Long-term posterior and anterior segment complications of immune recovery uveitis associated with cytomegalovirus retinitis

PURPOSE: To identify and describe long-term posterior and anterior segment complications of immune recovery uveitis in patients with inactive cytomegalovirus retinitis who are undergoing highly active antiretroviral therapy-mediated recovery of immune function. METHODS: A prospective cohort study at a university medical center. Twenty-nine eyes of 21 patients with immune recovery uveitis and inactive cytomegalovirus retinitis were followed for 14.5 to 116 weeks (median, 43 weeks) after diagnosis of immune recovery uveitis, RESULTS: Nine eyes of nine patients developed visually important complications involving the posterior segment, anterior segment, or a combination of both. Posterior segment complications included severe proliferative vitreoretinopathy in three eyes and spontaneous vitreous hemorrhage from avulsion of a blood vessel secondary to tory syndrome that may result in complications months to years after the onset of inflammation. (C) 2000 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.