AIM: To investigate clinical efficacy of two drug therapies(acyclovir with prednisone acetate tablets, ganciclovir with prednisone acetate tablets and aspirin)for acute retinal necrosis syndrome.

METHODS: Thirty patients(40 eyes)with acute retinal necrosis syndrome in our hospital were randomly divided into group A and B. Group A was treated with acyclovir with prednisone acetate tablets, and group B was given ganciclovir with prednisone acetate tablets and aspirin. Clinical effects in the two groups were observed and compared.

RESULTS: After treatment, the overall response rate in group B(90%)was obviously higher than that in group A(70%), both of two regimens were effective, without significant difference(P>0.05). There was no significant difference on the pre-treatment visual acuity between the two groups(P>0.05). After different treatments, the visual acuity in group B was ≥0.5 in 12 eyes, 0.1≤and<0.5 in 4 eyes, 0.02≤and<0.1 in 3 eyes, and no photosensitive in 1 eye. The visual acuity in group A was ≥0.5 in 9 eyes, 0.1≤and<0.5 in 3 eyes, 0.02≤and<0.1 in 6 eyes, and no photosensitive in 2 eyes. The recovery of visual acuity in group B was obviously better than that in A group(P<0.05). The incidence of complications such as retinal tear, herpes, mouth ulcers, chickenpox, viral encephalitis and central nervous system diseases in group B(10%)was significantly lower than that in A group(35%,P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Two drug therapies(acyclovir with prednisone acetate tablets, ganciclovir with prednisone acetate tablets and aspirin)both have positive therapeutic effect, but the latter can better restore visual acuity and decrease the complications.