Monitoring Renal Function in HIV Patients Without Kidney Disease Using Endothelial Biomarkers: A Prospective Pilot Study

This study aimed to investigate the association between novel biomarkers and renal injury in people with HIV (PWH). A cohort study was carried out with PWH under chronic use of antiretroviral therapy (ART), followed at a public outpatient service. Clinical and laboratory parameters of the patients were evaluated year by year, from 2015 [at baseline (year 1, Y1)] to 2019 [year 5 (Y5)]. At baseline, biomarkers of renal damage (e.g., neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin-NGAL, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1-MCP-1, and kidney injury molecule-1-KIM-1) and endothelial activation or glycocalyx damage [e.g., intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), E-selectin, and syndecan-1] were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and their levels were used to classify patients into different groups. However, only syndecan-1 showed a significant correlation with serum creatinine (p < .001) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (p = .003) over the years. Moreover, both serum creatinine and GFR in almost 5 years were significantly associated with serum levels of syndecan-1 at baseline. The multivariate linear regression with confounders showed a significant and independent association between GFR and levels of syndecan-1 and CD4 cell count in the beginning of the study, as well as age in Y5. The data reinforce the screening for kidney diseases with novel biomarkers, especially syndecan-1, as an important strategy for a timely diagnostic and therapeutic approach.