Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis for the AIDS Patient

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is characterized by an abnormality in immune regulation associated with the development of opportunistic infections and/or opportunistic neoplasia. Persons at increased risk for developing AIDS include homosexual men, intravenous drug users, hemophiliacs, those who have been transfused with contaminated blood or blood products, sexual partners of human immunovirus (HIV) carriers, and children of infected mothers. Although not a dominant feature in AIDS, renal abnormalities have recently been recognized.(1) The etiology of renal failure in AIDS patients has been classified into two major groups: (1) acute, potentially reversible renal failure due to allergic ischemia or toxic injury to die kidney and (2) AIDS-associated nephropathy in which the dominant renal lesion is focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS).(2) Any of the above renal insults can result in chronic renal failure requiring some mode of dialytic therapy. Herein we describe our experience with three patients who chose CAPD as their dialysis treatment modality.