Cytomegalovirus load at treatment initiation is predictive of time to resolution of viremia and duration of therapy in hematopoietic cell transplant recipients

•Preemptive therapy is the basis of CMV prevention in HCT recipients.•Retrospectively evaluated CMV levels at the initiation of preemptive therapy.•Therapy initiation at low viral loads was associated with shorter time to resolution of viremia.•Prolonged episodes of viremia lasting >30 days occurred less frequently.•Therapy initiation at low viral loads was associated with shorter treatment duration.