[Measuring retinal nerve fiber density with laser polarimetry in patients with AIDS in comparison with health probands with reference to computer perimetry findings. A pilot study using the nerve fiber analyzer].
BACKGROUND
Several authors postulated a retinal nerve-fiber loss in HIV-infection because of functional alterations (reduced colour sensitivity, alterations in perimetry). This hypothesis has been reevaluated for the first time by means of direct in-vivo measurement of the retinal nerve-fiber-layer thickness by laser polarimetry using the Nerve-Fiber-Analyzer.


METHODS
Retinal nerve-fiber-layer thickness in 14 eyes of 7 patients has been compared to equally-sided eyes of equally-aged healthy controls. Visual fields showed a bilateral diffuse sensitivity reduction in 5 patients. Visual fields of 2 patients and all healthy controls were normal.


RESULTS
A significant difference in measurement values of nerve-fiber-layer thickness did not show between AIDS-patients and healthy controls. There was no correlation between visual field alterations and measurement values of nerve-fiber-layer thickness.


CONCLUSIONS
In AIDS patients, a retinal nerve-fiber loss corresponding to their visual-field alterations has not been found. However, these visual-field alterations may also be explained by central-nervous disorders, lens opacifications or neuro-retinal dysfunctions without nerve-fiber loss.
Thierfelder
S
S
Universitäts-Augenklinik Würzburg.
Gramer
E
E
Serguhn
S
S
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007834:Lasers; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D058609:Visual Field Tests / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology