The retrospective study included subjects with
AIDS who consecutively attended a third referral center in Beijing before and after
HAART was introduced. Comprehensive systemic and ophthalmic examinations, including CD4+ T-cell count, ophthalmoscopy, and fundus photography, were carried out.
RESULTS: A total of 173 HIV-infected,
HAART-naive individuals and 267 people undergoing
HAART were included in the study. The
HAART-naive group as compared with the
HAART group was significantly older (39.5 ± 11.5 years versus 36.7 ± 11.2 years; p = 0.02) and included significantly more men (p = 0.045). Prevalence of CMVR, microvascular retinopathy, and
optic neuropathy in the
HAART group (9.0 ± 1.8%, 7.9 ± 1.7%, and 4.9 ± 1.3%, respectively) were significantly (all p≤0.001) lower than in the
HAART-naive group (20.2 ± 3.1%, 31.2 ± 3.5%, and 13.9 ± 2.6%, respectively). Microvascular retinopathy was significantly associated with
HAART-naive status (p<0.001; odds ratio [OR] 0.20; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.12, 0.36) and higher age (p = 0.002; OR 1.04; 95% CI 1.10, 1.06).
Cytomegalovirus retinitis was significantly associated with CD4+ cell count <50 cells/μL (p = 0.001; OR 5.50; 95% CI 1.95, 15.5),
HAART-naive status (p = 0.02; OR 0.23; 95% CI 0.07, 0.79), and lower best-corrected visual acuity (p<0.001; OR 5.44; 95% CI 2.11, 14.0).
CONCLUSIONS: As in Western countries, prevalence of CMVR and microvascular retinopathy in Chinese subjects with
AIDS were significantly associated with a low CD4+ cell count and a
HAART-naive status as the 2 major risk factors.