Safety of Alternating Ganciclovir and Foscarnet Maintenance Therapy in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-related Cytomegalovirus Infections. An Open-labeled Pilot Study

Autor: H. D. Pohle, T. Grünewald, Harald Timm, Frank Bergmann, B. Ruf, Schürmann D, M. Peters
Rok vydání: 1994
Předmět:
Zdroj: Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases. 26:49-54
ISSN: 1651-1980
0036-5548
DOI: 10.3109/00365549409008590
Popis: In the treatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in patients with AIDS, a life-long suppression therapy following an induction therapy consisting of ganciclovir or foscarnet is essential. Due to drug-related toxicities, anti-CMV therapy frequently has to be discontinued. To determine whether toxicities and side effects may be reduced with an alternating combination therapy consisting of ganciclovir and foscarnet (ganciclovir: 5 mg/kg every other day; foscarnet: 120 mg/kg every other day), 10 AIDS patients with CMV disease received this maintenance therapy for a median time of 18.5 weeks (5-51 weeks). Side effects were reported from 5 patients (nausea 5, malaise/fatigue 2, penile ulcers 1). Hematological or renal toxicities were mild, 1-week discontinuation of therapy due to neutropenia was necessary in 1 patient. Progression of CMV disease was observed in 3 patients at 2, 6, and 30 weeks of maintenance therapy. Median relapse-free interval for all patients was 105 days. We conclude that combination therapy with ganciclovir and foscarnet can be used safely for induction and maintenance therapy. Therefore, this regimen should be assessed in further trials to evaluate safety, efficacy, and the development of resistance in comparison to ganciclovir or foscarnet monotherapy.
Databáze: OpenAIRE