title: [Observations about the treatment of Cytomegalovirus retinitis in patients with HIV infection using Ganciclovir and Foscarnet]
abstract: Objective: The Authors report their experience of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis therapy in HIV patients, using Ganciclovir and Foscarnet in monotherapy. They also evaluate the reliability of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) through the qualitative technique as an index of active disease. Methods: 18 patients suffering from CMV retinitis were treated: Ganciclovir was administered at a dosage of 10 mg/kg b.w./day and Foscarnet at 180 mg/kg b.w./day, both of them for 21 days during the induction phase. During the mantainance phase the former was administered at 5 mg/kg b.w./day and the latter at 90 mg/kg b.w./day for 5 days a week. Results: Both the drugs induced the stabilization or regression of the lesions. There was however a relapse with both therapies. We did not observe a significant difference either in the entity and the duration of the stabilization or in the survival from diagnosis time. Finally the PCR method was not helpful in the diagnosis of CMV retinitis.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Malattie Infettive e Medicina Pubblica e Istituto di Microbiologia, Universita degli Studi di Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: D.
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Drenaggi
authors.forename: P.
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pauri
authors.forename: C.
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sigismondi
authors.forename: M.M.
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Nuzzo
authors.forename: I.
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mariwan
authors.forename: A.M.
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Schimizzi
authors.forename: O.
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cerioni
authors.forename: M.
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brugia
authors.forename: G.
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scalise