Long-term posterior and anterior segment complications of immune recovery uveitis associated with cytomegalovirus retinitis

PURPOSE: To identify and describe long-term posterior and anterior segment complications of immune recovery uveitis in patients with inactive cytomega lovirus retinitis who are undergoing highly active antiretroviral therapy-m ediated recovery of immune function. METHODS: A prospective cohort study at a university medical center. Twenty- nine eyes of 21 patients with immune recovery uveitis and inactive cytomega lovirus retinitis were followed for 14.5 to 116 weeks (median, 43 weeks) af ter diagnosis of immune recovery uveitis, RESULTS: Nine eyes of nine patients developed visually important complicati ons involving the posterior segment, anterior segment, or a combination of both. Posterior segment complications included severe proliferative vitreor etinopathy in three eyes and spontaneous vitreous hemorrhage from avulsion of a blood vessel secondary to tory syndrome that may result in complicatio ns months to years after the onset of inflammation. (C) 2000 by Elsevier Sc ience Inc. All rights reserved.