Abstract
Purpose :
To investigate and compare the progression of retinal changes in HIV positive subjects and HIV negative controls. We hypothesize that patients with HIV (PWH) will have a decrease in retinal thickness over time.
Methods :
Data was extracted from an HIV population at the National Eye Institute. Patients who had at least two follow-up visits with Spectral Domain Optical coherence tomography (OCT) image were included. Retinal parameters recorded were ganglion cell inner plexiform layer (GC-IPL) divided in 6 sectors, its average thickness and minimum thickness. Additionally, the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) of the optic nerve divided in 4 macular sectors, and its average thickness was evaluated. Repeated measurement regressions were used to evaluate retinal changes per year, and adjusted for parameters at baseline, age, sex, HIV status and years from the first visit.
Results :
40 participants (mean age 55.2y±8.6SD, 70% males, 65% HIV+, follow-up 2.1y±.8) were analyzed. Mean GC-IPL at baseline was 77.6µm and RNFL was 85.5 µm. No parameter changed significantly with time except the lower nasal GCL-IPL sector (.41um/y, p=.011). Compared to people without HIV, PWH had higher thickness for temporal (1.22um, p=.04), and lower thickness for GCL_IPL_bottom and lower nasal GCL-IPL sector (-.93um and -.89um, p=.029 and .02). PWH did not differ significantly from HIV- people in the change per year for any parameter. Males and females differed significantly in the change per year for superior RNFL sector (-.95um/y vs. .83um/y, p=.015) and GCL-IPL minimum thickness (.53um vs. -1.17um, p=.014).
Conclusions :
PWH demonstrated a significant decrease in retinal thickness in the lower nasal and inferior sectors of the GCL-IPL. Males had a lower change in the superior sector of the RNFL than females. Future studies could help further understand the correlates between retinal thickness and HIV status and other co-morbidities such as cognitive impairment.
This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.