Acyclovir Use After Bone Marrow Transplantation
Author Information
Author(s): P.J. Selby, R.L. Powles, D. Easton, T.J. Perren, K. Stolle, B. Jameson, A.P. Fiddian, Y. Tryhorn, H. Stern
Primary Institution: Royal Marsden Hospital
Hypothesis
Can intravenous and long-term oral acyclovir reduce herpesvirus infections after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation?
Conclusion
Acyclovir significantly reduced herpes simplex and varicella zoster virus infections during treatment, but not cytomegalovirus infections.
Supporting Evidence
- Acyclovir significantly reduced herpes simplex virus infections during treatment.
- There was a complete abolition of varicella zoster virus infections during acyclovir administration.
- No reduction in cytomegalovirus infection was demonstrated.
Takeaway
This study shows that giving acyclovir can help prevent certain virus infections in patients who have had a bone marrow transplant.
Methodology
Patients were randomly assigned to receive either acyclovir or a placebo, and their infection rates were monitored over time.
Potential Biases
There may have been an imbalance in seropositivity for CMV and VZV between treatment groups.
Limitations
The study did not show a reduction in cytomegalovirus infections, and the long-term effects of acyclovir were not fully assessed.
Participant Demographics
Patients with acute leukaemia undergoing allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
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