title: Patterns of cytomegalovirus retinitis in immunocompromised patients treated with 9-(2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)ethoxymethyl) guanine (ganciclovir).
abstract: Five immunocompromised patients, four with AIDS and one who had undergone bone marrow transplantation, showing ocular signs of cytomegalovirus retinitis, were treated with 9-(2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)ethoxymethyl) guanine (Ganciclovir), given intravenously at the dose of 5 mg/kg twice daily for a period ranging from 10 to 20 days. At the end of the treatment, in 4 of 5 patients, the ophthalmoscopic picture had improved, with reduced exudation and an arrest in the progression of retinal necrosis, the pattern clearly indicating a trend towards organization and scarring. Complete resolution of the retinitis without subsequent relapse was observed only in the bone marrow transplant patient, who recovered immunologically, whereas improvement of the eye involvement was only transient in the three AIDS patients.
authors.affiliation: Cattedre di Ematologia, Università degli Studi G. D'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: D'Antonio
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iacone
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fioritoni
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dell'Isola
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mastropasqua
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lobefalo
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: De Nicola
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Paolone
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Di Gregorio
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Recchia
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D015828:Eye Infections, Viral / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D008297:Male; D012173:Retinitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D015774:Ganciclovir