Control of cytomegalovirus retinitis after combination antiretroviral therapy.

Purpose: To report on AIDS patients having combination antiretroviral therapy whose cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis remained inactive after discontinuation of anti-CMV maintenance therapy.

Methods: We describe the course of CMV-retinitis in 3 patients with AIDS after initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy.

Results: After cessation of anti-CMV therapy no relapse of CMV-retinitis has been observed for up to 18 months. Two of the patients developed new CMV-retinitis in the first months after initiation of combination therapy, nevertheless after further improvement of immunological parameters retinitis remained stable without anti-CMV therapy.

Conclusion: The sustained immunological effects of combination therapy are possibly sufficient enough to provide protection against CMV-retinitis.