title: Prevalence and predictors of proteinuria in HIV-infected and uninfected pregnant women in Cameroon.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Proteinuria during pregnancy has been associated with increased pregnancy complications. Furthermore, even low-grade proteinuria has been associated with increased mortality in the general population and in non-pregnant HIV-infected women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Urine dipstick protein was measured prospectively on HIV-infected and trace protein or more and quantified by urine protein:creatinine measurement (P:C). Logistic regression modeling was used to identify factors associated with proteinuria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  About 199 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected and 190 HIV-uninfected normotensive pregnant women were evaluated. The median age was 27 years in both groups and 37% presented in the third trimester. Among HIV-infected women, median CD4 cell count was 417 cells/mm(3); 27% were on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Proteinuria was present in 39.2% of HIV-infected and 20.9% of uninfected women (P < 0.001). HIV infection was independently associated with proteinuria [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 2.45; confidence interval (CI) = 1.56-3.85]. Among HIV-infected pregnant women, cART was protective (adjusted OR = 0.39; CI = 0.19-0.82). Results were qualitatively similar when urine P:C was evaluated as a continuous outcome variable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of low-grade proteinuria in both HIV-infected and -uninfected Cameroonian pregnant women is high. HIV-infected pregnant women are at increased risk for proteinuria, and cART appears to exert a protective effect. Further studies are needed to elucidate the causes of increased proteinuria in African pregnant women, both HIV-infected and -uninfected.
authors: Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Mount Sinai Hospital and School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA. jennifer.jao@mssm.edu
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Jao
authors: Dennis
authors: D
authors: Palmer
authors: Ine
authors: I
authors: Leus
authors: Pius
authors: P
authors: Tih
authors: Mukta
authors: M
authors: Baweja
authors: Mary
authors: M
authors: Klotman
authors: Rhoda
authors: R
authors: Sperling
authors: Christina
authors: C
authors: Wyatt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult