title: Antiviral therapy of varicella-zoster virus infection in immunocompromised children--a prospective randomized study of aciclovir versus brivudin.
abstract: Both aciclovir and brivudin are effective in the treatment of immunocompromised children with varicella-zoster virus infection. To determine which drug is preferable, a prospective randomized trial aciclovir vs. brivudin was conducted. Forty-three immunocompromised children were randomly assigned to receive aciclovir intravenously at a dose of 1,500 mg/m2/d and brivudin orally at a dose of 15 mg/kg/d, respectively. Twenty-two patients were treated with aciclovir and 21 with brivudin. In all children the general status improved within two days. The eruption of new lesions stopped within one to five days, fever stopped within one to nine days, complete remission occurred within five to six days after introduction of the virustatic therapy. There was no difference in therapeutic efficacy between aciclovir and brivudin. Two children in each group did not respond to the medication. No myelo-, hepato- and nephrotoxic side effects due to aciclovir or brivudin were observed. All obviously immunocompromised children with varicella or zoster may be treated with aciclovir or brivudin.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Infektionskrankheiten im Kindesalter, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heidl
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Scholz
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dörffel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hermann
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000009:adverse effects; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; C020235:brivudine; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D000212:Acyclovir