Treatment of cytomegalovirus anterior segment infection with intravitreal injection of ganciclovir in adjunction with or without oral valganciclovir: a long-term results

Sci Rep. 2021 Feb 4;11(1):3105. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-82637-y.

Abstract

We evaluated the therapeutic outcome of intravitreal injection (IVI) of ganciclovir with/without oral valganciclovir for cytomegalovirus (CMV) anterior segment infection. We enrolled 61 patients (61 eyes) with PCR-proven CMV anterior segment infection. IVI of ganciclovir (2 mg/0.05 mL) was given as a loading dose; subsequent use of oral valganciclovir (900 mg twice daily) was determined according to the severity of anterior chamber inflammation after injection. All eyes had IVI of ganciclovir, and 53 patients received oral valganciclovir as adjunctive therapy with a mean duration of 1.9 months to achieve disease remission. Repeated diagnostic aqueous taps were performed in 37 eyes with suspected recurrence, and CMV DNA was positive in 24 eyes. This therapeutic strategy afforded a median 50% recurrence-free survival time of 47.0 ± 8.12 months. The patients' mean best corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure and corneal endothelial cell counts stabilized or improved. Corneal transplantation before CMV infection diagnosis was identified as an independent risk factor for recurrence (hazard ratio 6.81, 95% confidence interval 1.21-38.23, P = 0.029). In patients with CMV anterior segment infection, the relative short-term therapeutic strategy, IVI of ganciclovir in adjunction with/without oral valganciclovir, effectively achieved a median recurrence-free survival time of nearly 4 years.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anterior Chamber / drug effects
  • Anterior Chamber / pathology
  • Anterior Chamber / surgery
  • Anterior Chamber / virology
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • Cornea / drug effects
  • Cornea / pathology
  • Cornea / surgery
  • Cornea / virology
  • Corneal Edema / drug therapy*
  • Corneal Edema / pathology
  • Corneal Edema / surgery
  • Corneal Edema / virology
  • Corneal Transplantation / adverse effects
  • Cytomegalovirus / drug effects*
  • Cytomegalovirus / growth & development
  • Cytomegalovirus / pathogenicity
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / drug therapy*
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / pathology
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / surgery
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / virology
  • DNA, Viral / antagonists & inhibitors
  • DNA, Viral / genetics
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Female
  • Ganciclovir / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Intraocular Pressure / drug effects
  • Intravitreal Injections
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pseudophakia / drug therapy*
  • Pseudophakia / pathology
  • Pseudophakia / surgery
  • Pseudophakia / virology
  • Recurrence
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Valganciclovir / therapeutic use*
  • Visual Acuity / drug effects

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • DNA, Viral
  • Valganciclovir
  • Ganciclovir