EVALUATION OF SORIVUDINE (BV-ARAU) VERSUS ACYCLOVIR IN THE TREATMENT OF ACUTE LOCALIZED HERPES-ZOSTER IN HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS-INFECTED ADULTS

The clinical efficacy and safety of sorivudine as treatment for acute cutaneous tester in human immunodeficiency virus-infected adults was c ompared with that of acyclovir in a double-blinded randomized study, A total of 125 patients with laboratory-confirmed tester rash present f or less than or equal to 72 h were assigned treatment with either 40 m g of sorivudine once daily or 800 mg of acyclovir five times daily, bo th taken orally for 7 days, Patients were assessed daily until all les ions crusted and then monthly for 6 months for postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) and for 12 months for recurrent or new episodes of tester, Soriv udine significantly shortened the median period of new vesicle formati on from 3.0 to 4.0 days (log rank P = .0001), Sorivudine was effective regardless of duration of rash before treatment, Zoster recurrences a nd new episodes were experienced by fewer patients assigned sorivudine (11%) than acyclovir (26%, P = .037), No differences were seen in inc idence, severity, or duration of either acute neuritis or PHN, Both tr eatments were well tolerated.