THE NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
Oral Ganciclovir for Patients With Cytomegalovirus Retinitis Treated With a Ganciclovir Implant
Daniel F. Martin, MD; Baruch D. Kuppermann, MD, PhD; Richard A. Wolitz, MD; Alan G. Palestine, MD; Hong Li, MS; Charles A. Robinson, MD; and the Roche Ganciclovir Study Group
Background The intraocular ganciclovir implant is effective for local treatment of cytomegalovirus retinitis in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), but it does not treat or prevent other systemic manifestations of cytomegalovirus infection.
Methods Three hundred seventy-seven patients with AIDS and unilateral cytomegalovirus retinitis were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: a ganciclovir implant plus oral ganciclovir (4.5 g daily), a ganciclovir implant plus oral placebo, or intravenous ganciclovir alone. The primary outcome measure was the development of new cytomegalovirus disease, either contralateral retinitis or biopsy-proved extraocular disease.
Results The incidence of new cytomegalovirus disease at 6 months was 44.3% . . . [Full Text of this Article]