Itraconazole to Prevent Fungal Infections in Chronic Granulomatous Disease

In chronic granulomatous disease of childhood, killing of microorganisms is impaired because of defects in the production of hydrogen peroxide. In this controlled study, 39 patients were treated in alternate years with either itraconazole or placebo, once per day. There were seven serious infections during treatment with placebo, and only one during treatment with itraconazole. Chronic granulomatous disease of childhood is a rare group of inherited disorders of phagocytic cells characterized clinically by recurrent life-threatening infections and excessive granuloma formation. 1 Phagocyte migration and phagocytosis are normal, but killing of microorganisms is impaired because of defective production of hydrogen peroxide and related products of oxygen metabolism. A variety of biochemical defects lead to the disorder. The current mortality rate is 2 to 5 percent per year. 2 In the absence of prophylaxis with antibiotics or interferon gamma, patients with chronic granulomatous disease have severe infections due to catalase-positive bacteria and fungi about once a year. Prophylaxis with . . .