Phase I-II trial of foscarnet for prevention of cytomegalovirus infection in autologous and allogeneic marrow transplant recipients.

The safety and efficacy of foscarnet for prevention of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection was evaluated in 19 CMV-seropositive bone marrow transplant (BMT) recipients. All patients received intermittent intravenous (iv) foscarnet: 40 mg/kg every 8 h from 7 days before to day 30 after BMT, then 60 mg/kg once a day until day 75. The main toxicity was transient renal dysfunction, with a greater than 50 mumol/L increase in serum creatinine above baseline in 5 of the 7 autograft recipients and in 6 of the 12 allograft recipients. Only 4 allograft recipients developed CMV infection during foscarnet prophylaxis, and no patient showed evidence of CMV disease. Because 3 allograft recipients receiving concomitant iv amphotericin B showed rapid impairment of renal function, foscarnet prophylaxis should not be given to allograft recipients requiring amphotericin B; otherwise, foscarnet prophylaxis at this dose appears safe after BMT.