INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT MEDICAL TREATMENTS ON HIV-RELATED NONINFECTIOUS RETINOPATHY

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of diffe rent therapeutic schedules, using antiretroviral and immunomudulator a gents (consisting of zidovudine alone, in association with thymosin al , with interferon alpha-recombinant or with both these substance), on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related noninfectious retinal micro vasculopathy and, then, on preventing chorioretinal opportunistic infe ctions. After two years of follow up, the authors disclosed a parallel between the response of CD4+ count and of ophthalmoscopic signs to th e different therapies. This seems to confirm the correlation between i mmune status and retinal conditions and to show the value of the signs of noninfectious retinal vasculopathy not only for the staging of the disease, but also for the verification of the efficacy of the treatme nt, in HIV seropositive asymptomatic patients. The results of the stud y showed increased efficacy in the association in antiviral therapy of zidovudina with immunomodulator such as interferon alpha-recombinant and the thymic hormon thymosin, both improving imune status (indicated by an increase CD4) and, consequently, vascular retinal condition.