Treatment of Cytomegalovirus Retinitis in Patients with the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Until recently, long-term regimens consisting of daily intravenous infusions of ganciclovir or foscarnet were the only available treatments for patients with cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis, a sight-threatening complication that affects approximately one third of patients in the United States with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). 1 , 2 In the past three years, the results of 11 randomized clinical trials of four new treatments for AIDS-related CMV retinitis have been reported. 3 – 13 Thus, there are now new therapies from which clinicians can choose. Incidence and Natural History of CMV Retinitis CMV end-organ disease has emerged as one of the most common serious complications . . .