Localised treatment and 6-month outcomes in patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis at a tertiary ophthalmology service in Ga-Rankuwa

Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Localised treatment and 6-month outcomes in patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis at a tertiary ophthalmology service in Ga-Rankuwa
 
Creator Laher, Fatima Cullen, Claire Matlala, J Baile
 
Subject Medicine; Health Sciences; Infectious Diseases HIV; cytomegalovirus; treatment
Description Objective. There are few data from before the antiretroviral therapy (ART) era for cytomegalovirus retinitis (CMV-R) from settings where cost limits use of systemic treatment. This study examines CMV-R treatment and survival outcomes in a public hospital ophthalmology service in Ga-Rankuwa, South Africa.

Methods. From October 2009 to October 2010, voluntarily consenting participants over the age of 15 years with incident clinically diagnosed CMV-R seen at the Dr George Mukhari Hospital ophthalmology clinic were prospectively enrolled in an observational study. Treatment was per clinic protocols and patients were followed up with structured data collection for up to 6 months.

Results. Eight individuals, all HIV infected and 50% female, were identified and enrolled. At enrolment, median age was 38 years (interquartile range (IQR) 32 - 39 years), median CD4 count 20 cells/μl (IQR 13 - 46.5 cells/μl), and 50% were currently receiving ART (mean duration of ART use 18 days, standard deviation (SD) 2.99 days). No participant received systemic ganciclovir, but 6 reported symptom combinations suggesting systemic CMV: shortness of breath (n=3), diarrhoea (n=3) and/or central nervous system complaints (n=3). Ten eyes had visual impairment less than counting fingers at enrolment. Treatment combinations were: ART plus intravitreal ganciclovir (n=5), intravitreal ganciclovir alone (n=2), and ART alone (n=1). Six-month outcomes were: death (n=1), survival (n=6), loss to follow-up (n=3), untraceable (n=1), systemic symptom resolution (4/4), visual acuity deterioration (0/5), and persisting uveitis (2/3).

Conclusion. In the ART era, incident CMV-R appears to be uncommon in this setting. CMV-R may occur within the first 3 weeks after ART initiation. Even in CMV-R patients with suggestive systemic symptoms, 6-month survival is good despite no systemic CMV therapy.

S Afr J HIV Med 2012;13(2):68-71.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Date 2012-06-07
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — Observational cohort
Format text/html application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/sajhivmed.v13i2.141
 
Source Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine; Vol 13, No 2 (2012); 68-71 2078-6751 1608-9693
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://sajhivmed.org.za/index.php/hivmed/article/view/141/235 https://sajhivmed.org.za/index.php/hivmed/article/view/141/234 https://sajhivmed.org.za/index.php/hivmed/article/downloadSuppFile/141/67 https://sajhivmed.org.za/index.php/hivmed/article/downloadSuppFile/141/68
 
Coverage Sotuh Africa; Dr George Mukhari Hospital; Garankuwa 2009 - 2011 over 18 years
Rights Copyright (c) 2012 Fatima Laher, Claire Cullen, J Baile Matlala https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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