Foscarnet for Cytomegalovirus Infection Early after Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Abstract

Early after stem cell transplantations (SCT), nine patients were given foscarnet (FCN) for treatment or as prophylaxis against CMV. Of the nine patients, one patient had ganciclovir resistant CMV infection, four were given treatment due to CMV-antigenemia early post SCT, and another four were given FCN prophylaxis, because they were at increased risk for CMV infection. Only one patient out of the four who were given asymptomatic treatment developed fatal CMV interstitial pneumonia. Three out of the 9 patients had transient increases in creatinine. No patient experienced myelotoxicity, and eight evaluable patients had engraftment. We suggest that FCN can safely be administered with acceptable toxicity for treatment of asymptomatic CMV infection or prophylaxis early after SCT.