Electroretinographic and psychophysical findings during early and late stages of human immunodeficiency virus infection and cytomegalovirus retinitis.

PURPOSE: The authors examined electrophysiologic and psychophysical measures of retinal function in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) at different stages of infection, including patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis (CMVR).

METHODS

All patients had complete ophthalmologic examinations. Rod-mediated psychophysical thresholds were measured using a modified two-color dark-adapted perimetry technique. Rod-dominated full field flash electroretinograms (ERGs) were obtained as a function of flash intensity, followed by cone-dominated ERGs. The 26 patients infected with HIV (26 eyes) were categorized into three groups. Six patients were infected with HIV but had not progressed to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and 14 had AIDS. Six patients had CMVR with less than 10% of the retina involved. The data were compared with results from age-similar control subjects.

RESULTS

Psychophysical thresholds as a function of retinal eccentricity were elevated for each of the three stages of HIV infection. The group of patients with CMVR had the greatest amount of threshold elevation and threshold elevation increased with retinal eccentricity. In addition, all three patient groups had abnormal electroretinographic findings. Patients with CMVR were affected more severely on all measures than were the other HIV-infected groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Results reveal that a diffuse functional retinal pathology exists in eyes with the funduscopic appearance of localized peripheral CMVR. Additionally, patients infected with HIV, including those without cotton wool spots, may have abnormal retinal function.