Clinical characteristics and outcomes of people living with HIV and ocular syphilis during the COVID-19 health emergency

Figures & data

Figure 1. Outcomes of PLWH with ocular syphilis treated with ACPG vs. alternative treatment. PLWH: people living with HIV; ACPG: aqueous crystalline penicillin.

Table 1. Demographic and clinical characteristics of PLWH with ocular syphilis.

	All (n = 53)	PLWH who did not receive treatment for OS (n = 6)	SOC (n = 32)	Alternative treatment (n = 15)
Age, median, years (IQR)	32 (28–36.5)	34 (31–43.2)	31 (28–39.2)	33 (26–35)
Gender, n (%)
Cis man	47 (88.7)	5 (83.3)	28 (87.5)	14 (93.3)
Trans women	4 (7.5)	1 (16.7)	3 (9.4)	0 (0)
Cis women	2 (3.8)	0 (0)	1 (3.1)	1 (3.1)
CD4 count, median, cells per mm^3 (IQR)	189 (95.2–295.5)	181 (95.7–267.7)	241 (102–380)	114 (66–215)
HIV viral load strata
<1000 copies per mL	15 (28.3)	0 (0)	15 (46.9)	0 (0)
>1000 copies per mL	38 (71.7)	6 (100)	17 (53.1)	15 (100)
Syphilis stage, n (%)
Primary	2 (3.8)	1 (16.7)	1 (3.1)	0 (0)
Secondary	23 (43.4)	3 (50)	10 (31.3)	10 (66.7)
Latent or indeterminate	28 (52.8)	2 (33.3)	21 (65.6)	5 (33.3)
RPR dilution, n (%)
<1:32	7 (13.2)	0 (0)	5 (15.6)	2 (13.3)
1:64	10 (18.9)	0 (0)	8 (25)	2 (13.3)
1:128	8 (15.1)	1 (16.7)	7 (21.9)	0 (0)
1:256	13 (24.5)	1 (16.7)	8 (25)	4 (26.7)
1:512	10 (18.9)	4 (66.7)	3 (9.4)	3 (20)
1:1024	3 (5.7)	0 (0)	0 (0)	3 (20)
>1:2048	2 (3.8)	0 (0)	1 (3.1)	1 (6.7)
Asymptomatic, n (%)	15 (28.3)	1 (16.7)	10 (31.3)	4 (26.7)
Clinical symptoms, n (%)
Central scotoma	3 (5.7)	0 (0)	3 (9.4)	0 (0)
Decreased visual acuity	29 (54.7)	3 (50)	19 (59.4)	7 (46.7)
Red eye	3 (5.7)	1 (16.7)	1 (3.1)	1 (6.7)
Myodesopsia	9 (17)	3 (50)	3 (9.4)	3 (20)
Clinical findings, n (%)
Anterior uveitis	18 (34)	2 (33.3)	12 (37.5)	4 (26.7)
Choroiditis	34 (64.2)	6 (60.9)	15 (46.9)	13 (86.7)
Vascular sheathing	31 (58.5)	5 (83.3)	17 (53.1)	9 (60)
Vitritis	38 (71.7)	5 (83.3)	22 (68.8)	11 (73.3)
Optic nerve edema	12 (22.6)	1 (16.7)	7 (21.9)	4 (26.7)
Optic neuritis	10 (18.9)	1 (16.7)	7 (21.9)	2 (13.3)
Retinitis	7 (13.2)	2 (33.3)	4 (12.5)	1 (6.7)
Treatment for ocular syphilis, n (%)
- Aqueous crystalline penicillin	32 (60.3)		32 (100)	0 (0)
- Ceftriaxone	2 (3.7)			2 (13.3)
- Aqueous procaine penicillin/probenecid	11 (19.2)			11 (73.3)
- Aqueous procaine penicillin/doxycycline	2 (3.7)			2 (13.3)

PLWH: people living with HIV; SOC: standard of care; IQR: interquartile range; OS: ocular syphilis.