Review of transplantation in HIV patients during the HAART era.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection was once thought to be a relative or even absolute contraindication to transplantation. With the recent advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), those infected with HIV are now living longer and dying from illnesses other than acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Although studies prior to the HAART era suggested poor outcomes might occur with transplantation in those infected with HIV, more recent studies have demonstrated results comparable to those of recipients without HIV infection. A number of issues persist regarding ethics, patient selection, post-operative management, and drug interactions between antiretroviral and immunosuppression agents. In this review, kidney, liver, and heart transplantation in the HIV-positive population were analyzed using data from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network/ Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients.