Condition Lookup
Category:
HIV and Kidney Health
Number of Conditions: 1
HIV-Associated Nephropathy (HIVAN)
Specialty: Infectious Diseases
Category: HIV and Kidney Health
Symptoms:
swelling in legs and feet; frothy urine; reduced urine output; high blood pressure
Root Cause:
Direct infection of renal epithelial cells by HIV, leading to collapsing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS).
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Urinalysis, renal function tests, renal biopsy, and imaging studies.
Treatment:
ART, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, and corticosteroids in some cases. Dialysis or kidney transplantation in advanced disease.
Medications:
Antiretrovirals, ACE inhibitors, or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) for blood pressure and renal protection.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects up to 10% of HIV-infected individuals, with a higher prevalence in Black populations.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Black ethnicity, advanced HIV, genetic predisposition (e.g., APOL1 gene variants).
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Early ART initiation improves outcomes; untreated cases may lead to end-stage renal disease (ESRD).
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic kidney disease, ESRD, and cardiovascular complications.