title: Comparison of microalbuminuria among treatment naïve HIV sero-positive and negative adult clients in Faith Alive Foundation Hospital, Jos.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study is to determine microalbuminuria in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients before commencement of highly active anti-retroviral treatment (HAART).
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive patients with the HIV infection seen in the HIV counselling and testing (HCT) unit of the Faith Alive Foundation Hospital, Jos, and a similar group of healthy uninfected patients were evaluated for renal disease: Urinary albumin and urinary creatinine were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 200 patients with HIV infection and 100 uninfected controls studied, increased urinary albumin excretion (UAE) was present in 39 (19.5%) of the subjects and 5.0 (5.0%) of controls. The difference between the mean values for the UAE for both subjects and controls [182.3 ± 54.3 and 163.9 ± 39.3 mg/l, respectively (P = 0.006)] was statistically significant. On the other hand the urinary creatinine for both the subjects and controls [11.7 ± 5.2 and 12.0 ± 4.8 mmol/L, respectively (P = 0.6)] was not statistically significant. The difference between the mean urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR) for both subjects and controls [1.8 ± 1.2 mg/mmol and 1.4 ± 0.4 mg/mmol respectively (P = 0.001)] was statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increase UAE is a common complication of HIV infection due to a number of factors other than HAART. Early screening for renal disease using microalbuminuria is very useful since the use of medications such as angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, which could help reverse progression to end-stage renal disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Dalili Mohammed
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Shabbal
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Mustapha Abubakar
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Jamda
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, State House Clinic Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Ibrahim Tijjani
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Dalhatu
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, Usmanu Danfodio University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Muhammad Bashir
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Abdulrahman
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Isichei
keywords: HIV infection; microalbuminuria; renal disease risk; urinary albumin and creatinine