title: HIV-associated nephropathy. A unique combined glomerular, tubular, and interstitial lesion.
abstract: Although a variety of renal lesions may occur in acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), a rare but aggressive form of focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis with capillary collapse has been considered a possible component of this disorder. It is manifested by heavy proteinuria and progression to renal failure in a short time. We studied renal biopsies from nine patients with HIV infection and the above clinical features and compared the renal tissues to biopsies from HIV-positive individuals with immune complex glomerulonephritis and to biopsies from patients with heroin abuse nephropathy. The HIV-associated nephropathy was characterized by a combination of lesions: focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis, often in an early stage of evolution and with prominent degenerative changes of visceral epithelium; tubular necrosis without identifiable nephrotoxic or hemodynamic etiology; interstitial edema; large plasma protein-containing tubular casts in all segments of the nephron associated with marked tubular dilatation; and widespread tubuloreticular structures in vascular endothelium. In contrast, neither the sclerosing glomerular changes nor the tubulointerstitial abnormalities were present in HIV-infected patients with immune complex glomerulonephritis. Similarly, the tubular and interstitial changes and widespread tubuloreticular structures were absent in heroin-abuse nephropathy. The lesions of HIV-associated nephropathy occurred in patients with AIDS, AIDS-related complex, and in individuals clinically asymptomatic for HIV infection. Their morphological features in asymptomatic patients are sufficiently specific to allow for accurate diagnosis of HIV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance.
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Nast
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005923:Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009395:Nephritis, Interstitial / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology