Clinical manifestations, risk factors, and prognostic factors of cytomegalovirus enteritis

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:sec> <jats:title>Background</jats:title> <jats:p>To comprehensively analyze the risk factors, clinical characteristics, outcomes, and prognostic factors of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) enteritis.</jats:p> </jats:sec><jats:sec> <jats:title>Methods</jats:title> <jats:p>This retrospective cohort study enrolled patients who had undergone pathological examinations for CMV enteritis. They were divided into CMV and non-CMV groups according to immunohistochemistry staining results. The risk factors, clinical presentations, endoscopic features, treatments, outcomes, and prognostic factors of CMV enteritis were then analyzed.</jats:p> </jats:sec><jats:sec> <jats:title>Results</jats:title> <jats:p>Forty-two patients (18 CMV, 24 non-CMV group) were included in the study. Major clinical presentations in the CMV group included gastrointestinal bleeding (72.2%), abdominal pain (55.6%), and fever (33.3%); ulcers (72.2%) were the most common endoscopic findings. In-hospital and overall mortality rates were 27.8% and 38.9%, respectively; and longer hospital stays and higher overall mortality rates were observed. Radiotherapy and C-reactive protein levels were prognostic factors for in-hospital mortality. The risk factors for CMV enteritis included immunocompromised status (p = 0.013), steroid use (p = 0.014), shock (p = 0.031), concurrent pneumonia (p = 0.01), antibiotic exposure (p < 0.001), radiotherapy (p = 0.027), chronic kidney disease (p = 0.041), and CMV colitis (p = 0.031).</jats:p> </jats:sec><jats:sec> <jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title> <jats:p>Physicians should pay attention to the characteristics of CMV enteritis in high-risk patients to make an early diagnosis and potentially improve the clinical outcome.</jats:p> </jats:sec>