Correlation between body mass index and leucopenia after administration of valganciclovir for cytomegalovirus infection in chinese cardiac recipients.
BACKGROUND
Valganciclovir (VGC) has recently been proved efficacious for the prophylaxis and treatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in transplant recipients. Leucopenia is a troublesome complication of VGC but the possible risk factors are unknown.


RESULTS
Once a cardiac recipient's quantitative real-time CMV-polymerase chain reaction result showed positive, VGC was administered for 3 months. The 61 cardiac recipients enrolled in this study were divided into 2 groups: non-leucopenia group (n=29) and leucopenia group (n=32). The white blood cell (WBC) counts in the leucopenia group dropped approximately 55.6% in the first month after VGC therapy (pre-VGC WBC count: 5,544 cells/mm(3) vs post-VGC WBC count: 2,460 cells/mm(3), p<0.0001). The most significant difference between the 2 groups was body mass index (BMI, 23.04 vs 25.84, p=0.008), which was the impact factor of VGC-induced leucopenia.


CONCLUSIONS
Severe leucopenia may develop after VGC therapy in Chinese cardiac recipients, especially those with lower BMI.
Chen
I-Ming
IM
Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, 201 Sec.2 Shih-Pai Road, Taipei 112, Taiwan.
Chang
Hsiao-Huang
HH
Hsu
Chiao-Po
CP
Lai
Shiau-Ting
ST
Hsieh
Yuan-Chen
YC
Shih
Chun-Che
CC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D044466:Asian People; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002681:China; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D000077562:Valganciclovir
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D000077562:Valganciclovir; D015774:Ganciclovir