[Ophthalmological findings in HIV infected patients in the post-HAART (Highly Active Anti-retroviral Therapy) era, compared to the pre-HAART era].

BACKGROUND: To determine the frequency of the ophthalmological findings in Human Immunodeficience Virus (HIV) infected patients in the post-HAART (Highly Active Anti-retroviral Therapy) era and to compare it to data from the Federal University of São Paulo in the pre-HAART era10,11.

METHODS: Charts from 200 consecutive patients examined from May 2000 to February 2001 were reviewed.

RESULTS: From the total of 200 patients, 84 (42%) presented ophthalmological findings related to HIV infection in the first ocular examination: 36 (18%) with Cytomegalovirus retinitis (9 active and 27 inactive), 22 (11%) with ocular toxoplasmosis, (9 active and 13 inactive), 15 (7.5%) with retinal detachment (10 secondary to CMV retinitis, 3 to ocular toxoplasmosis and 2 not determined), 8 (4%) with cataract (5 secondary to CMV retinitis, 1 to ocular toxoplasmosis and 2 not determined), 8 (4%) with cotton wool spots, 6 (3%) with acute retinal necrosis (4 active and 2 inactive) and 3 (1.5%) with intersticial keratitis. All patients with acute retinal necrosis showed T CD4 cells under 100 cells/microL.

CONCLUSION: The authors identified in the post-HAART era, rise on number of patients with normal ophthalmologic exam and decreased number of cases of CMV retinitis and ocular toxoplasmosis when compared to the pre-HAART era.