[Transient fever with abnormal liver function in patients underwent bone marrow transplantation--clinical symptom of cytomegalovirus infection].

In seventeen (38.6%) out of forty-four children underwent bone marrow transplantation, transient fever with abnormal liver function tests occurred between 30 and 70 days following bone marrow transplantation. More than half of cases suffered from nausea, anorexia and general malaise. C reactive protein was negative in all but one case, and thrombocytopenia occurred in five cases. Transient fever with abnormal liver function tests occurred more frequently in patients with cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection (63.4%) than in patients without CMV infection (16.0%) (P less than 0.01). Therefore, CMV infection was considered to be the cause of transient fever with abnormal liver function tests. The incidence of transient fever with abnormal liver function tests was not significantly different between the patients with pretransplant positive anti-CMV titer and the patients with pretransplant negative anti-CMV titer. Clinical symptoms improved in 16 patients (93.4%), but fatal CMV interstitial pneumonia followed in one case.