title: A pilot phase II study of alternate day ganciclovir and foscarnet in preventing cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections in at-risk pediatric and adolescent allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prophylaxis with ganciclovir or foscarnet post allogeneic stem cell transplant (AlloSCT) reduces cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease. Combination ganciclovir/foscarnet is more effective than monotherapy in HIV patients with CMV retinitis. We hypothesized that alternate day ganciclovir and foscarnet for the prevention of CMV during the first 100 days after AlloSCT would be safe and effective.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-three pediatric and adolescent AlloSCT recipients receiving 57 AlloSCTs where donors and/or recipients were CMV seropositive received ganciclovir (5 mg/kg/48 hr) alternating with foscarnet (90 mg/kg/48 hr) from myeloid recovery (>or=ANC 750/mm3) until Day +100.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients were: M:F 31:22; age 6 years (0.8-18 years); donor sources: 25 related peripheral blood/bone marrow, 3 unrelated adult peripheral blood, 26 unrelated cord blood, and 3 related cord blood. GVHD prophylaxis included tacrolimus/mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). Median-nucleated and CD34 cell counts were 7.3x10(8)/kg and 5.07x10(6)/kg, respectively, for BM/PBSC; 4.07x10(7)/kg and 1.69x10(5)/kg, respectively, for CB. Despite a 36.5% probability of Grades II-IV acute GVHD, no patient developed systemic CMV disease. Five percent had Grade IV hematological toxicity that required discontinuation of ganciclovir. Twenty-five percent required discontinuation of foscarnet secondary to electrolyte abnormalities and/or renal dysfunction that were presumed to be multifactorial in origin. Probability of 1-year overall survival was 58.8%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alternate day ganciclovir/foscarnet in AlloSCT recipients where recipient and/or donor is seropositive appears to be tolerable and 100% effective in preventing CMV systemic disease. A randomized study will be required to determine if this approach is superior to other CMV prophylactic designs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, and Division of Pediatric Hematology and Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York-Presbyterian, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: Evan B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Shereck
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cooney
authors.forename: Carmella
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van de Ven
authors.forename: Phyllis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Della-Lotta
authors.forename: Mitchell S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Cairo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005260:Female; D017245:Foscarnet / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019172:Transplantation Conditioning / Q000379:methods; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D017245:Foscarnet; D015774:Ganciclovir