[Valganciclovir for treatment of cytomegalovirus viremia in patients following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the efficacy and safety of valganciclovir in treatment of cytomegalovirus viremia in patients following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).


METHODS
Nineteen patients following allo-HSCT were diagnosed as with cytomegalovirus viremia with the CMV-DNA load of higher than 6.0 x 10(2) copies/ml confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) took orally valganciclovir at the dose of 900 mg bid for 14 days followed by 900 mg Qd for another 14 days. Since 4 weeks after the valganciclovir treatment PCR was conducted in the 6th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 24th weeks later to detect the CMV-DNA level.


RESULTS
CMV viremia was confirmed 40 days after HSCT on average with a median CMV-DNA load of 3.346 x 10(3) copies/ml. The total effective rate of valganciclovir was 94.7% (18/19). The CMV-DNA turned to negative in 7 d in 11 cases with a negative transfer rate of 54.7%, and in 14 d in 16 cases with a negative transfer rate of 84.2%. The median CMV DNA load reduction was 0.75 copies/ml and 0.084 log10 copies/ml/day. Severe adverse effects were not observed and CMV-related disease did not occur.


CONCLUSIONS
Valganciclovir is an attractive and safe alternative for preemptive CMV viremia treatment in allo-HSCT recipients.
Wang
Yu
Y
Institute of Hematology, People's Hospital of Peking University, Beijing100044, China.
Huang
Xiao-jun
XJ
Xu
Lan-ping
LP
Liu
Dai-hong
DH
Chen
Yu-hong
YH
Han
Wei
W
Wang
Jing
J
Liu
Kai-yan
KY
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000077562:Valganciclovir; D014766:Viremia / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077562:Valganciclovir; D015774:Ganciclovir