Retinal cotton-wool-like spots: a marker for AIDS?
The prognostic value of ocular manifestations and their correlation with immune changes in HIV-infected subjects (75 PGL, 23 ARC, and 17 AIDS) have been longitudinally studied with an average follow-up of one year (3 to 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 patients who showed cotton-wool-like spots developed PCP 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 an indicator as opportunistic infections or AIDS-related neoplasias in the prognosis of HIV infection.
Pivetti-Pezzi
P
P
Istituto di Oftalmologia, Roma, Italy.
Tamburi
S
S
D'Offizi
G P
GP
Mezzaroma
I
I
Aiuti
F
F
D000386:AIDS-Related Complex / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology