title: Bilateral optic neuropathies with remission in two HIV-positive men.
abstract: Two patients seropositive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) developed bilateral optic neuropathies. Evaluations failed to identify an infectious or neoplastic etiology. Both patients improved, one in temporal relation to treatment with azidothymidine (AZT), the other during oral steroid therapy. Optic neuropathy in HIV-positive patients does not necessarily carry a poor prognosis even when a treatable cause is not found. A role for primary HIV infection in the pathogenesis remains speculative.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lessell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011379:Prognosis; D012074:Remission Induction; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D015215:Zidovudine; D011241:Prednisone