COMBINED DAILY THERAPY WITH INTRAVENOUS GANCICLOVIR AND FOSCARNET FOR PATIENTS WITH RECURRENT CYTOMEGALOVIRUS RETINITIS

We treated seven patients (nine eyes) who had cytomegalovirus retinitis with daily intravenous ganciclovir plus foscarnet. All patients had demonstrated multiple progressions of retinitis on single-drug therapy, and some were intolerant to induction doses of one or both medications. Before combination therapy, the median number of progressions was five per patient. The mean interval between progressions was 11 weeks, and the mean interval before the final progression was four weeks. While taking combination therapy, two patients showed progression after 14 and 34 weeks. Two patients showed no progression after 17 and 36 weeks of follow-up. Three patients died after five, 14, and 23 weeks, respectively, without progression of retinitis. In every patient, the progression-free interval was longer during combination therapy than the previous progression-free interval during single-drug therapy. In no case was combination therapy stopped because of toxicity. Combination therapy was fairly well tolerated and appeared to prolong the interval to progression and to preserve vision in our patients.