title: [Use of leflunomide in a cytomegalovirus infection resistant: a report of a case].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is one of the most common complications in transplant patients, which can lead to multiple organ failure. The 80-90% of patients are cured with intravenous treatment standard (ganciclovir), or its oral prodrug (valganciclovir). In case there is no answer, we have alternatively another antiviral, foscarnet. A small number of patients do not respond to this, having a bad prognosis. The aim is to describe the case of a double lung transplant for cystic fibrosis, and recurrent CMV infection in which the use of leflunomide gets lower and even reach undetectable viral load.
  
  
  METHODS
  woman, 22 year old, double lung transplant for cystic fibrosis in March 2014. The CMV serology performed was positive in the donor and negative in the recipient. Controls viral load during prophylaxis with valganciclovir were negative in the receiver until the 6th month after transplantation, at which viral load was detected in controls (2 090 IU/ml). The patient was admitted to our hospital to receive intravenous treatment with ganciclovir, after one month with intravenous therapy viral load persisted positive (42 400 IU/ml). One study of resistance showed that was resistant to ganciclovir, so began treatment with intravenous foscarnet. This drug achieved negativizar viral load, so the treatment was discontinued, continuing with fortnightly controls viral load. After two months without treatment, viral load increased to 13 665 IU/ml, why was requested to Pharmacy Service the off-label use of leflunomide, with the intention that use oral therapy, instead of intravenous therapy. The patient was treated with valganciclovir until have the authorization of use of leflunomide, although unanswered, since in March 2015, at the start of leflunomide treatment the patient had a viral load of 17 344 IU/ml. The initial regimen was 100 mg of leflunomide daily for the first five days, followed by 20 mg every 12 hours. After fifteen days of treatment viral load had fallen to 531 IU/ml, becoming undetectable in one month. After four months of treatment the patient remains with undetectable viral load without having any adverse effect associated with it.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  our case is an example where the use of leflunomide in CMV infection resistant to other therapies is an effective and convenient alternative for patients because it keeps undetectable viral load with an oral therapy without having to enter the hospital for intravenous treatment.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Farmacia. Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre.. isa_gv@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gómez Valbuena
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Farmacia. Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre.. daniele.alioto@salud.madrid.org.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Alioto
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Farmacia. Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre.. olga.serrano@salud.madrid.org.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Serrano Garrote
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Farmacia. Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre.. josemiguel.ferrari@salud.madrid.org.
authors.forename: Jose Miguel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ferrari Piquero
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000187:drug effects; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007555:Isoxazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077339:Leflunomide; D056687:Off-Label Use; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007555:Isoxazoles; D000077339:Leflunomide