[Usefulness of routine ophthalmologic examination for cytomegalovirus retinitis in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of routine ophthalmologic examinations for cytomegalovirus retinitis in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients.

METHODS

Clinical symptoms of cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in patients with AIDS who had circulating CD4+ T lymphocytes 50/microliter or less and received monthly ophthalmological examinations (examined group) were compared with those of the patients detected by non-routine ophthalmological examinations (unexamined group).

RESULTS

The patients in whom early CMV retinitis was detected by monthly ophthalmological examinations had no subjective symptoms or iritis. The size of CMV retinitis was smaller than 2 disc diameters and it did not extend to the papillomacular area in a majority of the patients. On the other hand, the size of CMV retinitis in the unexamined group was larger than 10 disc diameters and it extended to the papillomacular area in most cases. The visual prognosis of the examined group was better than that of the unexamined group.

CONCLUSIONS

To protect visual acuity, it is important to conduct monthly ophthalmological examinations in patients with AIDS whose serum CD4+ T lymphocyte counts are 50 cells/microliter or less.