HIV patients are living longer, healthier lives. In fact, many patients are dying of organ failure rather than complications related to HIV. Would transplantation benefit HIV patients? Perhaps. A pilot study of 29 patients shows that patient and graft (organ) survival after transplantation at 1 and 3 years is similar to non-HIV infected patients. Further results indicate that HIV infection appears to remain under control after kidney and liver transplant with no evidence of opportunistic infections or other complications from HIV.
With encouraging preliminary results at sites around the nation, the Johns Hopkins Hospital is planning to participate in a multi-center NIH-sponsored trial to study transplantation in HIV patients. The study will focus on patients with stable HIV disease who develop kidney or liver failure. Refer to our Transplant Infectious Disease website as plans for this study develop: www.hopkinsmedicine.org/transplant/ID/about -Aruna Subramanian, M.D., Co-Director, Tucker Transplant Infectious Disease Service
