The outcome of HIV-positive patients admitted to intensive care units with acute kidney injury

Date
2012
Authors
Nel, J. D.
Moosa, M. R.
Polenakovic, Momir (Ed.)
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
InTech
Abstract
Acute kidney injury is a serious clinical problem with significant morbidity and mortality. Several factors are recognized to aggravate the outcome including advanced age, gender, oliguria and the serum creatinine level. What is currently unknown is whether the presence of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) aggravates the outcome of patients who develop acute kidney injury (AKI). Sub-Saharan Africa currently bears the brunt of the global HIV pandemic. In South Africa alone more than 5.7 million people are infected ((UNAIDS 2008 report on the global AIDS epidemic, 2009), creating substantial additional pressure on already inadequate social and healthcare infrastructures. Acute kidney injury occurs commonly in HIV-infected patients admitted to hospital and carries with it substantial mortality. In a resource-poor environment clinicians are often forced to select patients with a better chance of survival for admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). A rigorous evaluation of the outcomes of HIV-positive patients admitted to ICU with AKI may assist in identifying factors associated with better survival, and thus aid in the cost-effective management of these patients.
Description
The original publication is available at http://www.intechopen.com
Publication of this article was funded by the Stellenbosch University Open Access Fund.
Keywords
Kidney -- Diseases -- Prognosis, HIV positive persons with kidney disease, Renal failure, HIV positive persons -- Intensive care, HIV positive persons with kidney disease -- Intensive care
Citation
Nel, J. D. & Moosa, M. R. 2012. The Outcome of HIV-Positive Patients Admitted to Intensive Care Units with Acute Kidney Injury in Polenakovic, M. (ed.). Renal Failure - The Facts, doi:10.5772/37421.