Ocular Manifestations in Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in the Pre-HAART Versus the HAART Era in the North Indian Population

Ocul Immunol Inflamm. 2017 Jun;25(3):396-404. doi: 10.3109/09273948.2015.1133837. Epub 2016 Feb 24.

Abstract

Purpose: To compare changes in the demographic profile and ocular manifestations in patients with HIV in the pre-HAART and HAART era in North India.

Methods: In this single-center cross-sectional study, 100 HIV patients receiving HAART and 96 HIV patients in the pre-HAART era were enrolled. Prevalence of ocular manifestations of HIV was calculated for both cohorts.

Results: The prevalence of ocular manifestations was not statistically different in the two eras (38%, SE: 4.85% in HAART era; 41.67%, SE: 5% in pre-HAART era) (p = 0.60). Mean CD4 counts were lower in the pre-HAART era compared with the HAART era (p < 0.001). In the HAART era, cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis and HIV retinopathy continued to remain the most common infectious and non-infectious cause of visual morbidity.

Conclusions: While the introduction of HAART has resulted in a major impact on the overall health of patients with HIV, the spectrum of ocular disease remains largely unchanged in developing countries such as India.

Keywords: AIDS; HAART; HIV retinopathy; India; cytomegalovirus retinitis; pre-HAART era.

MeSH terms

  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / diagnosis
  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / epidemiology*
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active*
  • Asian People
  • CD4 Lymphocyte Count
  • Child
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Cytomegalovirus Retinitis / diagnosis
  • Cytomegalovirus Retinitis / epidemiology*
  • Eye Infections, Viral / diagnosis
  • Eye Infections, Viral / epidemiology*
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / diagnosis
  • HIV Infections / epidemiology*
  • Humans
  • India / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged