Cidofovir: new preparation.  Of help in CMV retinitis.
(1) Cidofovir is an antiviral drug indicated for intravenous treatment of cytomegalovirus retinitis in patients with AIDS. (2) The evaluation file is limited. (3) The cidofovir dose regimen (one infusion of 5 mg/kg once a week for fifteen days then once every fifteen days) was determined in three comparative trials. (4) These trials, involving patients with relatively low risk of visual deterioration, showed that cidofovir slowed the progression of retinitis on fundoscopy but had no effect on visual acuity. (5) Cidofovir has not been compared with the other two antiviral drugs used by the intravenous route in the treatment of retinitis, i.e. ganciclovir and foscarnet. (6) Cidofovir frequently has adverse effects.  The most troublesome are nephrotoxicity and eye damage, with a possible impact on visual acuity. (7) Cidofovir is easier to administer (weekly infusions, then fortnightly during maintenance) than ganciclovir or foscarnet (daily infusions for long periods).
D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D017726:Cytomegalovirus Retinitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003596:Cytosine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017245:Foscarnet / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D017245:Foscarnet; D003596:Cytosine; D015774:Ganciclovir