title: An observational study of once weekly intravenous ganciclovir as CMV prophylaxis in heavily pre-treated chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients receiving subcutaneous alemtuzumab.
abstract: Fifteen consecutive resistant/relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients (median age: 65 years) received alemtuzumab for 16 consecutive weeks. All patients had negative CMV anti genemia at baseline. Five patients received oral acyclovir 800 mg twice a day for CMV prophylaxis and 10 patients got intravenous (iv) ganciclovir 7.5 mg/kg once a week. A total of five CMV reactivations occurred, four in the acyclovir and one in the ganciclovir prophylaxis group. Alemtuzumab was then discontinued and all patients were treated with iv ganciclovir 7.5 mg/kg per day. All patients achieved negative CMV anti genemia after a median of 15 days of therapy. Weekly iv ganciclovir prophylaxis and alemtuzumab treatment were then restarted without any further CMV reactivations. In conclusion, weekly iv ganciclovir appears feasible and effective in preventing CMV reactivation and disease in this setting of high-risk immunocompromised patients, allowing an easier management of a therapy otherwise difficult to be routinely used.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, San Salvatore Hospital, Pesaro, Italy. pesarohematology@yahoo.it
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Visani
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mele
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guiducci
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: D'Adamo
authors.forename: Giuliana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leopardi
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barulli
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Malerba
authors.forename: Moira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lucesole
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sparaventi
authors.forename: Pier Paolo
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Piccaluga
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guernaccini
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Agostinelli
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Isidori
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000074323:Alemtuzumab; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000473:pathology; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000074323:Alemtuzumab; D015774:Ganciclovir