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  • Systematic Review
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Neurodevelopmental outcomes of children with congenital cytomegalovirus: a systematic scoping review

Pediatric Research volume 95, pages 418–435 (2024)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

With the emergence of newborn congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) screening programs, more infants are being diagnosed and require long-term follow-up. The objective of the study was to summarize the literature to date on neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with cCMV with attention to study-specific definitions of disease severity (symptomatic vs. asymptomatic).

Methods

This systematic scoping review included studies of children with cCMV (≤18 years-old) measuring neurodevelopment in ≥1 domain: global, gross motor, fine motor, speech/language, and intellectual/cognitive. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed. PubMed, PsychInfo, and Embase databases were searched.

Results

33 studies met inclusion criteria. Global development most frequently measured (n = 21), followed by cognitive/intellectual (n = 16) and speech/language (n = 8). Most (31/33) studies differentiated children by cCMV severity (symptomatic vs. asymptomatic), definitions of which ranged broadly. 15/21 studies described global development categorically (e.g., normal vs. abnormal). Across studies and domains, children with cCMV generally had equivalent or lower scores (vs. controls or normed measures).

Conclusions

Variation in definitions of cCMV severity and blunt categorical outcomes may limit the generalizability of findings. Future studies should utilize standardized definitions of disease severity and in-depth measurement and reporting of neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with cCMV.

Impact

  • Neurodevelopmental delays are common among children with cCMV, although gaps in the literature to have made quantification of such delays challenging.

  • Variation in definitions of asymptomatic and symptomatic cCMV as well as the use of categorical outcomes of neurodevelopment (e.g., normal vs. abnormal) limits the generalizability and clinical utility of findings.

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Fig. 1: PRISMA flowchart of the systematic scoping review process.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Marisa Conte from the Taubman Medical Library at the University of Michigan Medical School for her assistance in performing the scoping review, Scott Grosse for his feedback on table creation. The authors would also like to acknowledge Seth Dobson from Artful Analytics, LLC and Kathleen Muldoon for their input regarding figures.

Funding

M.H.P. is funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Development, at the National Institutes of Health (5K23HD108278) and the Gerber Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan and CS Mott Children’s Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Megan H. Pesch & Clare S. Lauer

  2. University of Michigan School of Social Work, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Clare S. Lauer

  3. Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan and CS Mott Children’s Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Jason B. Weinberg

  4. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Jason B. Weinberg

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Contributions

All authors participated in the conception, and design of the study, as well as the drafting and critical review of the manuscript for intellectual content. C.S.L. conducted the search of the literature. All authors participated in the review of articles for inclusion in the scoping review, as well as data extraction. All authors gave final approval of this version of the manuscript to be published.

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Correspondence to Megan H. Pesch.

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Competing interests

M.H.P. serves on the Executive Committee of the National CMV Foundation (unpaid) and as a content consultant regarding congenital cytomegalovirus for MedScape/WebMD, neither of which had any input into the conceptualization or creation of this manuscript. C.S.L. and J.B.W. have no competing interests to declare.

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Pesch, M.H., Lauer, C.S. & Weinberg, J.B. Neurodevelopmental outcomes of children with congenital cytomegalovirus: a systematic scoping review. Pediatr Res 95, 418–435 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-023-02639-6

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