Epilepsy in patients with congenital cytomegalovirus infection

Patients with congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection were at high risk for postnatal seizures, but little is known about epilepsy associated with congenital CMV infection. To define the features of epilepsy, we retrospectively reviewed the clinical, laboratory and neuroradiographic findings in 19 children (male 9) with congenital CMV infection. Seven (37%) patients had developed epilepsy (partial seizure 5 and epileptic spasms 2) at a mean age of 20 months (range 2–37 months). During the clinical course, West syndrome occurred in only three patients. The most common seizure type in our series was partial seizure. At the time of last follow-up (mean 96 months), seizures remained uncontrolled in six patients. Neonatal clinical manifestations (gestational age, gender distribution, birth asphyxia or symptoms at birth) were not predictive of the development of epilepsy. On the contrary, some neuroradiographic findings (ventricular dilatation and migration disorder) were significantly associated with the development of epilepsy.