Comparison of treatment regimens for cytomegalovirus retinitis in patients with AIDS in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Publication/Presentation Date

6-1-2013

Abstract

PURPOSE: To describe the outcomes of different treatment approaches for cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).

DESIGN: Prospective cohort study, the Longitudinal Study of the Ocular Complications of AIDS.

PARTICIPANTS: A total of 250 patients with CMV retinitis and a CD4+ T-cell count < 100 cells/μl (n = 221) at enrollment or incident retinitis (n = 29) during cohort follow-up.

METHODS: The effects of systemic therapy (vs. intraocular therapy only) on systemic outcomes and the effect of intraocular therapies (ganciclovir implants, intravitreal injections) on ocular outcomes were evaluated.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Mortality, CMV dissemination, retinitis progression, and treatment side effects.

RESULTS: Regimens containing systemic anti-CMV therapy were associated with a 50% reduction in mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.3-0.7; P = 0.006), a 90% reduction in new visceral CMV disease (adjusted HR, 0.1; 95% CI, 0.04-0.4; P = 0.004), and among those with unilateral CMV retinitis at presentation, an 80% reduction in second eye disease (adjusted HR, 0.2; 95% CI, 0.1-0.5; P = 0.0005) when compared with those using only intraocular therapy (implants or injections). Compared with systemic treatment only, regimens containing intravitreal injections had greater rates of retinitis progression (adjusted HR, 3.4; P = 0.004) and greater visual field loss (for loss of one half of the normal field, adjusted HR, 5.5; P < 0.01). Intravitreal implants were not significantly better than systemic therapy (adjusted HR for progression, 0.5; P = 0.26; adjusted HR for loss of one half of the visual field, 0.5; P = 0.45), but the sample size was small. Hematologic and renal side effect rates were similar between those groups with and without systemic anti-CMV therapy. The rate of endophthalmitis was 0.017 per eye-year (EY) (95% CI, 0.006-0.05) among those treated with intravitreal injections and 0.01 per EY (95% CI, 0.002-0.04) among those treated with an implant.

CONCLUSIONS: In the HAART era, systemic anti-CMV therapy, while there is immune compromise, seems to provide benefits in terms of longer survival and decreased CMV dissemination.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.

Volume

120

Issue

6

First Page

1262

Last Page

1270

ISSN

1549-4713

Disciplines

Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

PubMedID

23419804

Department(s)

Administration and Leadership

Document Type

Article

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