Acyclovir therapy for chickenpox in children with hematological malignancies

Nineteen immunocompromised children with varicella were given intravenous acyclovir in dosages of 1000-1500 mg/m2 per day every 8 h for 5-10 days. The effect of treatment was compared with data from a group of patients previously treated with arabinoside cytosine (ara-c). The median times to cessation of new lesion formation, lesion crusting and lesion healing were shorter in the acyclovir-treated group than for ara-c. The time-to-event probability curves for cessation of new lesion formation, lesion crusting and lesion healing were significantly different for the acyclovir and ara-c group. Patients receiving acyclovir experienced no major adverse effects. Anticancer therapy did not require modification in most cases treated with acyclovir. Acyclovir was highly effective and nontoxic when used in the treatment of varicella-zoster infections in children with hematological malignancies being given anticancer treatment in comparison with ara-c therapy.