Value of Long-Term Administration of Acyclovir and Similar Agents for Protecting Against AIDS-Related Lymphoma: Case-Control and Historical Cohort Studies

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Abstract
Acyclovir or similar agents with activity against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) theoretically may prevent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) in AIDS. A case-control study of 29 patients with AIDS-related NHL and 58 matched control subjects assessed the frequency with which daily acyclovir (≥800 mg/d) or similar agents were used for ≥1 year. In a historical cohort of 304 patients with AIDS for ≥2 years, the prevalence of NHL was assessed among 3 groups of patients: those who received long-term treatment with high-dose acyclovir (or similar agents) or low-dose or intermittent acyclovir; those treated with ganciclovir/foscarnet for 1 year) of high-dose acyclovir or similar agents with anti-EBV activity may prevent NHL in patients with AIDS. A prospective, randomized study is warranted to confirm these results.