Abstract
OBJECTIVES: We conducted this study to compare episodic and suppressive therapy for genital herpes about disease characteristics, disease burden, and psychologic impact. STUDY DESIGN: The authors conducted a randomized, open-label, 1-year treatment trial. RESULTS: Forty subjects were randomized to episodic therapy with valacyclovir (500 mg twice daily for 5 days) and 40 to suppressive therapy (500 mg daily). Subjects in the episodic arm experienced more outbreaks (7.87 ± 4.65) than those in the suppressive arm (1.59 ± 1.93) (P <0.001). Subjects in the episodic arm also had significantly more days with pain and lesions (6.5 ± 7.3) than those in the suppressive arm (1.1 ± 3.3) (P < 0.001), and other quantitative measures of disease burden also favored the suppressive arm. Both treatment groups had significant improvements in their recurrent genital herpes quality-of-life scores from baseline that persisted throughout the study; however, there was no significant difference between the treatment arms in these scores. CONCLUSIONS: Suppressive therapy of recurrent genital herpes with valacyclovir has a greater impact on measures of disease frequency and burden than episodic therapy. However, both treatment strategies lead to significant improvements in recurrent genital herpes quality-of-life scores. Both treatment strategies benefit patients with recurrent genital herpes.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 297-301 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Sexually Transmitted Diseases |
| Volume | 34 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 2007 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Dermatology
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Microbiology (medical)
Cite this
A comparison of one year of episodic or suppressive treatment of recurrent genital herpes with valacyclovir. / Fife, Kenneth; Almekinder, Jennifer; Ofner, Susan.
In: Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Vol. 34, No. 5, 05.2007, p. 297-301.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - A comparison of one year of episodic or suppressive treatment of recurrent genital herpes with valacyclovir
AU - Fife, Kenneth
AU - Almekinder, Jennifer
AU - Ofner, Susan
PY - 2007/5
Y1 - 2007/5
N2 - OBJECTIVES: We conducted this study to compare episodic and suppressive therapy for genital herpes about disease characteristics, disease burden, and psychologic impact. STUDY DESIGN: The authors conducted a randomized, open-label, 1-year treatment trial. RESULTS: Forty subjects were randomized to episodic therapy with valacyclovir (500 mg twice daily for 5 days) and 40 to suppressive therapy (500 mg daily). Subjects in the episodic arm experienced more outbreaks (7.87 ± 4.65) than those in the suppressive arm (1.59 ± 1.93) (P <0.001). Subjects in the episodic arm also had significantly more days with pain and lesions (6.5 ± 7.3) than those in the suppressive arm (1.1 ± 3.3) (P < 0.001), and other quantitative measures of disease burden also favored the suppressive arm. Both treatment groups had significant improvements in their recurrent genital herpes quality-of-life scores from baseline that persisted throughout the study; however, there was no significant difference between the treatment arms in these scores. CONCLUSIONS: Suppressive therapy of recurrent genital herpes with valacyclovir has a greater impact on measures of disease frequency and burden than episodic therapy. However, both treatment strategies lead to significant improvements in recurrent genital herpes quality-of-life scores. Both treatment strategies benefit patients with recurrent genital herpes.
AB - OBJECTIVES: We conducted this study to compare episodic and suppressive therapy for genital herpes about disease characteristics, disease burden, and psychologic impact. STUDY DESIGN: The authors conducted a randomized, open-label, 1-year treatment trial. RESULTS: Forty subjects were randomized to episodic therapy with valacyclovir (500 mg twice daily for 5 days) and 40 to suppressive therapy (500 mg daily). Subjects in the episodic arm experienced more outbreaks (7.87 ± 4.65) than those in the suppressive arm (1.59 ± 1.93) (P <0.001). Subjects in the episodic arm also had significantly more days with pain and lesions (6.5 ± 7.3) than those in the suppressive arm (1.1 ± 3.3) (P < 0.001), and other quantitative measures of disease burden also favored the suppressive arm. Both treatment groups had significant improvements in their recurrent genital herpes quality-of-life scores from baseline that persisted throughout the study; however, there was no significant difference between the treatment arms in these scores. CONCLUSIONS: Suppressive therapy of recurrent genital herpes with valacyclovir has a greater impact on measures of disease frequency and burden than episodic therapy. However, both treatment strategies lead to significant improvements in recurrent genital herpes quality-of-life scores. Both treatment strategies benefit patients with recurrent genital herpes.
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U2 - 10.1097/01.olq.0000237853.69443.71
DO - 10.1097/01.olq.0000237853.69443.71
M3 - Article
VL - 34
SP - 297
EP - 301
JO - Sexually Transmitted Diseases
JF - Sexually Transmitted Diseases
SN - 0148-5717
IS - 5
ER -