years) and for males was 34.3 ±9.6 years (min – max = 15 – 56 years). Out of 170 HIV positive casesfrequency of > 1+ protein in urine on urine dipstick analysis was found in 27 (15.9%) cases. Out 27 cases, 16 (59.3%) cases had age between26-50 years (mean ±SD = 32 ±10.1 years, min – max = 18 – 55 years). Proteinuria was high in increasing age groups. Proportion of proteinuriawas high in married and depressed patients , out of 27 cases, 18 (66.7%) were married and 9 (33.3%) unmarried. Frequency of proteinuria washigh in labor class, 11 of 27 (40.7%) were labors followed by house wife 6 (22.3%), while 5 (18.5%) were private job holder. Conclusions: In thisstudy I found a high prevalence of proteinuria in HIV positive patients. Such subjects show male preponderance distribution. We conclude thatHIV positive patients should be screened for proteinuria and if they found to have proteinuria, they should be subjected to appropriate treatmentto retard the progression of nephropathy and associated complications.