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.

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.