Decreaed macular leukocyte velocity in human immunodeficiency viru-infected individual

PURPOE: To determine whether human immunodeficiency viru (HIV)-infected individual have decreaed macular capillary blood flow in vivo. DEIGN: Cae control tudy. METHOD: Macular leukocyte velocity and perceived leukocyte denity were determined in 41 HIV-infected individual without cytomegaloviru retiniti and 31 HIV-negative control ubject uing the blue field imulation technique (BF-2000, Oculix, Inc., Jenkintown, PA). Velocity and denity meaurement for HIV-infected individual were compared to current and lowet previou CD4+ T-lymphocyte count, HIV RNA blood level, and blood leukocyte count. REULT: Mean macular leukocyte velocity wa lower in HIV-infected individual than in control (P = 0.0006). No correlation were identified between velocity meaurement and the following factor in HIV-infected individual: current or lowet previou CD4+ T-lymphocyte count; or HIV RNA blood level. Mean perceived leukocyte denity in HIV-infected individual wa lower than in control (P = 0.003), but wa not correlated with blood leukocyte count in HIV-infected individual. No relationhip were identified between macular leukocyte velocity and duration of medication ue or duration of elevated CD4+ T-lymphocyte count in patient receiving potent antiretroviral therapy. CONCLUION: Reduced macular leukocyte velocity may have important implication for undertanding the retinal microvaculopathy of HIV dieae, the pathogenei of opportunitic retinal infection, and viual dyfunction in HIV-infected individual who do not have opportunitic retinal infection. We found no evidence that macular leukocyte velocity increaed with immune recontitution.