Toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis and the evolution of visual results in immunocompetent patients

Abstract

Objective: Determine the evolution of visual results in patients with active ocular toxoplasmosis.
Methods: An observational longitudinal prospective study was conducted of 101 immunocompetent patients with active ocular toxoplasmosis attending the Uveitis Service at Abel Santamaría General University Hospital from January 2012 to December 2018. The variables evaluated were injury location, size, number, episode, degree of inflammation, complications, post-treatment recurrence and best corrected visual acuity. Results were analyzed with absolute and relative frequencies, chi-square statistical association, the Mann-Whitney U or Kruskall Wallis tests, the Friedman test and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
Results: According to injury location, the lowest visual results were obtained in patients with zone I lesions, whereas the best results corresponded to zone III lesions. A better visual result evolution was achieved in patients with lesions smaller than or equal to a papillary diameter. A statistical difference was found between the various degrees of inflammation severity, with a tendency to an increase in best corrected visual acuity with the passing of time after treatment.
Conclusions: Visual improvement is achieved during the evolution of immunocompetent patients with active ocular toxoplasmosis.

Key words: Active ocular toxoplasmosis; visual result; trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.