Organ Transplants Seen as Treatment in HIV/AIDS Patients

It has long been believed that organ transplants were not a viable option for HIV patients. Now, because of the use of new clinical approaches, there have been good results in HIV patients who need kidney or liver transplants.

The development of new treatments such as the anti-HIV drug combinations known as highly active antiretroviral therapy or HAART for short, have been instrumental in reducing the risk of death from AIDS and other conditions that are prevalent in patients with HIV. With these therapies, HIV patients are living longer, but the longer life span puts them at risk of developing complications that are related to HIV including kidney and liver diseases like hepatitis B and C. Also the drugs that are helping them live longer also have the ability to cause toxic effects on the liver, adding to the damage that is caused by hepatitis.

There has been progress made in several areas that are making transplants a more feasible option for HIV patients. One of them is the ability of HAART to control HIV infections. Another is the improved measures that can prevent infections. Studies that have been done after the HAART measures were implemented have shown some great results. For instance, one study of liver transplants in HIV patients showed that the 3 year survival rate was 73%. This figure is about the same as the survival rate in liver transplant patients who do not have HIV.

Because of the development of HAART and the research projects that show the possibility of success, transplant centers are taking a new look at the HIV patient as a candidate for transplant. Still, in most cases, the patient must have undetectable HIV levels before they can be considered for a kidney transplant. There are exceptions made for patients who have liver damage that has been caused by HAART drugs, but not in all cases.