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Updated: Jul 7, 2026
Retinal Pathophysiological Evaluation in a Rat Model
Published on: May 6, 2022
Retinal findings in Chinese patients with HIV infection
Jian Wang1, Qisheng You, Hua Yang
1Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Beijing, China.
Background:
The aim was to determine the prevalence of retinal lesions in patients infected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in China.
Methods:
The study included 105 consecutive patients with an HIV infection that underwent general and ophthalmologic examinations. In none of the patients was any systemic opportunistic infection found. The CD4+ T lymphocyte count determined in 89 patients revealed that 77 patients (87%) had a CD4+ lymphocyte count of >200 x 10(6)/l.
Results:
Retinal microvascular abnormalities were found in 12 subjects (11%) and local retinal nerve fiber layer defects in 13 patients (12%). Patients with fundus abnormalities compared to those with a normal fundus had a significantly (p = 0.013) lower CD4+ T cell count (166 +/- 67) x 10(6)/l vs. 482 +/- 33 x 10(6)/l) and did not vary significantly in visual acuity.
Conclusions:
In these HIV-positive Chinese patients attending a hospital for infectious diseases, retinal microvasculopathy and retinal nerve fiber layer defects were the most common fundus lesions, which were found in about 10% of the patients and which were inversely associated with the CD4+ T cell count, without marked effect on visual acuity.
