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Comparative Study
. 2024 Jun;18(6):e13341.
doi: 10.1111/irv.13341.

How Does the Burden of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Compare to Influenza in Spanish Adults?

Federico Martinón-Torres  1   2   3 , Clara Gutierrez  4 , Ana Cáceres  4 , Karin Weber  5 , Antoni Torres  3   6   7   8
Affiliations
Comparative Study

How Does the Burden of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Compare to Influenza in Spanish Adults?

Federico Martinón-Torres et al. Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 2024 Jun.

Abstract

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza infections cause significant annual morbidity and mortality worldwide in at-risk populations. This study is aimed at assessing hospital burden and healthcare resource utilization (HRU) of RSV and influenza in adults in Spain.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Projected Hospitalisation Database of inpatient episodes (ages: younger adults 18-50 and 51-64 years; older adults 65-74, 75-84, and ≥ 85 years) during 2015, 2017, and 2018 in Spanish public hospitals. Incidence, mean hospitalization, and HRU assessments, including length of stay (LOS), intensive care unit (ICU) usage, and age-standardized mortality rates, were collected and stratified by age group, with analyses focusing on the adult population (≥ 18 years old).

Results: Mean hospitalization rate in the population across all years was lower in individuals with RSV versus influenza (7.2/100,000 vs. 49.7/100,000 individuals). ICU admissions and median LOS were similar by age group for both viruses. Age-standardized mortality was 6.3/100,000 individuals and 6.1/100,000 individuals in patients with RSV and influenza, respectively, and mortality rates were similar in older adults (≥ 65 years) for both viruses.

Conclusions: RSV and influenza infection were associated with considerable HRU. There is a substantial disease burden for RSV infection in older adults ≥ 65 years. While RSV hospitalization rates in adults reported here appeared lower than influenza, RSV is still underdiagnosed in the hospital setting and its incidence might be similar to, or higher than, influenza.

Keywords: burden of disease; epidemiology; hospitalization; human; influenza; respiratory syncytial virus.

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Conflict of interest statement

F. Martinón‐Torres received honoraria from GSK group of companies, Biofabri, Pfizer Inc., Sanofi Pasteur, MSD, Seqirus, and Janssen for taking part in advisory boards and expert meetings and for acting as a speaker in congresses outside the scope of the submitted work. F. Martinón‐Torres has also acted as principal investigator in randomized controlled trials of the above‐mentioned companies as well as Ablynx, Gilead, Regeneron, Roche, Abbott, Novavax, and MedImmune, with honoraria paid to his institution. C. Gutierrez and A. Cáceres are employees of Janssen Pharmaceuticals, while K. Weber previously worked for this company, and may be Johnson & Johnson stockholders. A. Torres has received honoraria from lectures or advisory boards from Pfizer, MSD, Janssen, and bioMérieux.

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