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Famciclovir was well tolerated,with a safety profile similar to that of placebo.Famciclovir accelerated lesion healing and reduced the duration of viral shedding.Most importantly,famciclovir recipients had faster resolution of postherpetic neuralgia(approximately twofold faster)than placebo recipients;differences between the placebo group and both the 500- mg famciclovir group(hazard ratio,1.7[95%CI,1.1 to 2.7])and the 750-mg famciclovir group(hazard ratio,1.9[CI,1.2 to 2.9])were statistically significant(P=0.02 and 0.01,respectively).The median duration of postherpetic neuralgia was reduced by approximately 2 months.Oral famciclovir,500 mg or 750 mg three times daily for 7 days,is an effective and well-tolerated therapy for herpes zoster that decreases the duration of the disease's most debilitating complication,postherpetic neuralgia. |
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