title: Ganciclovir-induced encephalopathy in a bone marrow transplant recipient.
abstract: Ganciclovir is widely used as prophylactic and pre-emptive therapy, as well as treatment, for CMV infection following BMT. We report a case treated with ganciclovir 5 days a week. Following escalation of the ganciclovir dose to a twice daily dose to treat CMV antigenaemia, he developed encephalopathy. His encephalopathy resolved with withdrawal of ganciclovir. Ganciclovir encephalopathy has been described in other groups of patients but has not been reported following BMT to date. With its widespread use this complication is likely to be seen more often.
authors.affiliation: Oncology Unit, The New Children's Hospital, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharathkumar
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shaw
mesh_terms: D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000379:methods; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation
chemical_list: D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine; D011239:Prednisolone; D015774:Ganciclovir; D008727:Methotrexate