title: Retinal cotton-wool-like spots: a marker for AIDS?
abstract: The prognostic value of ocular manifestations and its correlation with immune changes in HIV-infected subjects was studied longitudinally with an average follow-up of one year (3-22 months). The most common ocular manifestations were retinal cotton-wool-like spots, observed in 58.8% of AIDS patients and in 76.9% of those with ocular involvement. Two of three ARC cases with cotton-wool-like spots developed Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia a few weeks after ophthalmoscopic examination. A close correlation between ocular changes and decrease of CD4+ lymphocytes was observed. In our opinion, these ocular manifestations are as useful as opportunistic infections or AIDS-related neoplasias in the natural history of HIV infection.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Ophthalmology, University of Rome, La Sapienza, Italy.
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Pezzi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tamburi
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: D'offizi
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mezzaroma
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aiuti
mesh_terms: D000386:AIDS-Related Complex / Q000150:complications; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology