Posterior intracorneal opacities in patients with HIV infection.
OBJECTIVE
To describe a keratopathy in patients with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.


METHODS
Retrospective review of ophthalmic and medical records, including laboratory evaluations, of seven patients with HIV infection and posterior intracorneal opacities.


RESULTS
Each patient had a bilateral peripheral keratopathy located at the level of the Descemet membrane that was unassociated with intraocular inflammation. All patients were receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). All patients had elevations in their CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts due to HAART prior to presenting with the corneal opacities. Five of the seven patients had elevated serum cholesterol, triglycerides, or both. Best-corrected visual acuity was 20/25 or better in six of the seven patients at the time of diagnosis, and vision remained stable through the follow-up period in all patients (median follow-up: 25 months; range: 14-82 months). The corneal opacities remained unchanged in all seven over the follow-up period.


CONCLUSIONS
These patients have a bilateral keratopathy that appears to be non-progressive and has no effect on visual acuity.
Thorne
Jennifer E
JE
Department of Ophthalmology, The Wilmer Eye Institute, The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. jthorne@jhmi.edu
Shah
Kayur H
KH
Brown
Diane M
DM
Holland
Gary N
GN
Jabs
Douglas A
DA
D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003318:Corneal Opacity / Q000150:complications*; D003886:Descemet Membrane / Q000473:pathology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014792:Visual Acuity
D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol