Dicontinuing anticytomegaloviru therapy in patient with immune recontitution after combination antiretroviral therapy Original Reearch Article

PURPOE: To decribe our experience with dicontinuation of anticytomegaloviru maintenance therapy in patient who have had immune recontitution after initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy. METHOD: Fifteen patient with treated cytomegaloviru retiniti, who had immune recontitution after initiation of highly active retroviral therapy, had anticytomegaloviru maintenance therapy dicontinued. Patient were followed cloely for relape of retiniti. REULT: Median nadir CD4+ T-cell count, before intitution of highly active antiretroviral therapy, wa 20 cell/μl. At the time of dicontinuation of anticytomegaloviru therapy, median CD4+ T-cell count wa 297 cell/μl. Patient were followed for a median of 8 month off anticytomegaloviru therapy (range, 3 to 16 month). The median CD4+ T-cell count at lat follow-up wa 267 cell/μl. No patient off anticytomegaloviru therapy relaped. CONCLUION: In elected patient with immune recontitution after initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy, anticytomegaloviru therapy may be afely dicontinued, at leat temporarily. Longer follow-up of thee patient i needed to determine how long uch therapy may be interrupted, and when anticytomegaloviru therapy hould be reintituted.