title: Clinical features of cerebral palsy in children with symptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human cytomegalovirus is the most common cause of vertically transmitted viral infection, affecting around 1% of liveborns. Infection is symptomatic in nearly 10% of infected children who are at higher risk of development of severe neurological disorders, including cerebral palsy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the clinical proﬁle of children with cerebral palsy caused by symptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus infection in a multicenter study involving six countries from the Surveillance of Cerebral Palsy in Europe (SCPE) Network.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on 35 children (13 males, 22 females; mean age at last assessment 12y 6mo, age range 14y 6mo, min 4y, max 18y 6mo) on pre/peri/neonatal history and last clinical assessment were collected. Classiﬁcation of cerebral palsy and associated impairments was performed according to SCPE criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of children had bilateral spastic cerebral palsy, 85.7%, with a conﬁdence interval (CI) [69.7-95.2], and 71.4% [CI 53.7-85.4] were unable to walk (GMFCS levels IV-V) while ﬁne motor function was severely affected in 62.8% [CI 44.9-78.5] (BFMF levels IV and V). Most of the children with severe CP had severe associated impairments. 11.4% of children had severe visual and 42.8% severe hearing impairment, 77.1% [CI 59.9-89.6] suffered from epilepsy, also 77.1% had severe intellectual impairment, and speech was undeveloped in 71.4%. Female:male ratio was 1.69:1 and 80% of children were term born.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cerebral palsy following symptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus infection seems to be in most cases a severe condition and associated impairments are overrepresented.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital Zagreb, University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Department of Neuropediatrics, Klaiceva 16, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dakovic
authors.affiliation: Federação das Associações Portuguesas de Paralisia Cerebral FAPPC/National Epidemiological Program for Cerebral Palsy, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: da Graça Andrada
authors.affiliation: Centro de Reabilitação de Paralisia Cerebral Calouste Gulbenkian Santa, Casa da Misericordia de Lisboa/National Epidemiological Program for Cerebral Palsy, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Folha
authors.affiliation: University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Division of Paediatrics, Department of Child, Adolescent and Developmental Neurology, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Neubauer
authors.affiliation: University of Pecs, Department of Paediatrics, Pecs, Hungary.
authors.forename: Katalin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hollody
authors.affiliation: Medical University Innsbruck, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics I, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Honold
authors.affiliation: University Children's Hospital Tübingen, Department of Child Neurology, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Veronka
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Horber
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital Zagreb, University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Department of Neuropediatrics, Klaiceva 16, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Vlasta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Duranovic
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital Zagreb, University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Department of Neuropediatrics, Klaiceva 16, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia. Electronic address: vlatka.mejaskibosnjak@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Vlatka Mejaski
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Bosnjak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cerebral palsy; Children; Neurological impairment; Symptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus infection