title: Treatment of late-onset hearing loss in infants with congenital cytomegalovirus infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of antiviral treatment on late-onset hearing loss in infants with congenital cytomegalovirus infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  The database of all infants who had normal hearing at birth, and treated for late-onset hearing loss was collected. The primary study endpoint was the need for a cochlear implant at the last follow-up visit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-one infants met the inclusion criteria. Brain stem-evoked response audiometry testing revealed hearing loss in 35 of 42 ears (83%). Mean age at diagnosis of hearing loss was 7.4 ± 3.7 months and onset of antiviral therapy 10.3 ± 7.8 months. None of the ears showed further deterioration as referred to pretreatment values. Hearing thresholds improved in 29 ears (69%). None of the patients needed a cochlear implant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In children with late-onset hearing loss due to cytomegalovirus infection, antiviral treatment appears to prevent further deterioration and produce improvement. Controlled studies are needed to verify this observation.
authors.affiliation: 1Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petach Tikvah, Israel.
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Amir
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Attias
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pardo
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D001300:Audiometry, Evoked Response; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D002648:Child; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000151:congenital* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents
keywords: brain stem–evoked response audiometry; congenital cytomegalovirus infection; ganciclovir/valganciclovir; sensorineural hearing loss