Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection and the Occurrence of Cystic Periventricular Leukomalacia

The association of γδT lymphocytes with cystic leukomalacia in premature infants

Background

Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is an essential cause of cerebral palsy in preterm infants, and cystic PVL (cPVL) is the most severe form of the disease. The pathogenesis of cPVL is complex, and immune imbalances and inflammatory responses may play an essential role in it.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets, especially γδT cells with the pathogenesis of cPVL in preterm infants.

Methods

Peripheral blood from preterm infants with GA < 32 weeks and BW < 1,500 g was used in this study and was collected at 34 weeks corrected gestational age and within 24 h after the diagnosis with cranial MRI or cranial ultrasound. The infants were divided into cPVL groups and control groups. Flow cytometry was used to detect peripheral blood γδT, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, and the proportion of total lymphocytes. Multiplex cell assays were used to detect the concentration of extracellular serum cytokines IL-6, IL-2, IL-8, IL-17A, IL-10, IL-1RA, eotaxin (CCL11), MCP-1 (CCL2), CXCL1, G-CSF, and IFNγ. A follow-up visit was carried out when the patient was 3 years old.

Results

After correcting for confounding factors, the proportion of peripheral blood γδT in the cPVL group was significantly lower than that in the control group (β: 0.216; 95% CI: 0.058-0.800, P < 0.022). Peripheral blood γδT (AUC: 0.722, P=0.006) and multivariate binary regression model (AUC: 0.865, P < 0.000) have good diagnostic values for cPVL. Peripheral blood γδT has some predictive power for neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants (AUC: 0.743, P = 0.002).

Conclusion

It seems that peripheral blood γδT cells are inversely correlated with cPVL, which is not only a risk factor for cPVL disease but also neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants. However, the causality of cPVL and various lymphocytes is unclear and needs further study.

Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings of Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection as a Prognostic Factor for Neurological Outcome

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to predict the neurological outcomes of patients with congenital cytomegalovirus infection by analysis of magnetic resonance images of the brain.

METHODS

From June 2007 to June 2016, 31 patients were diagnosed with symptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus infection at Asan Medical Center. The medical records and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of these patients were reviewed, and the relationships between MRI findings and neurological outcomes were analyzed.

RESULTS

Of the 31 patients, 17 were male and 12 were born prematurely (gestation age less than 37 weeks). Twenty-one patients presented with delayed development, 11 with microcephaly, and 10 with sensorineural hearing loss. Eleven patients developed epilepsy. The most common abnormal findings on brain MRI were ventriculomegaly (N = 21, 67.7%) and polymicrogyria (N = 14, 45.2%). Delayed development significantly correlated with the presence of polymicrogyria (P = 0.001). Epilepsy was significantly associated with polymicrogyria (P = 0.012), ventriculomegaly (P = 0.045), calcification (P = 0.006), and white matter abnormalities (P = 0.018). Sensorineural hearing loss was not associated with any abnormal findings on brain MRI. Based on these data, a new brain magnetic resonance cytomegalovirus scoring scale was built and this scoring scale can predict the development of epilepsy with odds ratio 3.62 (confidence interval 1.52 to 8.67, P = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with congenital cytomegalovirus infections, brain MRI abnormalities could predict poor developmental outcomes and epilepsy, but not sensorineural hearing loss. Stratified magnetic resonance findings can be suggested as the predictors of neurological outcomes in individuals with congenital cytomegalovirus infections.