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Extending CMV Treatment After Renal Transplant Lowers Risk of Disease WASHINGTON, DC -- September 17, 2009 -- For renal transplant recipients, infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV) may lead to devastating complications. New research suggests that extending the period of preventive treatment after kidney transplantation can reduce the risk of CMV disease. The study is published online and will appear in a future issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. In renal transplant patients and others with reduced immune function, CMV infection can cause serious disease. Although CMV infection can happen anytime, most cases occur soon after the end of preventive treatment. Complications related to CMV not only affect the outcome of kidney transplantation but also increase financial costs. Fu Luan, MD, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, and colleagues compared 3 months versus 6 months of treatment with valganciclovir. In a retrospective analysis of 222 renal transplant recipients, those receiving 6 months of valganciclovir preventive treatment had a lower rate of CMV-related disease, about 12%, as compared with 24% with the 3-month treatment period. With adjustment for other factors, 6 months of preventive therapy reduced the risk of CMV disease by nearly two thirds. On comparing costs versus benefits, the researchers found that the extended period of preventive therapy was a cost-effective treatment. Although longer treatment with valganciclovir was expensive, the cost was largely offset by reducing the number of patients with CMV disease, thus averting its long-term adverse consequences. The researchers hope their study will trigger interest among kidney transplant professionals in evaluating the long-term consequences and cost-effectiveness of the specific treatments they provide. “At the same time, we hope that additional studies will be done to further reduce CMV infection and disease in kidney transplant patients,” said Dr. Luan. The study had some important limitations. Because it was a retrospective analysis, the ability to compare the outcomes of these treatments was limited. In addition, the assumptions made in cost-effectiveness study may be limited by the available literature. SOURCE: American Society of Nephrology E-mail this page to a friend or colleague! To print, use this version