Service de Nephrologie B, Hôpital Tenon, AP-HP, Paris, France; and Service d'Anatomie Pathologique, HEGP, AP-HP, Paris, France

Correspondence: Eric Daugas M.D., Ph.D., Nephrology Department and INSERM U489, Tenon Hospital, AP-HP, 4 rue de la Chine, 75020 Paris, France. E-mail: eric.daugas@tnn.ap-hop-paris.fr

Received 14 May 2003; Revised 10 October 2003; Re-revised 4 March 2004; Re-revised 23 April 2004; Accepted 9 September 2004.

Abstract

HAART-related nephropathies in HIV-infected patients. There is no doubt that highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has been the most important progress in the therapy of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients in the last decade. A growing number of observations suggest that the beneficial effects of HAART also include improvement of HIV-related renal complications. Consequently, the cohort of HIV-infected patients requiring HAART has increased and includes patients with preexisting nephropathies, whether related or unrelated to HIV infection. However, some antiretroviral drugs may have renal- and life-threatening side-effects, especially if underlying renal abnormalities exist. In this review, we focus on those aspects that require particular attention in preventing new health complications in HIV-infected patients.