Kidney transplantation for HIV-positive patients.

Overview

HIV+ patients are at increased risk for end-stage renal disease, but HIV infection was once considered a contraindication to renal transplantation. However, contemporary studies from the United States and Europe have now demonstrated that renal transplantation is a safe and effective treatment for end-stage renal disease in HIV patients, with equivalent patient and allograft survival to those uninfected. Broader experience in transplantation in HIV+ patients has identified unique challenges including high rates of acute rejection, delayed graft function, and significant drug-drug interactions. Kidney transplantation in HIV-infected patients is an active area of clinical research and trials of HIV+ to HIV+ transplantation in the United States are underway.