New Study Shows Effects of RSV on Children With Chronic Conditions

Two new studies were released recording the impact of RSV in different populations, including children with chronic medical conditions. CIDRAP has the news.

The first study, analyzing outcomes for children with RSV, looked at 431,937 children over a ten-year period, including 25,452 with at least one chronic medical condition (CMC). The investigators found that those with CMCs “had more than triple the rate of needing hospital care for RSV.” Additionally, kids with multisystem CMCs, “particularly those affecting the respiratory, cardiovascular, or gastrointestinal systems, had second-season RSV hospitalization rates that were at least double the rate among all children in the first season. Second-season rates among children with Down syndrome or those who were born prematurely were fivefold higher than for all children in the first season.”

The second study took random specimens from 475 adults from a blood repository and tested the samples for antibodies against RSV. They also assessed “40 patients with documented RSV infection and 71 who had recently been immunized against RSV.” 83.8% of the specimens from the blood bank tested positive for RSV antibodies.

The study also showed a “significant increase in antibody titers following the RSV season, providing evidence of recent unrecognized infection.” Higher rates of antibodies were also detected in those recently infected or vaccinated.