PILOT TRIAL OF RIBAVIRIN FOR THE TREATMENT OF LARYNGEAL PAPILLOMATOSIS

The antiviral drug ribavirin was used as an adjunct to laser surgery f or the treatment of patients with laryngeal papillomatosis (LP). An un controlled clinical trial for four patients with ribavirin treatment a t a daily dose of 23 mg/kg was performed. Three adults received drug p rior to laser surgery and continuing orally for 6 months. One infant w as treated for 3 months. Two adults achieved complete remissions for a t least 2 consecutive months, and both patients developed only minimal recurrent disease in 4 months of follow-up. The other adult and the c hild sustained a partial response and an increased interval between th e required surgeries. Ribavirin caused only a mild, reversible reducti on in hemoglobin and reticulocytosis. This preliminary trial shows tha t ribavirin may be an effective therapy in combination with surgery fo r LP in a larger controlled clinical trial. (C) 1993 John Wiley & Sons , Inc.