CClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT00000698Updated Sep 30, 2008

A Treatment Protocol for the Use of Intravenous Ganciclovir in AIDS Patients With Immediately Sight-Threatening CMV Retinitis

A Phase 3 interventional study of Ganciclovir in Cytomegalovirus Retinitis and HIV Infections, sponsored by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 3 Months and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2008-09-30.

Sponsored by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Ages
3 Months and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

To determine the safety and effectiveness of intravenous ganciclovir (also known as DHPG) in the treatment of sight-threatening cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in patients with AIDS. CMV retinitis is a severe vision-threatening viral infection of the retina of the eye. It occurs in patients whose immune function has been impaired and is the most common cause of blindness in patients with AIDS. Ganciclovir (GCV) improved the signs and symptoms of CMV retinitis in approximately 80 percent of the patients treated for 2 weeks, but almost all of the patients treated with GCV had a relapse after treatment was stopped. Thus, it is important to determine if GCV can be safely given over a long period of time (maintenance therapy) and if it is effective in preventing a relapse of CMV retinitis.

Read the detailed description

CMV retinitis is a severe vision-threatening viral infection of the retina of the eye. It occurs in patients whose immune function has been impaired and is the most common cause of blindness in patients with AIDS. Ganciclovir (GCV) improved the signs and symptoms of CMV retinitis in approximately 80 percent of the patients treated for 2 weeks, but almost all of the patients treated with GCV had a relapse after treatment was stopped. Thus, it is important to determine if GCV can be safely given over a long period of time (maintenance therapy) and if it is effective in preventing a relapse of CMV retinitis.

Patients are given GCV intravenously for 14 days. Then the patient receives the same dose, but only once a day, for as long as therapy is tolerated. If the retinitis worsens during the maintenance phase, the patient may again be given GCV for 14 days. Long-term treatment with GCV usually requires the surgical placement of a catheter in a large central vein in the chest or groin that is left in place indefinitely. If this is required, the procedure will be explained to the patient.

02

Conditions studied

  • Cytomegalovirus Retinitis
  • HIV Infections

Keywords

  • Retinitis
  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections
  • Ganciclovir
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections
  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
03

In context

Infections

6,688 studies on the registry are indexed under Infections; 807 are open to participants now.

Browse Infections studies →

Lead sponsor

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is the lead sponsor of 2,401 studies on the registry; 179 are open to participants now.

Of its 396 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 294 (74%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
3 Months and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

Concurrent Medication:

Allowed:

  • Aerosolized pentamidine prophylaxis for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.
  • Topical ophthalmics.
  • Topical acyclovir.

Concurrent Treatment:

Allowed:

  • Hemodialysis for patients with renal impairment.

Patients must have:

  • Diagnosis of AIDS and immediately sight-threatening cytomegalovirus retinitis.

Prior Medication:

Allowed:

  • Zidovudine.
  • Prior therapy for retinitis.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria

Co-existing Condition:

Patients with the following symptoms or conditions are excluded:

  • Non-immediately sight-threatening cytomegalovirus retinitis.

Concurrent Medication:

Excluded:

  • Systemic investigational agents such as antimetabolites, alkylating agents, nucleoside analogs, acyclovir sodium (Zovirax).
  • Interferon.
  • Cytokines.
  • Foscarnet (non-nucleoside pyrophosphate analog).
  • Ganciclovir may be withheld for up to 21 days for an acute course with an investigational or toxic therapy or oral / IV acyclovir.

Patients with the following are excluded:

  • Non-immediately sight-threatening cytomegalovirus retinitis.
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
None (open label)

Interventions

  • DrugGanciclovir
06

Study locations

1 site
  • Natl Inst of Allergy & Infect Dis / Cln Ctr
    Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
07

References and documents

Publications

  • Feinberg J, Katz D, Mastre B, DeArmond B. Ganciclovir (GCV) in AIDS patients with immediately sight-threatening CMV retinitis (ISTCR): initial summary of "treatment IND" data. Int Conf AIDS. 1990 Jun 20-23;6(1):230 (abstract no ThB432)
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Sep 30, 2008, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00000698
Lead sponsor
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
First posted
Aug 31, 2001
Completion
Aug 2007
Last update
Sep 30, 2008

Study contacts

Feinberg J
study chair
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Apr 1992. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Start the discussion