title: Frequency and associated factors of proteinuria in Iranian HIV-positive patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Screening HIV-positive patients for proteinuria would result in early recognition of HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN). This would allow diagnosis and treatment of HIVAN at an early stage and hence prevent further disease progression. This study was undertaken to determine the frequency of proteinuria and its associated factors in Iranian HIV-positive patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 171 HIV-positive patients were screened for proteinuria. Proteinuria was defined as > or =1+ protein on the urine dipstick. A questionnaire was used to collect patient sociodemographic and clinical data. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV), serum albumin, and creatinine were tested in all patients. CD4 counts were obtained by flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 171 HIV-positive patients, 21 (12.3%) had proteinuria. There were no significant differences between patients with and without proteinuria with regard to age, sex, risk behaviors for HIV acquisition, stage of infection, concurrent antiretroviral therapy, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, serum albumin and creatinine, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and presence of anti-HCV or HBsAg. Patients with proteinuria had a lower CD4 count and creatinine clearance than those without proteinuria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Proteinuria was relatively high in Iranian HIV-positive patients. The group at higher risk was that of patients with lower CD4 counts and creatinine clearance.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Department, Pasteur Institute of Iran, No. 69, Pasteur Ave., Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Amitis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramezani
authors.forename: Minoo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohraz
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Banifazl
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jam
authors.forename: Latif
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gachkar
authors.forename: Farhad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yaghmaie
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eslamifar
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zadsar
authors.forename: Neda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kalantar
authors.forename: Kambiz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nemati
authors.forename: Mehrdad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haghighi
authors.forename: Mahmood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rezaie
authors.forename: Arezoo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aghakhani
mesh_terms: D016263:AIDS-Associated Nephropathy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000453:epidemiology*