title: Prevalence of persistent asymptomatic proteinuria in HIV-infected outpatients and lack of correlation with viral load.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Human immunodeficiency virus-associated nephropathy (HIVAN) is projected to be a leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in young African American men in the new millennium. Little is known about the early natural history of the disease, including the prevalence of asymptomatic nephropathy. The primary aim of this study was to define the prevalence of persistent asymptomatic proteinuria in a contemporary, ambulatory human immunodeficiency virus- (HIV) infected population. The secondary aim was to correlate the presence of persistent proteinuria with measures of HIV disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a readily available screening tool, the urine dipstick, we determined the prevalence of persistent asymptomatic proteinuria in the outpatient VA Connecticut (VA CT) Healthcare System West Haven HIV Clinic population. We compared the presence of persistent proteinuria with measures of HIV viral disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of persistent asymptomatic proteinuria was 14% (7 of 49 patients). The presence of persistent proteinuria was not correlated with viral load.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant prevalence of occult renal disease exists in the asymptomatic HIV-seropositive outpatient population and is not correlated with viral load.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA. susan.crowley@yale.edu
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Crowley
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cantwell
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abu-Alfa
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Rigsby
mesh_terms: D016263:AIDS-Associated Nephropathy / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000652:urine* / Q000821:virology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011507:Proteinuria; D019562:Viral Load