The clinical characteristics of HIV-infected patients receiving dialysis in France between 1997 and 2002.
BACKGROUND
In 1997, 0.38% of dialysis patients in France were infected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). No prevalence data were available in France since the widespread introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional epidemiologic survey. A questionnaire was sent to all French dialysis centers in July 2002. The centers that did not respond were sent 3 additional mailing reminders. Finally, the nonresponding centers were called early in 2004.


RESULTS
Of the 27,577 patients on hemodialysis and 587 patients on peritoneal dialysis, 190 patients (0.67%) were infected by HIV. HIV-associated nephropathy was the cause of renal failure in 39.8% patients. Mean age was 44.6 +/- 10.9 years, the mean duration of dialysis was 4.9 +/- 5.9 years, the mean known duration of HIV infection was 8.9 +/- 5.6 years. Eighty-two percent of patients received antiretroviral therapy (ART). Fifty-eight percent of ART-treated patients had an undetectable HIV plasma viral load with a median CD4+ T-cell count 303/mm(3).


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of HIV infection among French dialysis patients was 0.67% in late 2002, a 79% increase since 1997. Possible reasons for this large increase include increased access to dialysis, better general status of HIV dialysis patients, and increasing proportion of patients originating from Africa and the Caribbean. The current efficacy of ART makes renal transplantation a realistic option for these young patients.
Vigneau
Cécile
C
Department of Nephrology A, Tenon Hospital, Paris, France.
Guiard-Schmid
Jean-Baptiste
JB
Tourret
Jérome
J
Flahault
Antoine
A
Rozenbaum
Willy
W
Pialoux
Gilles
G
Rondeau
Eric
E
D016263:AIDS-Associated Nephropathy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010820:Physicians; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000998:Antiviral Agents