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Published Online, 13 February 2004, www.theannals.com, DOI 10.1345/aph.1D285.
 The Annals of Pharmacotherapy: Vol. 38, No. 4, pp. 705-709. DOI 10.1345/aph.1D285
© 2004 Harvey Whitney Books Company.
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DRUG INFORMATION ROUNDS

Oral Antivirals for the Acute Treatment of Recurrent Herpes Labialis

Lori A Jensen

PharmD Student, College of Pharmacy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA

James D Hoehns, PharmD BCPS

Assistant Professor (Clinical), College of Pharmacy, University of Iowa; Clinical Pharmacist, Northeast Iowa Family Practice Center, Waterloo, IA

Cindy L Squires, MD PhD

at time of writing, Resident Physician, Northeast Iowa Family Practice Center; now, Staff Physician, Affiliates of Family Practice, Cedar Rapids, IA

Reprints: James D Hoehns PharmD BCPS, Northeast Iowa Family Practice Center, 2055 Kimball Ave., Waterloo, IA 50702-5047, fax 319/272-2527, jhoehns{at}neimef.org

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use and benefit of oral antivirals in the acute treatment of episodic, recurrent herpes labialis.

DATA SOURCES: A literature search was performed in MEDLINE (1966–August 2003) using acyclovir, famciclovir, valacyclovir, cold sores, herpes labialis, and HSV-1 as search terms.

DATA SYNTHESIS: We reviewed 5 placebo-controlled and 2 comparative studies evaluating oral antivirals for acute treatment of recurrent herpes labialis. No studies directly compared different antivirals. Studies discussing the efficacy of antivirals for chronic suppression of herpes simplex virus-1 infection were not included.

CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with oral antivirals decreases the duration of lesion episodes and pain by approximately one day; however, the antivirals do not abort lesions from developing. Clinical implications of these results appear relatively modest.

Key Words: acyclovir, cold sores, famciclovir, herpes labialis, herpes simplex virus, oral antivirals, valacyclovir

Published Online, February 13, 2004. www.theannals.com, DOI 10.1345/aph.1D285




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