title: Ocular complications and loss of vision due to herpes zoster ophthalmicus in patients with HIV infection and a comparison with HIV-negative patients.
abstract: The aim of the work is to describe the occurrence of ocular complications and loss of vision due to herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) in HIV-positive patients who received early antiviral therapy for HZO.This is a post hoc analysis of prospectively collected data.Twenty-four HIV-positive patients with HZO were included in this report; male to female ratio was 3.8:1; mean age was 33.5 (±14.9) years. The visual outcome was good, with 14/24 patients having 6/6 vision; severe vision loss (≤6/60) occurred in only 2/24. There was no statistical difference in the visual outcome between the HIV-positive and -negative patients (P = 0.69), although severe vision loss was more likely in HIV-infected patients. The ocular complications of HZO in HIV-infected patients were: reduced corneal sensation (17/24), corneal epithelial lesions (14/24), uveitis (12/24), elevated intraocular pressure (10/24) and extra-ocular muscle palsy (3/24). The severity of rash was similar in the two groups but multidermatomal rash occurred only in HIV-infected patients (4/24). There was no difference in the occurrence of ocular complications of HZO between HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients. HZO associated ocular complications and visual loss is low in HIV-infected patients if treated with HZO antiviral therapy and was comparable with HIV-negative patients. Early institution of HZO antiviral therapy is recommended to reduce ocular complication and vision loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nithyanandam
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stephen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006563:Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents
keywords: AIDS; HIV infection; herpes zoster ophthalmicus; ocular complications; varicella zoster virus; vision loss