Survival of HIV infected patients on maintenance hemodialysis in Cameroon: a comparative study.

backgroundThere are conflicting reports on the impact of HIV in the era of combined antiretroviral (c-ART) on survival of patient with ESKD. We aimed to compare the one-year survival of HIV positive patients to that of their HIV negative counterparts with ESKD on maintenance haemodialysis in Cameroon.

methodsThis was a retrospective cohort study conducted in the haemodialysis units of the Douala and Yaoundé General Hospitals. All HIV positive patients treated by maintenance haemodialysis between January 2007 and March 2015 were included. A comparative group of HIV negative patients with ESKD were matched for age, sex, co morbidities, year of dialysis initiation and haemodialysis unit. Relevant data at the time of haemodialysis initiation and during the first year of haemodialysis was noted. Survival was analysed using the Kaplan Meier and Cox regression hazard ratio estimator. A p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

resultsA total of 57 patients with HIV and 57 without HIV were included. Mean age was 46.25 ± 11.41 years, and 52.6% were females in both groups. HIV nephropathy (50.9%) was the main presumed aetiology of ESKD in the HIV group, while chronic glomerulonephritis (33.3%) and diabetes (21.1%) were the main aetiologies in the HIV negative group. At initiation of dialysis, the median CD4 count was 212 cell/mm

conclusionThe one year survival of HIV positive patients on maintenance haemodialysis in Cameroon seems to be lower compared to their HIV negative counterparts.