RESPIRATORY syncytial virus (RSV) has caused severe illness in adults, especially among those aged 75 and older, but the burden of RSV-associated hospitalizations before vaccines were introduced is unclear. A recently published study sought to describe the demographic characteristics of adults hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed RSV and to estimate annual rates and numbers of RSV-associated hospitalizations, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, and in-hospital deaths.
Before RSV vaccines became available in 2023, the virus led to an estimated 123,000 to 193,000 hospitalizations annually between October 2016 and September 2023. The study, spanning seven RSV seasons and examining over 16,000 cases of laboratory-confirmed RSV, revealed that adults 75 and older consistently bore the greatest burden. For this age group, hospitalization rates ranged from 245 to over 400 per 100,000 individuals. This cohort also represented nearly half of all RSV-related hospitalizations, over a third of ICU admissions, and almost 60% of in-hospital deaths, underscoring the virus’s severity in older populations.
ICU admission rates fluctuated significantly, with annual estimates between 24,400 and 34,900 cases. Annual RSV-related deaths ranged from roughly 4,700 to 8,600, peaking during the 2017–2018 season, when RSV circulation was especially severe. Researchers emphasized that age was a clear risk factor, as younger adults (18-49) experienced significantly lower hospitalization rates, under 13 per 100,000.
Given the strain RSV has historically placed on older adults and the healthcare system, the study suggests that the new vaccines could help reduce these severe outcomes. Increasing RSV vaccination among older adults has the potential to reduce associated hospitalizations and ICU admissions. With these findings, healthcare professionals can better assess RSV vaccination benefits and prioritize protection for high-risk age groups as RSV season approaches.
Reference: Havers FP et al. Burden of respiratory syncytial virus–associated hospitalizations in us adults, October 2016 to September 2023. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(11):e2444756.
