[Uveitis in patients with HIV infection]

Abstract

We carried out a retrospective analysis of 581 patients with uveitis seen over an 11-year period, to determine the prevalence of HIV infection in these patients and to look for associated diseases and the possible causes of uveitis in HIV-infected patients. All patients underwent routine eye examination and most also underwent a general examination and complementary tests. The prevalence of HIV infection was 14.3% (89 patients). Anterior uveitis (62%) was the most frequent, followed by posterior uveitis (22%), panuveitis (12%) and intermediate uveitis (4%). Associated conditions or causes were identified in 88% of the HIV-infected patients, with herpes zoster ophthalmicus the most frequent (43 %), followed by tuberculosis (16%), CMV infection (12%) and toxoplasmosis (10%). Thus, uveitis in HIV-infected patients is frequently associated with opportunistic infections.