Calcaneal Quantitative Ultrasonography and Urinary Retinol-Binding Protein in Antiretroviral-Treated Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Uganda: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background: Data on bone health and renal impairment in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in resource-limited settings are limited. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of calcaneal quantitative ultrasonography (QUS) in predicting bone mineral density (BMD) reduction in a population of Ugandan HIV-infected individuals receiving long-term antiretroviral therapy; the secondary end point was to assess the prevalence of proximal tubular dysfunction and the correlation between elevated urinary retinol-binding protein-urinary creatinine ratio (uRBP/uCr) and reduced BMD. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study at the Infectious Diseases Institute, Kampala, Uganda. We included 101 HIV-infectedadults who had been receiving continuous antiretroviral therapy for≥10 years and had undergone dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) during the previous 12 months. All patients underwent calcaneal QUS evaluation and urine sample collection. Results: DXA BMD measurements were significantly associated (P