Renal compromise in HIV/AIDS in patients attended at a chilean children hospital Compromiso renal e infección por VIH/SIDA en pacientes atendidos en un hospital pediátrico chileno

The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of renal abnormalities in HIV positive children hospitalized in one pediatric hospital in Chile. Method: a cross sectional study was performed during April 2007. Results: A total of 18 patients were evaluated, ten male and eight female ranging in age from 4 to 19 years. The average age at the time of HIV diagnosis and nephrologic evaluations were 2,69 and 10,7 years respectively. All patients had acquired HIV infection by vertical transmission. Urine samples of two children had microalbuminuria; two had monosymptomatic hematuria, and ten had ¿squamous? cells. Hypercalciuria was detected in one patient, renal lithiasis in another and two patients had abnormal renal ultrasonography. All 19 patients had normal blood pressures. Overall 7 patients (39%) had a renal abnormality. Conclusions: The relatively high incidence of renal abnormalities in our series support the need for a nation-wide screening program to assess the incidence of re