Is Abnormal Urine Protein/Osmolality Ratio Associated with Abnormal Renal Function in Patients Receiving Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate?

BACKGROUND: Risk factors for and optimal surveillance of renal dysfunction in patients on tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) remain unclear. We investigated whether a urine protein-osmolality (P/O) ratio would be associated with renal dysfunction in HIV-infected persons on TDF.

METHODS: This retrospective, single-center study investigated the relationship between parameters of renal function (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and P/O-ratio) and risk factors for development of kidney dysfunction. Subjects were HIV-infected adults receiving TDF with at least one urinalysis and serum creatinine performed between 2010 and 2013. Regression analyses were used to analyze risk factors associated with abnormal P/O-ratio and abnormal eGFR during TDF therapy.

RESULTS: Patients were predominately male (81%); (65%) were Caucasian. Mean age was 45.1(±11.8) years; median [IQR] TDF duration was 3.3 years. [1.5-7.6]. Median CD4+ T cell count and HIV viral load were 451 cells/μL [267.5-721.5] and 62 copies/mL [0-40,150], respectively. Abnormal P/O-ratio was not associated with low eGFR. 68% of subjects had an abnormal P/O-ratio and 9% had low eGFR. Duration of TDF use, age, diabetes and hypertension were associated with renal dysfunction in this study. After adjustment for age, subjects on TDF > 5 years had almost a four-fold increased likelihood of having an abnormal P/O-ratio than subjects on TDF for < 1yr (OR 3.9; 95% CI 1.2-14.0; p = 0.024).

CONCLUSION: Abnormal P/O-ratio is common in HIV-infected patients on TDF but was not significantly associated with low eGFR, suggesting that abnormal P/O-ratio may be a very early biomarker of decreased renal function in HIV infected patients.