Objective To observe the fundus characteristics of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) retinopathy. Methods Eighty eyes of 52 AIDS patients with HIV retinopathy were enrolled in this study. The patients included 42 males (67 eyes) and 10 females (13 eyes). The patients ages ranged from 16 to 78 years, with a mean age of (43plusmn;12) years. All patients' visual acuity, intraocular pressure, slit-lamp microscopy and mydriatic indirect ophthalmoscopy, fundus color photography and CD4+ T cell count was documented. Experienced ocular fundus doctors carried out fundus examinations. Retinopathy characteristics were recorded. Seventeen patients (24 eyes) were followed for a period between two days to two years, with a median of 125 days. We failed to follow up the remaining 35 patients (56 eyes) due to death or moving away. Results Among 52 patients (80 eyes), 28 patients (56 eyes, 70.0%) had bilateral HIV retinopathy and 24 patients (24 eyes, 30.0%) had unilateral HIV retinopathy. Cotton-wool spots (CWS), mostly located close to temporal peripapillary vessels, were found in 46 patients (72 eyes, 90.0%). Six patients (eight eyes, 10.0%) were found to have flaming or spotting hemorrhage located in posterior pole. Among 72 eyes with CWS, 57 eyes were found to have CWS only and 15 eyes were found to also have retinal hemorrhage, mostly located near CWS. Among 24 eyes of 17 followed-up patients, three eyes of three patients were found with no significant changes during the less than two week follow-up. In 18 eyes of 11 patients, CWS or hemorrhage disappeared after one to three months without treatment and in five eyes new CWS or hemorrhage were found in other parts of the posterior pole. Three eyes of three patients initially considered as lint plaque-like lesions were eventually detected with CMVR as lesions during one to five months follow-up. Conclusion CWS are the most common ocular lesions in HIV retinopathy.
Objective To observe the fundus characteristics of acquired immune deficiency syndrome （AIDS) with cytomegalovirus retinitis （CMVR）. Methods Twenty-seven AIDS patients （44 eyes）with CMVR were studied. All the patients had undergone the examinations of visual acuity, intraocular pressure, slit lamp microscope, indirect ophthalmoscope and color fundus photography. The fundus lesions were divided into active lesions and chronic lesions, and the active lesions were subdivided into central, peripheral and mixed types which involving both the posterior and peripheral fundus. Results Of 27 patients （44 eyes）, 19 patients（29 eyes）had active lesions. Five patients （six eyes, 13.6%） had central lesions （exudation， hemorrhage and vascular sheath in the posterior retina）, nine patients （15 eyes, 34.1%） had peripheral yellow and white granular lesions. Five patients （eight eyes, 18.2%） had mixed lesions. Chronic lesions were found in eight patients（15 eyes, 34.1%）, which showed pigment and scarring lesions along vascular branches. Conclusion The fundus lesions of AIDS with CMVR have distinct features.
ObjectiveTo analyze the sensitivity and specificity of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests in the detection of cytomegalovirus (CMV) in the diagnosis of patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), using aqueous humor samples. Methods25 AIDS patients (including 21 men and 4 women) were studied. The age of the patients varied from 24 to 59 years, with an average of (39.2±9.3) years. The CD4+ T cell count was from 1 to 523 cells/μl, with a medium of 40 cells/μl. They were infected with human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)for a period from 15 days to 9 years with a median of 10 months. They were divided into three groups according to the fundus and treatment, including untreated cytomegalovirus retinitis (CMVR), treated CMVR and control group. There were 10 patients without anti-CMV treatment and 7 patients treated previously with foscarnet or ganciclovir whose eyes were diagnosed CMVR. Control group has 8 patients who had normal fundus or minor retinopathy excluded from CMVR. Approximately 100 μl of aqueous humor was obtained by anterior-chamber paracentesis and PCR was performed in all cases. ResultsThere were CMV DNA in 9 of 10 eyes with untreated CMVR (90.0% sensitivity). Of 7 specimens from eyes with treated CMVR, 3 were CMV PCR positive (42.9% sensitivity). All 8 samples of the control group were negative for CMV DNA, indicating the clinical specificity of our PCR was greater than 99.9% for CMVR. The anterior chamber paracentesis did not cause any complications in our patients except for a patient with subconjunctival hemorrhage. ConclusionsThe assay had an estimated sensitivity of 90.0% in detecting untreated CMVR and a sensitivity of 42.9% in detecting CMVR that had been treated. The specificity of this assay was greater than 99.9%.