Long-Term Oral Acyclovir Usage to Prevent Herpes Zoster Virus Infection After Bone Marrow Transplant

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (FHCC)

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 3

Conditions: VZV Infection After Bone Marrow Transplantation

Treatments: Drug: Acyclovir

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; Industry; NIH

Identifiers

NCT00209352

FHCRC Protocol 236.00

CA 15704

FHCRC IR 420

CA 18029

Burroughs Wellcome Fund

Details and patient eligibility

About

The objective of this study is to prevent reactivation of herpes zoster during the first year after transplant.

Full description

Herpes zoster infection occurs in 30% of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients who had a history of varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection. A safe and effective prevention strategy has not been established.

77 marrow allograft recipients at risk for VZV reactivation were randomized to oral acyclovir 800 mg twice daily or placebo given from day 30 until day 365 and were followed for toxicity and clinical evidence of herpes zoster infection.

Sex: All

Ages: 10+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 10 years or older
• Both sex (male or female)
• Allogeneic transplant patient for hematologic malignancy or aplastic anemia

Exclusion criteria

• Previous intolerance to acyclovir
• Patients who are unavailable for follow-up
• Patients in whom drug compliance may be a problem
• Evidence of active VZV infection
• VZV infection in the initial 1 month after transplant
• Pregnant women, lactating women, or those not using adequate contraception
• Creatinine > 3.0 mg/dl.