Collapsing glomerulopathy in HIV and non-HIV patients: A clinicopathological and follow-up study

Background. Collapsing glomerulopathy (CG) is a pattern of renal injury that is seen in association with HIV infection and that is increasingly recognized in non-HIV patients. Methods. A review of native kidney biopsies with CG that were diagnosed between 1979 and 1997 in 18 HIV and 42 non-HIV patients is provided. Results. HIV and non-HIV patients with CG were similar in terms of age, sex ratio, serum creatinine, proteinuria, the extent of collapsing and sclerosing glomerular lesions, and interstitial damage. A slight female predominance was found in both groups. In contrast to non-HIV patients, the HIV group was characterized by a high prevalence of blacks (94 vs. 57%), frequent tubuloreticular inclusions (76 vs. 29%), and microcystic tubular changes (72 vs. 40%). In 13 non-HIV patients, CG was associated with a systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)-like disease (5), hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (3), HTLV-I infection, MCTD, acute monoblastic leukemia, multiple myeloma, and cerebral arteritis. Overall, the renal survival of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and non-HIV patients with CG was not significantly different. Cox regression revealed that HIV infection had an adverse effect on short-term renal survival, with other significant risk factors being extensive interstitial fibrosis, high serum creatinine, proteinuria, and a low percentage of glomeruli with collapse. The slope of reciprocal creatinine was best predicted by the degree of proteinuria. Serum creatinine correlated with the extent of interstitial fibrosis, the male gender, and the percentage of glomeruli with collapse. Proteinuria was best predicted by the extent of effacement of podocyte foot processes. Conclusions. CG shares many clinicopathological similarities in HIV and non-HIV patients. In some non-HIV patients, CG was associated with autoimmune diseases, lymphoproliferative disorders, and viral infections.