[Thrombotic microangiopathies in HIV infection: 4 cases]

Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) has been rarely described in HIV-infected patients. We report four cases of TMA during HIV infection and we analyse clinical, biological, etiologic, therapeutic and evolutive aspects of these four cases. Initial symptomatology is non specific and diagnosis is often delayed. Peripheric thrombopenia with haemolytic anemia and renal failure must be suggestive of the diagnosis. TMA can be present at any stage of HIV infection. Physiopathological mechanism of TMA during HIV infection remains unclear. These cases lead to suspect the role of opportunistic infections, neoplasia or HIV directly by endothelial injury or indirectly by cytokines secretion. Therapy of TMA is not different from non-HIV patients. Improvement with treatment must be obtained but long-term prognosis remains poor in account of HIV infection.