Retinal blood flowindices inpatients infected withhumanimmunodeficiency virus

Aimsibackground-Abnormal bloodflow dynamics arebelieved tocontribute tothe development ofretinal microvascular diseaseinpatients infected withhuman immunodeficiency virus(HIV).Inthis study, thescanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO)wasused,combinedwithfluoresceinangiography, to measureretinal bloodflowindices inHIV seropositive patients. Methods-Arteriovenous passagetime (AVP)andperifoveal capillary bloodflow velocity (CFV)weremeasuredin23HIV infected patients and23control subjects withSLOfluorescein angiography. Results-No significant difference inAVP wasfoundbetween thetwogroups. However,CFV was significantly reducedin HIVinfected patients (p=0.013). Conclusion-Patients infected withHIV showabnormalhaemodynamics atthe level oftheperifoveal capillaries. (BrJ Ophthalmol 1996;80:723-727)