AIDS and the urinary tract

Article Abstract:

The kidneys and the urinary tract are often affected in patients with AIDS; the effects may be either a direct consequence of the disease or a secondary consequence of dehydration or medications used to treat AIDS. In a detailed review, the authors describe many ways in which the urinary tract may be affected in patients with AIDS. They discuss focal glomerulosclerosis, a condition in which the glomeruli (filtering system) within the kidneys die and degenerate, depriving the patient of kidney function. Some investigators have suggested that glomerulosclerosis in AIDS patients is more likely to be the result of intravenous drug use. While IV drug abuse is a well known to contributor to glomerulosclerosis, this renal disease has also occurred in children with AIDS. Furthermore, the downward course of glomerulosclerosis is rapid and generally fatal in AIDS patients, whereas the same condition in IV drug users generally progresses more slowly and causes lower mortality. This observation suggests that AIDS glomerulosclerosis may, in fact, be a distinct clinical entity. The authors also discuss conditions associated with AIDS which can contribute to kidney failure. Most notable among these are diarrhea and vomiting, which are very common among AIDS patients. These conditions may contribute to the development of kidney failure due to severe dehydration and severe electrolyte imbalances. Low plasma sodium may result from diarrhea, but it now seems that AIDS patients may also develop hyponatremia from increased excretion of sodium. The authors conclude by noting that not only does AIDS cause problems for the kidneys, but for some unfortunate patients, kidney problems have led to the unfortunate transplantation of infected kidneys and the consequent infection of patients with the AIDS virus. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Causes of, HIV (Viruses), HIV, Kidney diseases, Urologic diseases, Urogenital diseases

---

The effect of zidovudine on platelet count in HIV-infected individuals

Article Abstract:

Thrombocytopenia, an abnormal reduction of platelets (clotting agents) in the blood, is a complication of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection reported to affect between 3 and 9 percent of patients. It has been noted that occasionally patients who receive zidovudine show an improvement in their thrombocytopenia. A study was undertaken in Canada in which 74 volunteers, male homosexuals infected with HIV, were treated with increasing doses of zidovudine. They were first observed for three weeks and then were given 600 mg of zidovudine daily for 18 weeks, followed by 900 mg for nine weeks, and then 1,200 mg for another nine weeks. The drug was discontinued for a period of six weeks and then was restarted at 1,200 mg/day for 18 weeks. The patients were evaluated for blood platelet counts every three weeks. Patients were classified as thrombocytopenic (12 patients) or normal (57 patients), depending upon the level of their initial platelet count. The results indicated that zidovudine increased the platelet count in all patients regardless of their initial platelet count. In the normal group, this increase was small and transient; however, in the thrombocytopenic group the increase in platelet count was greater and longer lasting. The effect was not related to dose, within the dose range studied. Based upon the results of this study, patients with thrombocytopenia associated with HIV infection may benefit from treatment with zidovudine, and HIV-associated thrombocytopenia can be viewed as a relative indication for starting zidovudine treatment. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Physiological aspects, Drug therapy, Zidovudine, Thrombocytopenia, Blood platelet disorders, Platelet function disorders

---

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: The effect of aging on hypothalamic function in oophorectomized women. Changes in gap junction connexin-43 messenger ribonucleic acid levels associated with rat ovarian follicular development as demonstrated by in situ hybridization
• Abstracts: Lack of efficacy of Hydergine in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Tetrahydroaminoacridine-lecithin combination treatment in patients with intermediate-stage Alzheimer's disease: results of a Canadian double-blind, crossover, multicenter study
• Abstracts: Determination of anticardiolipin and other antibodies in HIV-1-infected patients. Marked elevations of serum alkaline phosphatase in patients with AIDS
• Abstracts: Effect on physician-scientists of the low funding rate of NIH grant applications. The anatomy of medical school patenting
• Abstracts: A pilot study of the bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of 2',3'-dideoxycytidine in patients with AIDS and AIDS-related complex

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.