Renal failure in patients with AIDS-related complex.

The acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related complex (ARC) can be associated with nephropathy and renal failure. As the number of AIDS and ARC patients continues to increase dramatically, urologists will be called upon more frequently to help evaluate these patients for reversible causes of renal failure and to obtain tissue for pathologic diagnosis. Eight patients with ARC and renal failure were recently evaluated. Renal biopsies in 4 patients revealed focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis while 2 others showed proliferative and necrotizing glomerulonephritis with crescents. The implications of this study are that ARC patients with renal failure should be fully evaluated and be considered for long-term dialysis. However, the results of renal biopsies in these patients are unlikely to affect patient treatment.