Journal of clinical virology : the official publication of the Pan American Society for Clinical Virology
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Neurodevelopmental outcomes following ganciclovir therapy in symptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus infections involving the central nervous system.
Ganciclovir protects against hearing deterioration in infants with symptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease involving the central nervous system (CNS). ⋯ Infants with symptomatic congenital CMV involving the CNS receiving intravenous ganciclovir therapy have fewer developmental delays at 6 and 12 months compared with untreated infants. Based on these data as well as the previously published data regarding ganciclovir treatment and hearing outcomes, 6 weeks of intravenous ganciclovir therapy can be considered in the management of babies with symptomatic congenital CMV disease involving the CNS. If treatment is initiated, it should be started within the first month of life and patients should be monitored closely for toxicity, especially neutropenia. Since existing data only address the treatment of symptomatic congenital CMV disease involving the CNS, these data cannot be extrapolated to neonates with other manifestations of CMV disease, including asymptomatic babies and symptomatic babies who do not have CNS involvement.