ANTERIOR UVEITIS IN 3 HIV-INFECTED PATIEN TS TREATED WITH ANTIPROTEASE

OBJECIVES: Uveitis is an ocular manifestation rarely observed in HIV-i nfected patients. We observed three cases of anterior uveitis without progressive retinitis in HIV patients receiving antiprotease treatment CASE REPORT: The first patient developed a first episode of uveitis d uring ritonavir therapy. Two other episodes occurred with indinavir. T he second patient developed uveitis when treated with indinavir. In th e third patient the first episode developed with indinavir and a secon d with a ritonavir-saquinavir combination. Uveitis was unilateral in 4 episodes. Clinical manifestations were red irritable eyes and, in 2 e pisodes, reduced visual acuity. The antiprotease was interrupted in 4 of the 6 episodes and clinical course was rapidly favorable. DISCUSSIO N: Pure anterior uveitis should suggest drug induction in HIV infected patients; rifabutin is often the cause. infectious causes predominate in case of total uveitis associating choroid and retinal involvement Cytomegalovirus, herpes zoster, syphilis, and toxoplasmosis have been incriminated. Antiproteases would appear to be a new cause of anterior uveitis in HIV-infected patients.