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Cytomegalovirus is an important cause of disease in the newborn. The authors report data from a randomized trial of an extension of valganciclovir therapy from 6 weeks to 6 months for symptomatic CMV disease in newborns. Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the leading nongenetic cause of sensorineural hearing loss 1 – 4 and is the most frequent known viral cause of mental retardation 5 ; the infection affects 0.6 to 0.7% of live births in industrialized countries. 6 – 8 A total of 10% of congenitally infected neonates have symptomatic disease at birth, of whom 35% have sensorineural hearing loss, up to two thirds have neurologic deficits, and 4% die during the newborn period. 7 – 11 Although congenital CMV infection is rare overall, it accounts for 21% of children with hearing loss at birth and 24% of those with hearing loss at . . .

Background. Human herpesvirus–8 (HHV-8) replication is critical in the induction and maintenance of Kaposi sarcoma, primary effusion lymphoma, and some cases of Castleman disease. In vitro and observational studies suggest that ganciclovir inhibits HHV-8 replication, but no randomized clinical trials have been conducted. Methods. A total of 26 men infected with HHV-8 were randomized to receive 8 weeks of valganciclovir administered orally (900 mg once per day) or 8 weeks of placebo administered orally. After a 2-week washout period, participants in each group received the study drug they had not yet taken (either valganciclovir or placebo), for 8 additional weeks. Oral swab samples were collected daily during the study, and HHV-8 and CMV DNA were quantified by real-time PCR. Results. A total of 16 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–positive men and 10 HIV-negative men enrolled in and completed the study. Of the 3439 swab samples that participants had been expected to provide, 3029 (88%) were available for analysis. HHV-8 was detected on 44% of swabs collected from participants who were receiving placebo, compared with 23% of swabs collected from participants who were receiving valganciclovir (relative risk [RR], 0.54 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.33–0.90]; P = .02). Valganciclovir reduced oropharyngeal shedding of cytomegalovirus by 80% (RR, 0.20 [95% CI, 0.08–0.48]; P < .001). Shedding of HHV-8 and shedding of cytomegalovirus were independent. Hematologic, renal, or hepatic toxicities were no more common among participants who received the active drug, compared with those who received placebo, though participants who received valganciclovir reported more days of diarrhea. Conclusions. Valganciclovir administered orally once per day is well tolerated and significantly reduces the frequency and quantity of HHV-8 replication.

BackgroundGanciclovir/valganciclovir is currently indicated during the first 6 months of life in symptomatic children with congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. However, this treatment may have the potential to induce mitochondrial toxicity due to off-target inhibition of DNA-polymerases. Similar anti-HIV drugs have been associated with mitochondrial toxicity but this has never been explored in CMV.ObjectiveTo determine the potential mitochondrial toxicity profile at the genetic, functional and biogenesis level in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from a cohort of newborns and infants with symptomatic congenital CMV infection (treated with valganciclovir, untreated and uninfected controls).DesignLongitudinal, observational and controlled study.Setting and patientsSubjects were recruited at the tertiary referral Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and experiments were conducted at IDIBAPS-Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Spain. CMV-infected newborns underwent comprehensive monthly clinical follow-up.MethodsMitochondrial parameters, audiometry and neurological assessment were measured at baseline, 3–6 and 12 months after inclusion in the study. The Kruskal-Wallis test for k-independent samples and Friedman tests for repeated measurements were applied.ResultsComplex IV, citrate synthase enzymatic activities and mtDNA remained preserved in congenital CMV-infected infants treated with valganciclovir compared with controls (p>0.05 in all cases).ConclusionsNo evidence of mitochondrial toxicity was found in infants treated with valganciclovir for congenital CMV.

Purpose To compare the efficacy and injection frequency of intravitreal low-dose vs. intermediate-dose ganciclovir therapy in acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients exhibiting cytomegalovirus retinitis (CMVR). Methods A prospective, single-centre, double-blinded, randomized controlled interventional study was conducted. Fifty patients with a total of 67 included eyes were randomly divided into low-dose (0.4 mg ganciclovir per week) and intermediate-dose (1.0 mg ganciclovir per week) groups. The primary clinical outcomes were the changes in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) from baseline to the end of treatment and the 12-month follow-up visit as well as the number of intravitreal injections. Results In both groups, the median BCVA, expressed as the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR), improved significantly from baseline to the end of treatment (both p  < 0.001), while vision loss from CMVR continued to occur at the 12-month visit. The mean number of injections was 5.8 in the low-dose group and 5.4 in the intermediate-dose group. No significant differences were detected between the two groups ( p  > 0.05). Regarding the location of CMVR, we found that Zone I lesions led to a worse visual outcome, more injections and a higher occurrence rate of complications than lesions in other zones ( p  < 0.05). Conclusions The efficacy and frequency of injections to treat CMVR in AIDS patients were not significantly different between low and intermediate doses. Zone I lesions were associated with a worse visual outcome, more injections and a higher occurrence rate of CMVR-related complications than lesions in other zones.

Forty-eight patients who provided 2 consecutive blood samples that tested positive for cytomegalovirus DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were randomized to receive either full-dose ganciclovir (5 mg/kg intravenously [iv] twice daily) or half-dose ganciclovir (5 mg/kg iv once daily) plus half-dose foscarnet (90 mg/kg iv once daily) for 14 days. In the ganciclovir arm, 17 (71%) of 24 patients reached the primary end point of being CMV negative by PCR within 14 days of initiation of therapy, compared with 12 (50%) of 24 patients in the ganciclovir-plus-foscarnet arm (P = .12). Toxicity was greater in the combination-therapy arm. In patients who failed to reach the primary end point, baseline virus load was 0.77 log10 higher, the replication rate before therapy was faster (1.5 vs. 2.7 days), and the viral decay rate was slower (2.9 vs. 1.1 days) after therapy. Bivariable logistic regression models identified baseline virus load, bone-marrow transplantation, and doubling time and half-life of decay as the major factors affecting response to therapy within 14 days. This study did not support a synergistic effect of ganciclovir plus foscarnet in vivo.

In this multicenter, randomized study, cytomegalovirus (CMV)-seropositive patients who received an allogeneic bone marrow transplant were provided high-dose intravenous acyclovir (500 mg/m2 q8h) from the day of transplantation until engraftment. The patients were then randomly assigned to receive either oral valacyclovir, 2 g q.i.d. (n = 83), or intravenous ganciclovir, 5 mg/kg q12h for 1 week, then 6 mg/kg once daily for 5 days per week (n = 85), until day 100 after transplantation. CMV infection occurred in 12% of the patients who received valacyclovir and in 19% of the patients who received ganciclovir (hazard ratio [HR], 1.042; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.391–2.778; P =.934). CMV disease developed in only 2 patients who received valacyclovir and in 1 patient who received ganciclovir (HR, 1.943; 95% CI, 0.176–21.44; P =.588). Oral valacyclovir can be an effective alternative to intravenous ganciclovir for prophylaxis of CMV disease after bone marrow transplantation.

Parallel comparison with 0.15% ganciclovir (GCV) ophthalmic gel to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of 0.15% GCV in situ ophthalmic gel for the treatment of herpes simplex keratitis (HSK). This was a multicenter, randomized, investigator-masked, parallel group study. HSK patients were randomly divided into two groups, with the corresponding treatment of 0.15% GCV ophthalmic gel or 0.15% GCV in situ ophthalmic gel. Symptoms and signs were observed before administration, and 3 (±1), 7 (±1), 14 (±2), and 21 (±3) days after the administration. The clinical effective rate was considered as the primary outcome. The safety profile was evaluated by AEs, visual acuity, and ocular tolerance. The clinical effective rate in the per-protocol (PP) dataset for the treatment group and the control group were 95.10% and 93.00%, respectively (P = 0.5282). The noninferiority test showed significant differences (P = 0.000305, P < 0.025), indicating that the tested drug was noninferior to the control. Patients in the PP dataset of both groups experienced decreases in the total scores of clinical indicators. Ocular AEs were few but similar between the two groups. There were no significant differences between patients' visions between the two groups before and after administration in the safety analysis set. In terms of drug tolerance, the rates of patients without transient blurred vision during all the visits in the treatment group were higher than those for the control group (P < 0.05). During the third and fourth visits, the rates of patients with eye itching were 4.08% and 1.22% in the treatment group, and 13.59% and 8.14% in the control group, respectively (P < 0.05). During the second visit, the rates of patients with eye irritation were 14.42% in the treatment group and 25.71% in the control group (P < 0.05). The 0.15% GCV in situ ophthalmic gel was effective and safe for the treatment of HSK, and was not inferior to 0.15% GCV ophthalmic gel. The 0.15% GCV in situ ophthalmic gel presented superior ocular tolerance.

Summary Despite current approaches to prophylaxis, cytomegalovirus (CMV) continues to be a common cause of infection and disease in solid-organ-transplant patients. Thus, we conducted a controlled trial comparing long-term administration of ganciclovir with high-dose acyclovir for prevention of CMV infection and disease in liver transplant recipients. At the time of transplant, patients were randomised to receive either ganciclovir (6 mg/kg body weight per day intravenously from postoperative day 1 to day 30, then 6 mg/kg per day Monday through Friday until day 100) or acyclovir (10 mg/kg intravenously every 8 h from postoperative day 1 to day of discharge, then 800 mg orally four times a day until day 100). Patients were followed for development of CMV infection, CMV disease, and drug-related toxicity by frequent cultures, serological tests, laboratory measurements, and tissue biopsies. During the first 120 days after transplant, CMV infection occurred in 48 of 126 (38%) acyclovir patients but in only 6 of 124 (5%) ganciclovir patients (p<0·0001). Similarly, symptomatic CMV disease developed in 12 of 126 (10%) acyclovir patients but in only 1 of 124 (0·8%) ganciclovir patients (p=0·002). Ganciclovir reduced the incidence of CMV infection in both CMV antibody positive (37 vs 4%, p=0·001) and negative patients (42 vs 11%, p=0·06). In a multivariate analysis of donor-recipient CMV antibody status and other risk factors, prophylactic ganciclovir was the most significant factor protecting against CMV infection (p<0·0001) and disease (p=0·001). Ganciclovir and acyclovir were generally well-tolerated. Incidences of leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, renal failure, and other adverse events were similar in the two groups. CMV can be eliminated almost completely as a significant pathogen in liver transplant recipients by the long-term administration of prophylactic ganciclovir. In addition, the treatment is safe.

We studied the efficacy of two different doses of ganciclovir to prevent cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients. We randomly assigned allogeneic HSCT recipients who had CMV infection to receive preemptive ganciclovir therapy with or without induction phase (5 mg/kg twice daily for 1 week). Thirty-two and thirty-six patients were randomized to the standard and the low-dose therapy group, respectively. The median time to CMV antigenemia or viremia clearance was 7 days (3–25 days) in the standard therapy group versus 11 days (3–69 days) in the low-dose therapy group ( P  = 0.540). The incidence of CMV disease was similar between the two groups ( P  = 0.366). The Kaplan–Meier estimate of event-free survival by day 180 after HSCT was 76.2% in the standard therapy group versus 66.7% in the low-dose therapy group ( P  = 0.590). Severe neutropenia (<0.5 × 10 9 /L) was observed in four (12.5%) patients in the standard therapy group versus two (5.6%) patients in the low-dose therapy group ( P  = 0.314). This study suggests that a low-dose ganciclovir preemptive therapy can be as effective as the standard-dose ganciclovir preemptive therapy for the prevention of CMV disease in allogeneic HSCT recipients.

CYTOMEGALOVIRUS (CMV) retinitis is the most common intraocular infection in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), affecting an estimated 20 percent of them. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Untreated, CMV retinitis is a progressive and destructive infection that results in blindness. 9 Two drugs are currently available for the treatment of CMV retinitis: ganciclovir (Cytovene, Syntex Laboratories) and foscarnet (Foscavir, Astra Pharmaceutical Products). Each drug is administered intravenously and must be given initially in high doses (induction) and then continuously in lower doses (maintenance). Successful treatment converts an active lesion with a white, necrotic, expanding border to an inactive one with a nonexpanding atrophic scar. . . .