Study of Prophylactic Vs Preemptive Valganciclovir

Prophylactic Vs Preemptive Oral Valganciclovir for Management of Cytomegalovirus Infection in Adult Renal Transplant Recipients: A Clinical and Pharmacoeconomic Study

This is a study of prophylactic Vs preemptive oral valganciclovir for management of cytomegalovirus infection in adult renal transplant recipients looking at clinical and pharmacoeconomic outcomes

This is a study of prophylactic Vs preemptive oral valganciclovir for management of cytomegalovirus infection in adult renal transplant recipients looking at clinical and pharmacoeconomic outcomes. Patients at risk for CMV (D+/R-, D+/R+, D-/R+) were randomized to prophylaxis (valganciclovir 900 mg qd for 100 days, n=49) or preemptive therapy (900 mg bid for 21 days, n=49) for CMV DNAemia (CMV DNA level >2000 copies/ml in ≥ 1 whole blood specimens by quantitative PCR done weekly for 16 weeks then at months 5, 6, 9, and 12. Clinical and virologic outcomes were measured and pharmacoeconomic outcomes will be analyzed

Inclusion Criteria:

• All patients who received a kidney transplant at Washington University Medical Center between March 2003 and June 2004.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Age younger than 18
• Refusal to consent for the study
• Allergy to ganciclovir and severe illness too serious to justify randomization