Effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy on renal failure in human immunodeficiency virus-associated nephropathy.

Human immunodeficiency virus-associated nephropathy (HIVAN) is a major complication of HIV infection with distinct pathological features, which may lead to end-stage renal disease. We describe a 32-year-old African man with HIVAN, to whom protease inhibitor-containing antiretroviral therapy was introduced and in whom stability of serum creatinine levels was observed for 60 weeks after the introduction. This report suggests useful application of highly active antiretroviral therapy into the patients with HIVAN to avoid the rapid progression of renal function, although the long-term effect of this therapy needs to be prospectively evaluated in a large number of cases.