Burden of laboratory-confirmed RSV hospitalization in children <5 years-of-age; 2019-2022
Recommended Citation
Ampofo K, Heller E, Platt-Koch A, Gesteland P, Miller K, Loveridge A, Adua L, Zhang Y, Ruggieri M, Choi Y. Burden of laboratory-confirmed RSV hospitalization in children <5 years-of-age; 2019-2022. BMC Pediatr. 2026;26(1).
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-30-2026
Publication Title
BMC pediatrics
Keywords
Humans, Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections, Hospitalization, Infant, Child, Preschool, Prospective Studies, Female, Male, Hospital Costs, Utah, Length of Stay, Cost of Illness
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is one of the leading causes of acute lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in children. We sought to measure the clinical and economic burden of hospitalized RSV LRTI in children.
METHODS: We conducted a prospective study of Salt Lake County resident children < 5 years hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed RSV LRTI (hospitalized > 24 h) from 2019 to 2022 at Primary Children's and Riverton Hospitals, Salt Lake City, Utah. Demographic, clinical, and hospital cost data were abstracted from the electronic medical records and financial transaction database.
RESULTS: Overall, 637 children were hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed RSV infection; 43% < 6 months, 36% 6-< 24 months, and 21% 24-< 60 months years of age. Median hospital LOS was 2.2 days (IQR: 1.6-3.7days) with median and mean hospital cost of $6126 (IQR: $3577-$13436) and $13,941 (SD $26,235) respectively. Admissions to ICU and intubation decreased with age (p < 0.01), while antibiotic, steroid, and bronchodilator use increased with age (p < 0.01). Hospitalization rates were 24.1, 16.4, 11.1 and 5.5 per 1,000 person-years among children < 6 months, < 1 year, < 2 years and 5 years respectively. Extrapolating to all US children, RSV is estimated to cause ∼101,000 annual hospitalizations nationwide, 63% in otherwise healthy children, with an average total hospital cost of $1.4 billion (95% CI, $683 million-$1.9 billion).
CONCLUSIONS: Hospitalized RSV continues to be associated with substantial clinical and cost burden. This underscores the urgent need for widespread implementation of RSV immunoprophylaxis strategies to reduce hospitalization rates.
Medical Subject Headings
Humans; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections; Hospitalization; Infant; Child, Preschool; Prospective Studies; Female; Male; Hospital Costs; Utah; Length of Stay; Cost of Illness
PubMed ID
42062946
ePublication
ePub ahead of print
Volume
26
Issue
1
