Cortical visual impairment in congenital cytomegalovirus infection

Purpose: To describe the presentation, evolution, and long-term outcome of cortical visual impairment (CVI) in patients with symptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, and to identify risk factors for the development of CVI in patients with symptomatic congenital CMV. Methods: Retrospective subanalysis of a long-term prospective cohort study with data gathered from 1982 to 2013. Results: Eleven of 77 (14.3%) patients with symptomatic CMV, 0 of 109 with asymptomatic CMV, and 51 control patients had CVI. Overall, patients with symptomatic CMV had worse vision than patients with asymptomatic CMV, who in turn had worse vision than control patients. Microcephaly, intracranial calcification, dilatation of ventricles, encephalomalacia, seizure at birth, optic atrophy, chorioretinitis/retinal scars, strabismus, and neonatal onset of sensorineural hearing loss were risk factors associated with CVI. Conclusions: CVI may result from symptomatic congenital CMV infection. The relationship of CVI and its risk factors in patients with CMV suggests the potential to predict the development of CVI through predictive modeling in future research. Early screening of CVI in children born with symptomatic congenital CMV can facilitate educational, social, and developmental interventions.