HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS DISEASE - CHANGING PATTERNS OF INTRAOCULAR INFLAMMATION

PURPOSE: To evaluate and put into perspective five articles in this is sue of the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY that discuss ocular infla mmatory disorders in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease. METHODS: We drew upon recent observations concerning the effe ct of HIV disease on the immune system in an attempt to understand the current reports describing intraocular inflammation. RESULTS: Intraoc ular inflammation appears to be dependent on several factors, includin g specific antigenic stimuli and the state of the host immune system. During dynamic changes in these factors, conditions may arise that fav or inflammatory reactions. Use of antiretroviral therapies is one mech anism zthat can effect these dynamics. CONCLUSIONS: As the immune syst em equilibrates at one extreme or the other (depletion or reconstituti on), conditions favoring inflammation appear to dissipate. Restoration of immune function by the use of combination antiretroviral therapy, including protease inhibitors, may lead to additional cases of transie nt intraocular inflammation in the future. (C) 1998 by Elsevier Scienc e Inc. All rights reserved.