Prevalence of Posterior Ophthalmic Disease in Patients Seen in a Collaborative Infectious Disease/Ophthalmology Clinic Setting

Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose: To ascertain the prevalence of posterior ophthalmic disease in HIV positive patients seen in a city hospital over a two year period. Methods: The charts of the patients seen in the I.D./EYE clinic from 11/02–11/04 were reviewed for the diagnosis of either infectious posterior ophthalmic disease, or a CNS lesion that would result in visual dysfunction. Patients with both inactive and newly diagnosed disease were included. In addition, specific infectious etiologies were identified. Results: The total number of patients seen was 420. Of these patients, 107 (26%) were found to have posterior ophthalmic disease. The infectious etiologies were as follows: cytomegalovirus retinitis (CMVR) active 6 (5.6%), CMVR inactive 15 (14%), chorioretinitis (CR) 2^o syphilis 8 (7.5%), CR 2^o TB 5 (4.7%), CR 2^o pneumocystis carini 1(0.09%), toxoplasmosis gondii 6 (5.6 %), optic atrophy 2° cryptococcal meningitis 2 (1.9%) and HIV microangiopathy 69 (65%). Of the subset with posterior ophthalmic disease, 3 (2.8%) had two infectious diagnoses. Conclusions: The prevalence and distribution of types of posterior ophthalmic disease in these patients differs markedly from those in the pre–HAART era. Practitioners need to be aware of these changing demographics in order to provide superior ophthalmic care to all HIV positive patients.

Keywords: AIDS/HIV • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: prevalence/incidence • chorioretinitis