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Basic Research |
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UVEITIS |
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Ganciclovir Cidofovir
CMV Retinitis Treatment Trial |
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Ronald
J. Rescigno, MD |
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Cytomegalovirus
(CMV) retinitis is the most common opportunistic infection and a leading
cause of blindness in patients with AIDS. This multicenter clinical
trial is being conducted to compare the 2 most efficacious treatments
for CMV retinitis: the ganciclovir intraocular implant and intravenous
cidofovir. Patients are randomly assigned to either group. Primary treatment
outcome will be vision loss greater than 3 lines in best-corrected visual
acuity and rate of visual field loss (degrees/month). Other outcomes,
eg, mortality, development of extraocular CMV disease, as well as adverse
events will also be compared to determine which treatment is not only
more efficacious but also carries less morbidity. Both intravenous cidofovir
and the ganciclovir implant were found to be equally efficacious in
controlling CMV retinitis, the only difference being the side-effect
profiles. |
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Longitudinal Study
of Ocular Complications of AIDS (LSOCA) |
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Ronald
J. Rescigno, MD |
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Because the epidemiology of AIDS is evolving rapidly,
with HIV becoming more like a chronic disease, new information is needed
on the incidence and course of ocular complications. LSOCA is a prospective,
observational, multicenter study that will provide such information
by collecting data on the incidence of, and risk factors for, ocular
complications of patients with AIDS. The study will also supplement
information gleaned from treatment trials by collecting data from a
large, diverse patient population. These data will allow us to examine
the clinical course of ocular complications and to assess the effectiveness
of treatments with regard to visual function, survival, and quality
of life. There are currently 90 patients enrolled at New Jersey Medical
School and 1300 nationwide. |
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