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Treatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis remains unsatisfactory because both ganciclovir and foscarnet have limited duration of efficacy and administration difficulties. These two trials indicate that cidofovir -- an intravenous agent with broad activity against CMV as well as other herpesviruses -- slows the progression of CMV retinitis.
The first trial, sponsored by the drug manufacturer, randomized 48 patients with peripheral CMV retinitis to receive immediate or deferred therapy with cidofovir (5 mg/kg once a week for two weeks followed by 5 mg/kg every two weeks). Deferred therapy was administered after the progression of CMV retinitis. Because of the known nephrotoxicity of cidofovir, high-dose oral probenecid was also given before…