valganciclovir and Apraxias

Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) is the leading nongenetic cause of sensorineural hearing loss (HL). However, there are no universally accepted approaches to diagnosis, follow-up and treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the main characteristics of cCMV-infected children, focusing on their management and long-term hearing outcomes.. This retrospective study included all children with cCMV infection who were referred to a third-level referral audiologic center for a 6-year hearing follow-up. The main information collected from the medical records included gestational age, birth weight, trimester of maternal seroconversion, hearing status at birth and after 6 years, hearing fluctuations, treatment with oral valganciclovir (within the first month of life and for 6 months), use of hearing devices, presence of speech-language delay, motor delay, cognitive delay and balance disorders, awareness of cCMV among parents, and parents' engagement in behaviors that could increase the risk of CMV infection during pregnancy.. This study confirmed the importance of performing a long audiological follow-up in children diagnosed with cCMV infection due to the possible late-onset, progressive and fluctuating nature of HL. Moreover, the study highlighted many current controversies in preventive (poor prenatal education), diagnostic (routine maternal serological screening) and therapeutic (valganciclovir administered to asymptomatic children) approaches to cCMV infection. More efforts should be made to improve prevention strategies and raise awareness of cCMV infection risks among the population.

Topics: Apraxias; Birth Weight; Child; Cytomegalovirus Infections; Female; Hearing; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Mothers; Pregnancy; Retrospective Studies; Valganciclovir