High-dose Intravitreal Injection of Ganciclovir for the Treatment of CMVR in HIV-negative Patients

A Prospective, Non-randomized, Non-controlled Trial: Initial Intravitreal Injection of High-dose Ganciclovir for Cytomegalovirus Retinitis in HIV-negative Patients

This prospective, non-randomized, non-controlled clinical trial was conducted to examine the clinical outcomes achieved by using initial high-dose intravitreal ganciclovir injections of ganciclovir in treating cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in patients without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.

Cytomegalovirus retinitis (CMVR) is a serious vision-threatening disease. Intravitreal antiviral drug delivery was used as first-line treatment in several studies when systematic injection has been ruled out. The reported dose of intravitreal injections of ganciclovir (IVG) varied from 200 μg/0.1 ml to 5mg/0.1 ml in patients with AIDS. There was no consensus on the dose of ganciclovir in the treatment of CMVR in HIV-negative patients. Previous work showed the safety and the efficacy of 1mg IVG. The investigators proposed that a higher dose of ganciclovir (6mg/0.1ml) for the first injection followed by lower dose for maintenance may indicate a better result. Therefore, this study was performed to evaluate the therapeutic effect and safety of initial high-dose IVG for CMVR in HIV-negative patients.

IVG was conducted in a week interval. The initial dose was 6mg/0.1ml at the first injection and it was reduced to 4.5mg/0.1ml at the second time; 3mg/0.1ml of IVG was maintained until the CMV could not be detected in aqueous humor.

Intravitreal Injection of Ganciclovir (IVG) was conducted in a week interval. The initial dose was 6mg/0.1ml at the first injection and it was reduced to 4.5mg/0.1ml at the second time; 3mg/0.1ml of IVG was maintained until the CMV could not be detected in aqueous humor.

The load of CMV-DNA level in aqueous humor was detected by means of real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The aqueous humor was obtained before the IVG.

Once a week. From the date of the first IVG until the date in which the CMV-DNA load turned undectable, assessed up to 10 weeks.

Once a week. From the date of the first IVG until the date in which the CMV-DNA load turned undectable, assessed up to 10 weeks.

Once a week. From the date of the first IVG until the date in which the CMV-DNA load turned undectable, assessed up to 10 weeks.

Inclusion Criteria: Patients with CMVR by ophthalmological examination Positive CMV-DNA in aqueous humor approved by real-time PCR. HIV-negative. Exclusion Criteria: Diabetic retinopathy, Glaucoma. Optic neuritis.

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