Postnatal CMV Infection and Antiviral Treatment in Extremely Premature Infants: A 12-Year Retrospective Analysis

Abstract

Background: 

The impact and outcomes of postnatal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection are not entirely clear. We aimed to determine the associations between treatment outcomes of postnatal CMV infection and its antiviral treatment.

Methods: 

Retrospective study in a tertiary center. Infants of < 29 weeks gestational age who were tested for postnatal CMV infection were included. CMV-infected infants were compared to uninfected infants (control group). CMV-infected infants were either treated with ganciclovir and/or valganciclovir (CMV_PT group) or not (CMV_PNT group). Demographic, clinical, laboratory, treatment, and outcome data were collected. Primary outcomes were the length of stay, death before discharge and hearing impairment, cognitive and motor development as assessed by the Denver Developmental Screening Test II, and neurologic impairment at the corrected age of 1.5–2 years.

Results: 

We included 103 extremely premature infants. The Median (interquartile range [IQR]) length of stay was 94 (69–112) days in control, 85 (70–102) days in CMV_PNT, and 100 (88–137) days in the CMV_PT group. Mortality before discharge was 6% in control, 3.8% in CMV_PNT, and 3.7% in the CMV_PT group. Normal hearing at follow-up was found in 30/37 infants in control (81.1%), 13/13 infants in CMV_PNT (100%), and 17/20 infants in the CMV_PT group (85%). Denver Developmental Screening Test II results did not differ among the three groups. Neurologic impairment was found in 21/37 infants (56.8%) in control, 9/13 infants in CMV_PNT (69.2%), and 14/20 infants in CMV_PT group (70%).

Conclusions: 

The associations between antiviral treatment of postnatal CMV infection and better treatment outcomes were nonsignificant.