title: HIV-related ocular microangiopathic syndrome and cognitive functioning.
abstract: Ocular microangiopathic syndrome is found frequently in patients with AIDS or severe HIV infection. Symptoms of this microvascular syndrome can include cotton-wool spots, hemorrhages, and Roth's spots. The clinical and functional significance of HIV-related ocular microangiopathic syndrome has not been clarified as yet. The objective of this study was to evaluate a possible association between HIV-related ocular microangiopathic syndrome and cognitive functioning. Thirty-seven patients infected with HIV (24 with AIDS) underwent ophthalmological and neuropsychological examination. HIV-related ocular microangiopathic syndrome was measured by counting the number of cotton-wool spots in both eyes. Neuropsychological examination included five standardized tests, with the first three primarily measuring function of short-term memory; these tests were as follows: the Auditory-Verbal Learning Test, the Benton Test, the Stroop Colour Word Test, the Trail-Making Part B test, and the Vocabulary for Measuring Premorbid Intelligence test. HIV-related ocular microangiopathic syndrome was found in 15 patients with AIDS (62.5%), and in one patient, staged Walter Reed 5. In 10 patients, one eye was affected (mean count of cotton-wool spots 1.5). In six patients, both eyes were affected (mean count of cotton-wool spots 7.0). Univariate correlations between the number of cotton-wool spots in both eyes and test scores were as follows: Auditory-Verbal Learning Test: 0.56 (p < 0.001); Benton Test: 0.51 (p < 0.001); Stroop Colour and Word: 0.50 (p < 0.001); Trail-Making Part B: 0.15 (not significant); Vocabulary for Measuring Premorbid Intelligence: -0.05 (not significant). Multiple correlation between the test scores and the number of cotton-wool spots was 0.70 (p < 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: University Eye Hospital, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Geier
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Perro
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Klauss
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Naber
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kronawitter
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Bogner
authors.forename: F D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Goebel
authors.forename: O E
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Lund
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hippius
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D012166:Retinal Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications; D012171:Retinal Vessels; D013601:T-Lymphocytes