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.