The role of albuminuria in the follow-up of HIV-infected pediatric patients.

BACKGROUND

In HIV-infected adults, elevated albumin has been associated with increased inflammatory activity, HIV-related nephropathy, and type 2 diabetes. Data on albuminuria in HIV-infected children are very scarce, and guidelines do not include routine determination of urinary albumin/creatinine ratio in this population.

METHODS

We performed a cross-sectional study in a cohort of HIV-infected pediatric patients. Urinary protein/creatinine and albumin/creatinine ratios and hematuria were determined from at least three morning urine samples, and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was estimated from creatinine levels. Persistent renal damage was defined according to the presence of at least two sequentially abnormal values in one of the parameters. The relationship between renal damage, HIV-related variables, and metabolic comorbidities (dyslipidemia, fat redistribution, glucose intolerance, hypertension) was investigated.

RESULTS

Symptom-free renal damage was observed in 13 of 68 patients (19.1%) and mainly consisted of persistent proteinuria (17.6%); glomerular proteinuria was twice as prevalent as tubular proteinuria. GFR were normal in all cases. No relationship between renal markers and HIV-related variables or metabolic comorbidities was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Mild proteinuria affected approximately one fifth of patients in our cohort. The determination of albuminuria allowed the differentiation between glomerular and tubular proteinuria, although no relationship with metabolic comorbidities was observed.