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document
Treatment of varicella-zoster virus infection in severely immunocompromised patients . A randomized comparison of acyclovir and vidarabine . In a prospective , randomized trial , we compared intravenous acyclovir and vidarabine in the treatment of varicella-zoster virus infection in severely immunocompromised patients who presented within 72 hours of onset of the infection . Eleven patients were treated in each group . Cutaneous dissemination of infection occurred in none of the 10 acyclovir recipients and in 5 of the 10 vidarabine recipients who had presented with localized dermatomal disease ( P = 0.016 ) . As compared with vidarabine , acyclovir treatment shortened the median periods during which cultures were positive for the virus ( four vs. seven days , P = 0.004 ) and new lesions formed ( three vs. six days , P = 0.03 ) . Acyclovir also shortened the median interval until the first decrease in pain ( 4 vs. 7 days , P = 0.005 ) , the pustulation of all lesions ( 4 vs. 7 days , P = 0.0004 ) , the crusting of all lesions ( 7 vs. 17 days , P = 0.0003 ) , and the complete healing of lesions ( 17 vs. 28 days , P = 0.003 ) . In addition , acyclovir reduced the incidence of fever ( two vs. eight patients , P = 0.015 ) . We conclude that acyclovir is better than vidarabine for the treatment of varicella-zoster infection in immunocompromised patients .
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Intervention_Pharmacological
acyclovir
74438
Intervention_Pharmacological
vidarabine
74439
Intervention_Pharmacological
intravenous acyclovir
74440
Intervention_Pharmacological
vidarabine
74441
Intervention_Pharmacological
acyclovir
74442
Intervention_Pharmacological
vidarabine
74443
Intervention_Pharmacological
Acyclovir
74444
Intervention_Pharmacological
acyclovir
74445
Intervention_Pharmacological
acyclovir
74446
Intervention_Pharmacological
vidarabine
74447
Outcome_Physical
Cutaneous dissemination of infection
74448
Outcome_Physical
median periods during which cultures were positive for the virus
74449
Outcome_Physical
new lesions
74450
Outcome_Pain
interval until the first decrease in pain
74451
Outcome_Physical
pustulation of all lesions
74452
Outcome_Physical
crusting of all lesions
74453
Outcome_Physical
fever