PP66 : Choroidal Thickness among Patients Diagnosed with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

Dr.ANIRUDDHA AGARWAL

Purpose: To measure variation in the choroidal thickness (CT) among subjects with HIV infection compared to healthy controls from two diverse ethnic populations. Methods: 68 eyes of 68 patients with HIV (44 Caucasian and 24 Asian Indians) and 60 eyes of 60 healthy volunteers (36 Caucasian and 24 Asian Indians) underwent enhanced-depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT) and measurement of CT. Results: Mean CD4 nadir count of HIV patients was 145.67±133 cells/µL. Mean CT was significantly higher among subjects with HIV compared to healthy controls (312.91±65µm vs 266.57±47µm; p<0.001). 17 patients were diagnosed with HIV-related microangiopathy. CT was higher among subjects with HIV microangiopathy compared to HIV without microangiopathy (285±30µm vs 352±17µm; p<0.01). Conclusions: HIV may be associated with higher CT suggestive of choroidal vascular dysfunction related to the effects of the virus.