RETINAL BLOOD-FLOW INDEXES IN PATIENTS INFECTED WITH HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS

Aims/background - Abnormal blood flow dynamics are believed to contrib ute to the development of retinal microvascular disease in patients in fected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In this study, the sca nning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) was used, combined with fluorescein a ngiography, to measure retinal blood flow indices in HIV seropositive patients. Methods - Arteriovenous passage time (AVP) and perifoveal ca pillary blood flow velocity (CFV) were measured in 23 HIV infected pat ients and 23 control subjects with SLO fluorescein angiography. Result s - No significant difference in AVP was found between the two groups. However, CFV was significantly reduced in HIV infected patients (p=0. 013). Conclusion - Patients infected with HIV show abnormal haemodynam ics at the level of the perifoveal capillaries.