CD8-LYMPHOCYTES AND CYTOMEGALOVIRUS RETINITIS IN PATIENTS WITH THE ACQUIRED-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-SYNDROME( T)

PURPOSE: We compared the levels of CD8+ and CD4+ cells in human immuno deficiency virus (HIV) seropositive patients who had normal eye examin ations, microvasculopathy, or ocular infections other than cytomegalov irus retinitis to those of patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis, to determine whether lymphocyte counts other than CD4-+ are predictive o f cytomegalovirus retinitis. METHODS: The records of HIV-positive pati ents who had a lymphocyte subset analysis within three months of a com plete eye examination were reviewed for age, gender, mode of HIV trans mission, stage of disease, ocular findings, and absolute lymphocyte co unts, Data for patients without cytomegalovirus retinitis were compare d with those for patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis. RESULTS: Nin ety-three HIV-positive patients had a lymphocyte subset analysis withi n three months of a complete eye examination; 76 patients had no cytom egalovirus retinitis and 17 had cytomegalovirus retinitis, Patients wi thout cytomegalovirus retinitis and those with cytomegalovirus retinit is had the following median cell counts: CD4+, 76.0 and 15.0 cells/mu l; CD8+, 634.5 and 280.0 cells/mu l, respectively, Patients with cytom egalovirus retinitis had significantly lower CD4-+ and CD8+ cell count s than those without cytomegalovirus retinitis (P <.001), CD4+ and CD8 + cells are significantly correlated with each other, and the correlat ion is much higher in patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis (r =.80, P <.001) than in patients without cytomegalovirus retinitis (r =.57, P <.001), Stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that CD8+ cell counts were also predictive of cytomegalovirus retinitis. CONCLUSION: Patients with low CD4+ cell counts are known to be at high risk for cy tomegalovirus retinitis, We showed that patients with low CD8+ cell co unts are also at high risk for cytomegalovirus retinitis.