Cytomegalovirus (CMV) may have an impact on disease progression in cystic fibrosis (CF) leading to earlier lung transplant and increased mortality.
A Canadian study, published in the European Respiratory Journal, found that CMV seropositive patients with CF who received a lung transplant or died on a wait-list were about eight years younger than seronegative patients who were also referred for transplant.
The retrospective study comprised 56 patients who were referred for lung transplant at the Calgary Adult Cystic Fibrosis Clinic. Just over half (54.6%) tested positive for CMV.
The study found the composite primary outcome of age at death or bilateral lung transplantation was significantly different between patients seropositive for CMV and those who were not (27.17 v 35.11 years; p<0.001).
Assessed separately, CMV seropositivity was associated with a lower mean age of death (difference 9.35 years, p=0.03) or transplant (difference 7.36 years; p=0.003).
While the findings were limited by relatively small numbers of patients from a single centre, the researchers said it appeared that CMV infection may accelerate disease progression.