RESPIRATORY syncytial virus (RSV) is a significant health concern for adults, contributing to thousands of hospitalizations annually. A new cohort study reveals that 1 in 20 adults diagnosed with RSV in outpatient settings experienced all-cause hospitalization within 28 days, underscoring the importance of preventive measures and risk assessment.
Analyzing data from three major U.S. databases, researchers reviewed 67,239 outpatient RSV cases between 2016 and 2022. Most patients were female (62%-67%), with high-risk conditions like asthma, COPD, or CHF prevalent in 20%-30%. Among those aged 65 or older, a particularly vulnerable subgroup, the hospitalization rate was even higher.
The study found hospitalization rates of 6.2% in the Optum database, 6.0% in TriNetX, and 4.5% in VNEHR. For high-risk individuals, rates climbed to 7.6%-8.5% depending on the dataset.
These findings highlight the urgent need for effective RSV prevention strategies, especially as current interventions lag in addressing risks for outpatient-diagnosed cases. Clinicians are encouraged to evaluate patients for underlying conditions and consider potential preventive therapies.
This study’s results emphasize RSV as a persistent and underestimated public health threat, particularly for older adults and those with chronic conditions.
Reference: Landi SN et al. Hospitalization following outpatient diagnosis of respiratory syncytial virus in adults. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(11):e2446010.
