Ganciclovir alone or in combination with hyperimmunoglobulin is replac
ing other treatment modalities for the prophylactic treatment of cytom
egalovirus (CMV) infections. No dose recommendations are available for
oral ganciclovir therapy in children with impaired renal function aft
er renal transplantation of a kidney from a CMV IgG-positive donor. We
undertook a pharmacokinetic study in 14 pediatric renal transplant re
cipients who were CMV IgG negative and had received a graft from a CMV
IgG-positive donor. We estimated the daily dosage of oral ganciclovir
in relation to the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Oral ganciclovir
was administered at a starting dose of 3 x 1 g for children with a we
ight above 50 kg, 3 x 750 mg for children between 50 and 37.5 kg, and
3 x 500 mg for children between 37.5 and 24 kg. The starting dose was
reduced by 50% for GFR values less than or equal to 50 ml/min per 1.73
m(2) and by 75% for GFR values less than or equal to 25 ml/min per 1.
73 m(2). The daily dose was divided into three daily doses unless GFR
was < 40 ml/min per 1.73 m(2), when only two daily doses were given. D
oses were adjusted according to the measured plasma trough concentrati
ons (c) using the simple formula: c(ganciclovir)(measured)/c(ganciclov
ir)(desired = dosage rate(used)/dosage rate(adjusted). Mean stable pla
sma trough concentration was 0.91 +/- 0.68 mu g/ml. The dosage rate, a
djusted to a trough concentration of 1.0 mu g/ml, correlated with the
GFR. The dose per day could be calculated according to a simple equati
on for a GFR <100 ml/min per 1.73 m(2): dosage per day (mg/kg per day)
= GFR. No CMV disease developed in any of the patients during oral ga
nciclovir, but 1 patient developed an acute rejection episode and a po
sitive pp65 antigen 5 weeks after discontinuation of ganciclovir. The
drug was well tolerated and without side effects.