Famciclovir for the treatment of acute retinal necrosis (ARN) syndrome.

PURPOSE: To document a case of acute retinal necrosis syndrome in an immunocompetent patient who was successfully treated with famciclovir after unsuccessful treatment with acyclovir.

METHODS

After diagnosing acute retinal necrosis syndrome in the patient's left eye, we treated him with 13 mg/kg/24 hours of intravenous acyclovir in three daily doses for 14 days, followed by 800 mg of acyclovir five times per day orally. New areas of retinitis developed within the posterior pole despite treatment with the maximum dosage of acyclovir; thus, we used a new antiviral agent, famciclovir.

RESULTS

When we administered 500 mg of famciclovir orally every 8 hours for 3 months, the retinitis regressed within 1 month, leaving atrophic granular pigmented scars.

CONCLUSION

Famciclovir can effectively treat acute retinal necrosis syndrome in immunocompetent patients.