Abstract
Purpose::
To assess the retinal nerve fiber layer thickness by optical coherence tomography in patients with human immunodeficiency virus.
Methods::
: Is a prospective, comparative, longitudinal, observational study, 43 eyes were included (22 patients), measuring the retinal nerve fiber layer by optical coherence tomography. There were formed 2 groups: Group A (29 eyes) included seropositive patients without infectious retinitis and CD4 counts up to 100, and control Group B (14 eyes) with healthy patients.
Results::
The mean thicknesses of the retinal nerve fiber layer was of 94.13 ± 13.79 µm in the Group A, and of 101.42 ± 10.93 µm in the Group B, statistically significant. By area, we found a thinning in the temporal quadrant in the group A.
Conclusions::
There is a significant decrease of the total retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in the seropositive patients without infectious retinitis, mainly in the temporal quadrant with regard to the normal population.
Keywords: nerve fiber layer • AIDS/HIV • retinitis