Contralateral Eye Involvement and Retinal Detachment in Patients with Cytomegalovirus Retinitis Treated with Intravitreous Ganciclovir

• Main Authors: Somsanguan Ausayakhun, Louise J. Lu, Sakarin Ausayakuhn, Onnisa Nanegrungsunk, Atitaya Apivatthakakul, Dao Luewattananont, Chaiayaphot Photcharapongsakul, Yingna Liu, Gary N. Holland, Todd P. Margolis, David Heiden, Jeremy D. Keenan
• Format: Journal
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: Medicine
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85083528683&origin=inward; http://cmuir.cmu.ac.th/jspui/handle/6653943832/70974
• Institution: Chiang Mai University

© 2020, © 2020 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Purpose: To determine the incidence of contralateral eye involvement and retinal detachment in HIV-infected patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis treated with repeated intravitreous ganciclovir. Methods: In a prospective cohort study in Northern Thailand, HIV-infected patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis were treated with antiretroviral therapy and intravitreous ganciclovir injections and followed for 3 months for contralateral cytomegalovirus retinitis and retinal detachment. Results: Of 49 participants with unilateral cytomegalovirus retinitis at enrollment, 7 developed contralateral eye involvement (4.8/100 person-months, 95% CI 1.9–9.8). Of 105 eyes without a retinal detachment at enrollment, 6 developed a retinal detachment (2.0/100 eye-months, 95% CI 0.7–4.3). Baseline clinical factors were not associated with the development of either outcome. Conclusion: Eyes treated with intravitreous ganciclovir experienced retinal detachment at a rate similar to other populations treated with systemic antivirals. The risk of contralateral eye involvement was relatively high during the first 3 months after initial diagnosis despite the institution of antiretroviral therapy.