title: Randomized comparison of oral valacyclovir and intravenous ganciclovir for prevention of cytomegalovirus disease after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
abstract: In this multicenter, randomized study, cytomegalovirus (CMV)-seropositive patients who received an allogeneic bone marrow transplant were provided high-dose intravenous acyclovir (500 mg/m(2) q8h) from the day of transplantation until engraftment. The patients were then randomly assigned to receive either oral valacyclovir, 2 g q.i.d. (n=83), or intravenous ganciclovir, 5 mg/kg q12h for 1 week, then 6 mg/kg once daily for 5 days per week (n=85), until day 100 after transplantation. CMV infection occurred in 12% of the patients who received valacyclovir and in 19% of the patients who received ganciclovir (hazard ratio [HR], 1.042; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.391-2.778; P=.934). CMV disease developed in only 2 patients who received valacyclovir and in 1 patient who received ganciclovir (HR, 1.943; 95% CI, 0.176-21.44; P=.588). Oral valacyclovir can be an effective alternative to intravenous ganciclovir for prophylaxis of CMV disease after bone marrow transplantation.
authors.affiliation: University of California, Center for the Health Sciences, Los Angeles, USA. dwinston@mednet.ucla.edu
authors.forename: Drew J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Winston
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Yeager
authors.forename: Pranatharthi H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Chandrasekar
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Snydman
authors.forename: Finn Bo
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Mary C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Territo
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000401:mortality; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000187:drug effects; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009181:Mycoses / Q000401:mortality; D018805:Sepsis / Q000401:mortality; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D000077483:Valacyclovir; D014633:Valine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D014633:Valine; D000077483:Valacyclovir; D015774:Ganciclovir; D000212:Acyclovir