Efficacy and safety of famciclovir for the treatment of herpes zoster patients with renal dysfunction

We conducted a post-marketing prospective surveillance of the efficacy and safety of famciclovir among herpes zoster patients with renal dysfunction. Fifty-three herpes zoster patients with a creatinine clearance (Ccr) of less than 90 ml/min, including 9 patients treated with hemodialysis for renal failure, were recruited. Following the recommended dosages in the package leaflet, famciclovir was administered to each individual according to their Ccr. The assessments of general physicians, the pain associated with the lesions, renal function, and side effects were recorded before and after the famciclovir treatment. Overall efficacy assessments of "Markedly improved" and "Improved" accounted for 90.4% of the findings, and no assessments of "Unchanged" or "Worsened" were recorded. The efficacies in the group with a Ccr of less than 20 ml/min and in the group receiving hemodialysis were 75.0% and 77.8%, respectively ; these efficacies were not statistically different when compared with those of the other groups. No adverse drug reactions were reported in the participants. Famciclovir did not alter the Ccr and did not have any adverse effects on renal function after herpes treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first prospective study to assess the efficacy and safety of anti-viral treatment for herpes zoster patients with renal dysfunctions. These data indicate that famciclovir is a safe and effective choice for patients with renal dysfunction.