Laranjinha I, et al. - Researchers sought to determine the prognosticators for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients on hemodialysis (HD). In this patient population, lower survival was found to be associated with certain factors such as lower serum albumin, nonsexual HIV transmission, viral load, opportunistic infections, and usage of catheters. Overall, survival in these subjects can be predicted, possibly, with the help of several demographic, viral, and dialysis variables and the intervention in these factors could improve their prognosis.

Methods

• This retrospective cohort study included a total of 44 HIV-infected patients on HD.

Results

• Data reported death of 17 patients (39%).
• Median survival on HD was 30.8 months and the survival rate at 1 and 5 years was 82.5 and 62.9%, respectively.
• Findings demonstrated a higher mortality risk in male (relative risk [RR] 3.1, p = 0.040) and blacks (RR 2.5, p = 0.037).
• Researchers also noted that the patients who died had a shorter duration of HIV infection (p = 0.028), had a higher viral load (p = 0.044), more opportunistic infections (p = 0.013), and a lower serum albumin (p = 0.009).
• Additionally, they observed association of lower serum albumin, nonsexual HIV transmission, viral load, opportunistic infections, and usage of catheters with lower survival.