title: Postnatal human cytomegalovirus infection in preterm infants has long-term neuropsychological sequelae.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether an early postnatal infection poses a long-term risk for neuropsychological impairment to neonates born very prematurely.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adolescents born very preterm (n = 42, 11.6-16.2 years, mean = 13.9; 15 girls; 19 with and 23 without an early postnatal human cytomegalovirus [CMV] infection) and typically developing, term born controls (n = 24, 11.3-16.6 years, mean = 13.6; 12 girls) were neuropsychologically assessed with the German version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale and the Developmental Test for Visual Perception.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As expected, the full cohort of adolescents born preterm had significantly lower scores than term born controls on IQ (preterm: mean [SD] = 98.43 [14.83], control: 110.00 [8.10], P = .015) and on visuoperceptive abilities (95.64 [12.87] vs 106.24 [9.95], P = .016). Furthermore, adolescents born preterm with early postnatal CMV infection scored significantly lower than those without this infection regarding overall cognitive abilities (92.67 [14.71] vs 102.75 [13.67], P = .030), but not visuoperceptive abilities (91.22 [10.88] vs 98.96 [13.45], P > .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our small but well-characterized group, our results provide evidence for adverse effects of early postnatal CMV infection on overall cognitive functions in adolescents born preterm. If confirmed, these results support the implementation of preventive measures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Medicine, University Children's Hospital, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Katharina F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Brecht
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, University Children's Hospital, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Rangmar
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Goelz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Medicine, University Children's Hospital, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bevot
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Medicine, University Children's Hospital, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Ingeborg
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Krägeloh-Mann
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Medicine, University Children's Hospital, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wilke
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Medicine, University Children's Hospital, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lidzba
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000523:psychology*; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D007807:Language Tests; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral