Intralesional cidofovir for recurrent respiratory papillomatosis in children.

OBJECTIVE To assess the potential benefit of intralesional administration of cidofovir, an acyclic nucleoside phosphonate with activity against several DNA viruses, for treating severe respiratory papillomas in pediatric patients. DESIGN Prospective case series. SETTING Tertiary care children's hospitals. PATIENTS Five pediatric patients with severe recurrent respiratory papillomatosis requiring laryngoscopy with carbon dioxide laser therapy more frequently than once a month to maintain airway patency. Each patient underwent between 12 and 33 laryngoscopies with laser treatment prior to being injected with cidofovir. INTERVENTION Microsuspension laryngoscopy with intralesional injection of cidofovir (Vistide) in conjunction with mechanical debulking and carbon dioxide laser of papillomas. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Papilloma stage at time of serial laryngoscopies. RESULTS One patient was disease free and 3 patients demonstrated a dramatic response to adjuvant therapy with cidofovir at the 9-month follow-up visit after the last injection of cidofovir. One patient showed an improvement in papilloma stage that was possibly related to concurrent therapy with interferon. CONCLUSIONS Intralesional injection of cidofovir seems to be of benefit in the treatment of severe respiratory papillomatosis in pediatric patients. Larger prospective studies with longer follow-up will be required before cidofovir can be considered an accepted means of managing this difficult disease.