Renal function of HIV infected children in a tertiary hospital: impact of routine medications

Abstract

Background: Children infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) develop kidney diseases from various means. These include renal infiltration by the virus itself, medications used in the treatment of HIV opportunistic infections, and other systemic infections. The study was set out to determine the effect of routine medications used in the management of HIV infection on the renal function of the children.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of all HIV infected children aged 12months to 15years who met the inclusion criteria were consecutively recruited. HIV Clinical staging of the patients were done at first presentation to the clinic and/or during enrolment for the study. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) based on creatinine clearance was calculated using the Schwartz formula on those on HAART and drug naïve individuals.

Results: There were 5 (2.3%) children with chronic kidney disease (eGFR < 60ml/min/1.73m2) and 216 (97.7%) without CKD. All the children with CKD except one were on HAART for over 6 months as well as in the immunological staging of advance/ severe disease. The association between eGFR and WHO immunological classification of subjects with HIV/AIDS was statistically significant (pvalue < 0.001). However, the relationship between groups and within groups of subjects' eGFR and drug naïve or use (HAART, rifampicin and cotrimoxazole) were not statistically significant.

Conclusion: The impact of routine medications used on renal status of HIV infected children was not significant.