Patients taking the nucleotide analogue tenofovir are no more likely to experience kidney problems than individuals taking other antiretrovirals, according to a poster presentation to the Tenth Anniversary Conference of the British HIV Association (BHIVA), in Cardiff last week.
A number of case reports describing renal complications in tenofovir-treated patients have been published in the last 18 months. However, a study presented to last year’s ICAAC found that tenofovir was no more likely than the nucleoside analogue d4T to cause kidney problems.
Investigators at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London, the UK’s largest HIV treatment centre, wished to establish the overall incidence of kidney dysfunction in patients taking tenofovir as part of HAART.
Data from the Chelsea and Westminster cohort of 4,183 patients were analysed. Patients who had a creatinine value above 120mmol/l at any time whilst taking HAART were classified as having renal dysfunction.
A total of 1,175 patients had been prescribed tenofovir. The investigators found that these individuals actually had a lower probability of developing creatinine above 120mmol/l than individuals who were naïve to HAART (p
The investigators conclude, “Tenofovir is not associated with renal dysfunction more frequently than other antiretrovirals and the occurrence of renal dysfunction is a rare and idiosyncratic event.”
Further information on this website
Tenofovir - overview
Tenofovir no more likely than d4T to cause kidney side-effects - news story
Jones R et al. Renal dysfunction with tenofovir DF containing highly active antiretroviral therapy regimens is not observed more frequently: a cohort and case-control study. Tenth anniversary BHIVA conference, Cardiff, abstract P3, 2004.