Initial intravitreal injection of high-dose ganciclovir for cytomegalovirus retinitis in HIV-negative patients.
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:The purpose of this study is to examine the clinical outcomes achieved by using initial high-dose intravitreal ganciclovir injections to treat cytomegalovirus retinitis in patients without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. METHODS:Twenty-four eyes (24 patients) with cytomegalovirus retinitis received multiple intravitreal injections of ganciclovir in weekly intervals. A higher dose (6?mg) of ganciclovir was applied at the first intravitreal injection, and a lower dose was used for maintenance. Anterior aqueous humour was obtained before each injection. The best-corrected visual acuity and cytomegalovirus loads in the anterior aqueous humour were measured. RESULTS:The mean cytomegalovirus DNA load in aqueous humour decreased significantly from (2.59?±?2.28)?×?105 copies/mL at baseline to (1?±?1.76)?×?104 copies/mL one month later. The aqueous cytomegalovirus DNA load was negative in 17 eyes (70.8%) one month later. No obvious improvement of best-corrected visual acuity was found during the treatment. A positive correlation was proven between initial cytomegalovirus DNA titers in aqueous humour and the total number of intravitreal injections of ganciclovir, as well as between the baseline and final best-corrected visual acuities. No severe complications developed. CONCLUSIONS:An initial high dose of ganciclovir (6?mg) and continuous intravitreal injections of ganciclovir could significantly decrease the cytomegalovirus load in HIV-negative patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis. TRIAL REGISTRATION:http://clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03598452, retrospectively registered on 24 July 2018.
SUBMITTER: Qian Z
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6288921 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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