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. 2024 Sep;29(39):2400119.
doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.39.2400119.

Inpatient burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in Switzerland, 2003 to 2021: an analysis of administrative data

Michael Stucki  1 , Golda Lenzin  1 , Philipp Ka Agyeman  2 , Klara M Posfay-Barbe  3 , Nicole Ritz  4   5 , Johannes Trück  6 , Angela Fallegger  7 , Susanne G Oberle  7 , Oliver Martyn  8 , Simon Wieser  1
Affiliations

Inpatient burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in Switzerland, 2003 to 2021: an analysis of administrative data

Michael Stucki et al. Euro Surveill. 2024 Sep.

Abstract

BackgroundRespiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of acute respiratory infections and hospitalisations in infants (age < 1 year) and young children. Little is known on RSV epidemiology and related inpatient healthcare resource use (HCRU) in Switzerland.AimTo explore RSV-related hospitalisations, inpatient HCRU and medical costs in all age groups, and risk factors for infant hospitalisations in Switzerland.MethodsWe used national hospital registry data from 2003 to 2021 identifying RSV cases with ICD-10-GM codes, and described demographic characteristics, HCRU and associated medical costs of RSV inpatients. The effect of risk factors on infant hospitalisation was estimated with logistic regression.ResultsWe observed a general increase and biannual pattern in RSV hospitalisations between 2003/04 and 2018/19, with 3,575 hospitalisations in 2018/19 and 2,487 in 2019/20 before numbers declined in 2020/21 (n = 902). Around two thirds of all hospitalisations occurred in infants. Mean (median) age was 118 (85) days in hospitalised infants and 74 (77) years in hospitalised adult patients (> 18 years); 7.2% of cases required intensive care unit stay. Mean inpatient medical costs were estimated at EUR 8,046. Most (90.8%) hospitalised infants with RSV were born after 35 weeks of gestation without bronchopulmonary dysplasia or congenital heart disease. Low birth weight, gestational age and congenital disorders were associated with a higher risk for hospitalisation.ConclusionsRSV leads to a substantial number of hospitalisations and peaks in hospital capacity utilisation. Measures to protect all infants from an RSV hospitalisation are essential in addressing this public health challenge.

Keywords: Switzerland, respiratory syncytial virus, inpatient care, administrative data, burden, epidemiology, health care resource use; adults; children; infants.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: KPB is in an advisory board for Sanofi and for MSD. PA has received remuneration (to his institution) for participation in advisory boards for Sanofi. JT was part of advisory boards for MSD and Sanofi and part of a data safety monitoring board for Moderna. AF, SGO, OM are employees of Sanofi and may hold shares and/or stock options in the company.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Number of RSV main diagnosis hospitalisations in paediatric and adult populations by age group, Switzerland, 2003/04–2021/22 (n = 39,382)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Number of RSV main diagnosis hospitalisations in cases aged under 2 years by age groups, Switzerland, 2016–2021 (n = 13,871)
Figure 3
Figure 3
Number of infant hospitalisations per month with RSV main diagnosis, other acute respiratory infections or other main diagnosis, and proportion of total hospitalisations, Switzerland, 2003–2021 (n = 336,610)
Figure 4
Figure 4
Proportion of RSV main or secondary hospitalisations in infants born between 2016–2019 by age and birth month, Switzerland (n = 348,002)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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