[Ophthalmological manifestations in AIDS: evaluation of 445 patients in one year]

The authors prospectively evaluated 445 HIV positive patients for the presence of ophthalmological manifestations. PURPOSE--To evaluate patients HIV positive with or without AIDS and correlate the data with the ocular findings mentioned in the literature. METHODS--445 HIV positive patients (66% with AIDS) were evaluated in one year at the Paulista School of Medicine, São Paulo Hospital, Brazil. There was a predominance of males (87%) and homosexuals (58.2%). RESULTS--Of the 445 patients, 52% presented ocular findings secondary to HIV infection at the first examination. The diagnosis included: CMV retinitis (25%), ocular toxoplasmosis (8.5%), herpes retinitis (3.6%), papilledema (2.2%), optic atrophy (1.6%), phthisis bulbi (1.5%), multifocal choroiditis (1.2%), retinal hemorrhages (0.9%), syphilitic uveitis (0.6%) and central vein occlusion (0.2%). CONCLUSION--The incidence of ophthalmic manifestations of AIDS in Brazil is similar to that found in the international literature. We found though a higher incidence of ocular toxoplasmosis than that in other countries. No ocular pneumocystosis was presents in the population evaluated by us.