Treatment of cytomegalovirus pneumonia with high-dose acyclovir.
Cytomegalovirus pneumonia is a serious complication of marrow transplantation, with a 90 percent fatality rate. Acyclovir, a new antiviral agent with variable in vitro activity against cytomegalovirus, was administered to eight marrow transplant patients with biopsy-proven cytomegalovirus pneumonia; one patient survived. Doses were between 400 and 1200 mg/m2 and peak plasma levels between 47 and 316 microM were attained. Possible marrow toxicity occurred in three patients, and mild neurotoxicity occurred in one. High-dose acyclovir had mild toxicity but was not effective as treatment for cytomegalovirus pneumonia after marrow transplantation.
D000212:Acyclovir; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002648:Child; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006147:Guanine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D009420:Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects; D011024:Pneumonia, Viral / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006147:Guanine; D000212:Acyclovir