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Observational Study
. 2025 May 1;41(5):365-371.
doi: 10.1097/PEC.0000000000003339. Epub 2025 Feb 7.

Changes in Care in Spanish Pediatric Emergency Departments After the First Immunization With Nirsevimab

Paula Vazquez-Lopez  1 , Aristides Rivas-Garcia  1 , Carles Luaces-Cubells  2 , Elena Perez-Gonzalez  3 , María Luisa Ales-Palmer  4 , Nuria Cahis-Vela  5 , Esther Lera-Carballo  6 , Carmen Solano-Navarro  7 , Estefanía Romero-Castillo  8 , Eva Patricia Torres-Begara  9 , Maria Jesus Sanchez-Alvarez  10 , Javier Benito-Fernandez  11 , Laura Sanz-Rueda  12 , María Angeles Garcia-Herrero  13 , Alba Henares-Rodriguez  14 , Sandra Yañez-Mesia  15 , Antonio de Francisco-Profumo  16 , Abel Martinez-Mejias  17 , Maria Elena May-Llanas  18 , Sofia Mesa-Garcia  19 , Alejandro Aranda-Mora  20 , Concepcion Baquero-Gomez  21 , Daniel de la Rosa-Sanchez  22 , Maria de Ceano-Vivas  23 , Mercedes de la Torre Espí  24 , Silvia Oliva-Rodriguez-Pastor  25 , Jo Se Lorenzo Guerra-Diez  26 , Sara Pons-Morales  27 , Arantxa Gomez-Carabaza  28 , Carmen Campos-Calleja  29 , Antonio Ramon Torres-Torres  29
Affiliations
Observational Study

Changes in Care in Spanish Pediatric Emergency Departments After the First Immunization With Nirsevimab

Paula Vazquez-Lopez et al. Pediatr Emerg Care. .

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the study is to assess the changes in the pediatric care of patients seen in the Pediatric Emergency Departments (PED) during the bronchiolitis season following the introduction of immunization with a monoclonal antibody against RSV (nirsevimab).

Methods: An observational, retrospective, multicenter study was conducted, analyzing the Bronchiolitis Registry of the Spanish Society of Pediatric Emergency Medicine. This registry, containing data on bronchiolitis cases, was initiated in December 2022. A total of 30 hospitals participated, all of which are members of the Spanish Society of Pediatric Emergency Medicine. Data from a 26-day period in 2 bronchiolitis seasons (2022: preimmunization and 2023: postimmunization) were included. Variables regarding health care burden were recorded for both periods. Quantitative variables were described using mean and SD, and the Student t test was used for comparisons between the 2 periods.

Results: Twenty-five hospitals from 11 autonomous communities were included with a mean of 47,811 PED visits/year (SD: 26,675). The number of bronchiolitis cases presenting to the PED and bronchiolitis-related admissions decreased by 41.6%(95% CI: 34.9%-48.2%) and 55.4% (95% CI: 46.6%-64.2%), respectively, while admissions for RSV bronchiolitis decreased by 60.3% (95% CI: 51.9%-68.7%). Admissions to pediatric intensive care units decreased by 81.3% (95% CI: 57.9%-100%). Furthermore, the occupancy rate in the pediatric intensive care units decreased by 30% (95% CI: 22.8%-37.3%), while a reduction of 22.4% (95% CI: 13.2%-31.5%) was observed in the occupancy rate of observation units. The number of bronchiolitis cases transferred to other hospitals decreased by 73.4% (95% CI: 29.0%-100%). Finally, there was a 60.9% (95% CI: 26.5%-95.3%) reduction in the need for high-flow oxygen therapy among bronchiolitis patients.

Conclusions: After the introduction of nirsevimab, a large portion of indicators related to the burden of care associated with bronchiolitis during its epidemic season decreased significantly.

Keywords: acute bronchiolitis; emergency departments; nirsevimab; pediatrics.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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