A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Trial of Oral Acyclovir in Renal Allograft Recipients

Fifty renal transplant patients were randomized to receive either 800 mg acyclovir by mouth four times daily or identical placebo tablets for prophylaxis of herpes simplex infection. Patients were followed weekly to assess reactivation of herpes simplex, varicella zoster virus, Epstein-Barr virus or...

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Main Authors: Walter F Schlech, Nancy Meagher, Allan D Cohen, Philip Belitsky, AS MacDonald, John C LeBlanc
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 1993-01-01
Series:Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/1993/845236
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author Walter F Schlech
Nancy Meagher
Allan D Cohen
Philip Belitsky
AS MacDonald
John C LeBlanc
author_facet Walter F Schlech
Nancy Meagher
Allan D Cohen
Philip Belitsky
AS MacDonald
John C LeBlanc
author_sort Walter F Schlech
collection DOAJ
description Fifty renal transplant patients were randomized to receive either 800 mg acyclovir by mouth four times daily or identical placebo tablets for prophylaxis of herpes simplex infection. Patients were followed weekly to assess reactivation of herpes simplex, varicella zoster virus, Epstein-Barr virus or cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections. The patients received standard immunosuppressive regimens including cyclosporine A. Acyclovir suppressed secretion of herpes simplex virus in treated patients (P=0.001). Three episodes of mucocutaneous herpes simplex virus occurred in placebo recipients and one in a noncompliant acyclovir recipient. A clinically important difference in graft survival was demonstrated, but because of sample size failed to reach statistical significance (P=0.11). No reactivation of varicella zoster virus, Epstein-Barr virus or CMV infection was detected in either group. Toxicity was limited to central nervous irritability. The authors conclude that high dose oral acyclovir provides effective prophylaxis for prevention of herpes simplex virus infections in renal transplantation and may be associated with increased graft survival, perhaps from suppression of CMV infection.
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series Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases
spelling doaj-art-48ee562fb2af4d35989e1c189d6bce442025-08-20T02:05:52ZengWileyCanadian Journal of Infectious Diseases1180-23321993-01-0142848810.1155/1993/845236A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Trial of Oral Acyclovir in Renal Allograft RecipientsWalter F Schlech0Nancy Meagher1Allan D Cohen2Philip Belitsky3AS MacDonald4John C LeBlanc5Victoria General Hospital, Halifax, Nova Scotia, CanadaVictoria General Hospital, Halifax, Nova Scotia, CanadaVictoria General Hospital, Halifax, Nova Scotia, CanadaVictoria General Hospital, Halifax, Nova Scotia, CanadaVictoria General Hospital, Halifax, Nova Scotia, CanadaVictoria General Hospital, Halifax, Nova Scotia, CanadaFifty renal transplant patients were randomized to receive either 800 mg acyclovir by mouth four times daily or identical placebo tablets for prophylaxis of herpes simplex infection. Patients were followed weekly to assess reactivation of herpes simplex, varicella zoster virus, Epstein-Barr virus or cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections. The patients received standard immunosuppressive regimens including cyclosporine A. Acyclovir suppressed secretion of herpes simplex virus in treated patients (P=0.001). Three episodes of mucocutaneous herpes simplex virus occurred in placebo recipients and one in a noncompliant acyclovir recipient. A clinically important difference in graft survival was demonstrated, but because of sample size failed to reach statistical significance (P=0.11). No reactivation of varicella zoster virus, Epstein-Barr virus or CMV infection was detected in either group. Toxicity was limited to central nervous irritability. The authors conclude that high dose oral acyclovir provides effective prophylaxis for prevention of herpes simplex virus infections in renal transplantation and may be associated with increased graft survival, perhaps from suppression of CMV infection.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/1993/845236
spellingShingle Walter F Schlech
Nancy Meagher
Allan D Cohen
Philip Belitsky
AS MacDonald
John C LeBlanc
A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Trial of Oral Acyclovir in Renal Allograft Recipients
Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases
title A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Trial of Oral Acyclovir in Renal Allograft Recipients
title_full A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Trial of Oral Acyclovir in Renal Allograft Recipients
title_fullStr A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Trial of Oral Acyclovir in Renal Allograft Recipients
title_full_unstemmed A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Trial of Oral Acyclovir in Renal Allograft Recipients
title_short A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Trial of Oral Acyclovir in Renal Allograft Recipients
title_sort randomized double blind placebo controlled trial of oral acyclovir in renal allograft recipients
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/1993/845236
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