Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (1999) 44, 525-531
© 1999 The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
A double-blind, randomized study assessing the equivalence of valacyclovir 1000 mg once daily versus 500 mg twice daily in the episodic treatment of recurrent genital herpes
a Service de Dermatologie, Hôpital Ambroise Paré, 9 Av Charles-de-Gaulle, Université Paris V, 92104 Boulogne Cedex b Laboratoire GlaxoWellcome, 78163 Marly-le-Roi c Département de Biostatistique et Informatique Médicale, Hôpital Saint-Louis, 75475 Paris, Cedex 10, France
Valaciclovir is a prodrug of acyclovir with more favourable bioavailability. Twice daily oral administration of valacyclovir is recommended in patients with genital herpes. A double-blind, randomized, controlled, multicriteria equivalence trial was conducted to determine whether od treatment with valacyclovir 1000 mg is as effective as bd treatment with 500 mg in patients with recurrent genital herpes. A total of 922 immunocompetent outpatients were treated with either regimen for 5 days; treatment was self-initiated at the first symptoms of the next recurrence. The principal outcome measures were the percentage of lesions healed at day 6, time to healing, time to cessation of pain, discomfort or itching, the percentage of abortive episodes and safety. Equivalence was assessed by comparison of 80% confidence limits for each measure; the two regimens were regarded as equivalent if the lower confidence limit was higher than a pre-determined equivalence limit calculated to show a maximum 10% inferiority of valacyclovir 1000 mg od against valaciclovir 500 mg bd. Intention-to-treat analysis showed that the two treatments were equivalent for each outcome measure. Hence, it is concluded that valacyclovir 1000 mg od is as effective as 500 mg bd as self-initiated therapy in patients with recurrent genital herpes.
* Corresponding author. Tel: +33-1-49-09-56-71; Fax 33-1-49-09-56-85; E-mail: philippe.saiag{at}apr.ap-hop-paris.fr
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