title: A survey of CMV prevention strategies after liver transplantation.
abstract: The degree of variability in the use of CMV prevention strategies and choice of antiviral regimens among LT centers has not been previously investigated. An electronic survey on current CMV prevention strategies was sent to all US and Canadian LT centers. A total of 58 (53%) centers completed the survey. Most use CMV PCR for screening or diagnosis. Prophylaxis was the most common prevention strategy for all donor/recipient subtypes except D-/R- who often receive no prophylaxis. Prophylaxis was usually given for 3 months after LT with valganciclovir the most frequently used agent. In the small percentage of centers utilizing the preemptive approach, monitoring for CMV was typically performed with PCR for 3 months and valganciclovir was most frequently used for treatment of detectable CMV viremia. In conclusion, the majority of LT centers utilize CMV prophylaxis over other strategies. Valganciclovir is the most commonly used agent for both antiviral prophylaxis and treatment of CMV viremia in the preemptive approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Hepatology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA. j-levitsky@northwestern.edu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Levitsky
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Wagener
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stosor
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abecassis
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ison
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology; D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D000077562:Valganciclovir; D014766:Viremia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077562:Valganciclovir; D015774:Ganciclovir