New guidelines recommend screening HIV-infected patients for kidn...( eating them earlier than we would have ...),Health

Patients who already have advanced renal disease may still benefit from antiretroviral therapy, Dr. Gupta notes. "A lot of people say, 'Well, I have to tackle somebody's HIV first and then worry about the kidneys next.' Fortunately, you may be doing both at the same time." However, some anti-HIV drugs are themselves toxic to the kidneys, so the guidelines also provide calculations to adjust dosages based on the patient's specific condition.

Dr. Gupta says kidney disease has become more of a concern for people living with HIV/AIDS since the beginning of the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).

"Before HAART was available, we needed to help patients survive first. These other conditions, although of concern, took a back seat," Dr. Gupta says. "But now, as patients are living longer and are doing well because of HAART, we're starting to see these other chronic conditions emerge and become more prevalent."

Research into kidney disease among people living with HIV/AIDS is increasing dramatically, he says. These guidelines are the first to address the issue. He expects they will be updated in a few years as research evolves.

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Contact: Steve Baragona
sbaragona@idsociety.org
703-299-0412
Infectious Diseases Society of America
27-Apr-2005