title: [Current strategies for treatment of CMV retinitis in patients with AIDS].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  CMV retinitis is the most common manifestation of active CMV infection in patients with AIDS. Before ganciclovir became available, the prognosis of CMV retinitis was very poor. Meanwhile a number of strategies for the management of CMV retinitis have evolved. To date no antiviral agent has proved effective in preventing reactivation of retinitis. Therefore the available antiviral agents delay rather than prevent relapse of CMV retinitis. Each relapse produces a more serious disease and retinitis becomes progressively less manageable.
  
  
  METHODS
  A review of current therapeutic strategies for the treatment of CMV retinitis with regard to the challenge of clinical resistance is given.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Effective treatment of clinically resistant CMV retinitis must consider the individual conditions. Thus, it is probable, that integration of both local and systemic therapies may be required to reduce the frequency of reactivation and thereby to decelerate the progression of the disease. Literature search in medline.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Netzhaut- und Glaskörperchirurgie der Universität Köln.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lüke
authors.forename: K U
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Bartz-Schmidt
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heimann
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D017726:Cytomegalovirus Retinitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions
vernacular_title: Aktuelle Strategien zur Behandlung der CMV-Retinitis bei Patienten mit AIDS.