Intraocular pressure in patients with human immunodeficiency virus, correlation with TCD4, viral load and demographic characteristics: a case–control study

PURPOSE: To compare if patients with HIV have lower intraocular pressure than patients without HIV. METHODS: The association of intraocular pressure corrected by pachymetry and the relationship with viral load (VL) and TCD4 cells was studied. A total of 99 patients with HIV (91 who were on regular treatment and in control of the disease – group 1; and 8 who were without treatment – group 2) and 100 controls were studied. RESULTS: Only age was of statistical significance; the group with HIV without control of the disease was the youngest. There was a decrease of −1.54 mmHg in the IOP of group 1 in relation to the controls and −3.63 mmHg in the IOP of group 2 in relation to the controls. CONCLUSION: HIV patients had lower IOP than the control population. However, the relationship between IOP, VL and TCD4 was not found.