Ocular manifestations in patients attending antiretroviral therapy centre at a tertiary care hospital in Himachal Pradesh, India.

Background & objectives: Ocular manifestations in HIV/AIDS patients range from adnexal disorders to the posterior segment disease. This study was aimed to evaluate the ocular manifestations, including vision-threatening manifestations in HIV-positive patients attending an antiretroviral therapy centre (ART) of a tertiary care hospital in north India and its association with the CD4+ cell count.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the department of Ophthalmology in collaboration with the ART centre. An equal number of patients were selected from each year.

i.e: ., 30 patients each from those registered in the year 2010 till 2015. These patients were selected randomly from the register using systematic randomization. Hence, a total of 150 patients were examined for ocular manifestations. All the patients included in this study were on highly active ART.

Results: Of the 150 patients examined, 53 per cent were females and 47 per cent were males. Heterosexual transmission was the most common mode of transmission in 126 (84%) patients. Maximum number of patients was in the age group of 31-40 yr. Ocular manifestations were present in 53 [35.3%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 28-43%] patients. Twelve (8%; 95% CI: 4-12%) patients had lid and adnexal manifestations. Anterior-segment manifestations were present in 20 (13.3%; 95% CI: 8-19%) patients. Posterior-segment manifestations were present in 21 (14%; 95% CI: 8-20%) and vision-threatening posterior-segment ocular lesions were present in 14 per cent of the patients. Univariate logistic regression showed a significant (P<0.001) inverse association of CD4+T-cell count with the vision-threatening posterior-segment ocular lesions.

Interpretation & conclusions: Routine ocular examination may be done in all the HIV/AIDS patients to detect and treat vision-threatening ocular lesions at the earliest.