SynthesisBMC infectious diseases2025
Does treatment with antiviral medication affect mortality among immunocompetent individuals with cytomegalovirus reactivation? A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMC infectious diseases, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Current practices in the diagnosis and management of HSV and CMV reactivation in German ICUs: an exploratory web-based survey.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundLatent cytomegalovirus (CMV) can reactivate in times of immunosuppression or during critical illness and is associated with worse prognosis, but the benefit of using antiviral medications in otherwise immunocompetent individuals during CMV reactivation is unclear. This study aims to systematically review the effect of using antiviral medications on clinical outcomes in immunocompetent population.
methodsDatabase searches were performed in EMBASE, Medline, Scopus, CINAHL Complete, as well as in two trial registries ClinicalTrials.gov and ICTRP Search Portal. Search terms focused on CMV and antiviral medications among non-immunocompromised hosts admitted to the hospital. Effect estimates were combined using a Random Effects meta-analysis.
resultsFour randomized controlled trials and two cohort studies were included (total N = 785). There was no significant difference in the use of antiviral medications on composite measure of mortality (p = 0.18) either when given as preemptive treatment or as prophylaxis (p = 0.42), or when subgrouped by randomized studies versus observational studies were compared (p = 0.86). There was no difference in overall intensive care unit length of stay (p = 0.40) or duration of hospitalization (p = 0.25).
conclusionUsing antiviral medications in immunocompetent individuals with CMV reactivation did not affect mortality, ICU duration, or hospital duration. No conclusion can be reached regarding decrease in respiratory support post antiviral use. CLINICAL TRIAL: This study is not a clinical trial.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.