Clinical Characterization and 1-Year Mortality of Respiratory Syncytial Virus vs. Influenza Infection in Hospitalized Adults
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Abstract
Introduction: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an important cause of severe respiratory infection in the older adults. In Chile and Latin America, there is limited data on hospitalized adults. Our objective was to determine the clinical characteristics, in-hospital mortality, and 1-year mortality of adult patients hospitalized with RSV infection compared to Influenza virus.
Methods: This was a retrospective observational study. We included patients aged ≥18 years who were hospitalized with a positive RT-PCR nasopharyngeal sample for RSV or Influenza, from three hospitals in Santiago, Chile, between January 1 and October 31, 2023. We recorded demographic variables, clinical data, lab results, radiological findings, comorbidities, hospital stay, and both in-hospital and 1-year mortality. For categorical and continuous variables, we used X² and Mann-Whitney tests, respectively. For survival, we used the Kaplan-Meier curve and Log-rank test.
Results: Of the 663 hospitalized patients with respiratory infections, RSV was identified in 45 (6.9%) and Influenza in 89 (13.7%). The age and age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index were significantly higher in patients with RSV, 69 ± 18.8 vs. 64.3 ± 16.3 years (p = 0.042) and 5.7 ± 3.3 vs. 4.1 ± 2.7 points (p=0.01), respectively. The in-hospital mortality for RSV was 4.7%, and the 1-year mortality was 28.9%, with no significant differences compared to Influenza (p=0.62).
Conclusions: RSV infection is common in older adults hospitalized in Chile and is associated with a high disease burden and high 1-year mortality. These findings highlight the importance of immunization strategies and microbiological studies in these patients.
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