Impact of RSV hospitalization on healthcare costs, caregivers’ productivity loss, and quality of life in children ≤ 2 years old in five European countries

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of hospitalizations in young children globally. We evaluated direct medical costs, caregiver work loss, and child quality of life (QoL) impairment associated with RSV hospitalization. Children ≤ 2 years with laboratory-confirmed RSV infection were prospectively identified between October 2020 and May 2023 at ten hospitals in Germany, Spain, Italy, France, and England. Direct costs were calculated based on country-specific unit costs per hospital day. Productivity loss and QoL impairment were ascertained by two validated, caregiver-administered instruments: 1) Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire: Child's Hospitalization for Respiratory Illness (WPAI:CHRI), administered before discharge and 2) TNO AZL Child Quality of Life (TAPQOL), administered at baseline (shortly after admission) and before discharge. Among 382 hospitalized children, 261 (69%) were < 6 months and 306 (80%) were previously healthy. Median length of stay was 6 days (Interquartile Range (IQR) 4-8) and 50 (13%) were admitted to Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Median hospital costs/admission were €4,266 (IQR 2,438-8,442), substantially varying by country (range €2,377-€8,541). Productivity loss was substantial with 129/211 (61%) employed caregivers reporting lost work-hours (mean 30.5 ± 18/admission). Child QoL was significantly reduced during RSV hospitalization in most domains, with the highest QoL impairment observed in the lung domain (mean difference 34.2 out of 100 [95% CI 30-38.4]. Conclusion: RSV hospitalization in children ≤ 2 years was associated with significant costs and QoL impairment in five European countries, emphasizing the importance of preventing severe RSV disease.

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Publication Details

Journal
European Journal of Pediatrics
Published
2025-10-25
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-025-06460-7
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Respiratory viral infections research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.35
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article

Impact of RSV hospitalization on healthcare costs, caregivers’ productivity loss, and quality of life in children ≤ 2 years old in five European countries

Clara Haug, Atul Gupta, Caroline Faucon, Simon B. Drysdale et al.
1 citations
European Journal of Pediatrics
Respiratory viral infections research
1.35
article

Impact of RSV hospitalization on healthcare costs, caregivers’ productivity loss, and quality of life in children ≤ 2 years old in five European countries

Clara Haug, Atul Gupta, Caroline Faucon, Simon B. Drysdale, Johannes G. Liese, Niklas Jakobs, Natasha Thorn, Chiara Azzari, Anna Chiara Vittucci, Daniela Cianci, Nicola Ullmann, Géraldine Engels, Cristina Calvo, Chiara Rubino, Renato Cutrera, Louis Bont, Mickaël Shum, Andrea Streng, Katharina Hecker, Egbert Herting, Joanne Wildenbeest, Silvia Ricci, Federico Martinón‐Torres, Céline Delestrain, Madelyn Ruggieri, Ralph Epaud, Yoonyoung Choi, Jacques Brouard, Geert Frederix, Julia Bley
article en
1 citations

Abstract

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of hospitalizations in young children globally. We evaluated direct medical costs, caregiver work loss, and child quality of life (QoL) impairment associated with RSV hospitalization. Children ≤ 2 years with laboratory-confirmed RSV infection were prospectively identified between October 2020 and May 2023 at ten hospitals in Germany, Spain, Italy, France, and England. Direct costs were calculated based on country-specific unit costs per hospital day. Productivity loss and QoL impairment were ascertained by two validated, caregiver-administered instruments: 1) Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire: Child's Hospitalization for Respiratory Illness (WPAI:CHRI), administered before discharge and 2) TNO AZL Child Quality of Life (TAPQOL), administered at baseline (shortly after admission) and before discharge. Among 382 hospitalized children, 261 (69%) were < 6 months and 306 (80%) were previously healthy. Median length of stay was 6 days (Interquartile Range (IQR) 4-8) and 50 (13%) were admitted to Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Median hospital costs/admission were €4,266 (IQR 2,438-8,442), substantially varying by country (range €2,377-€8,541). Productivity loss was substantial with 129/211 (61%) employed caregivers reporting lost work-hours (mean 30.5 ± 18/admission). Child QoL was significantly reduced during RSV hospitalization in most domains, with the highest QoL impairment observed in the lung domain (mean difference 34.2 out of 100 [95% CI 30-38.4]. Conclusion: RSV hospitalization in children ≤ 2 years was associated with significant costs and QoL impairment in five European countries, emphasizing the importance of preventing severe RSV disease.

European Journal of PediatricsVol. 184(11)
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA (United States) (US), Inserm (FR), King's College London (GB), Université Paris-Est Créteil (FR), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (ES), Hospital Universitario La Paz (ES), St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (GB), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ES), University Medical Center Utrecht (NL), Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago (ES), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (ES), University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (DE), Meyer Children's Hospital (IT), King's College School (GB), Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital (IT), Universitätsklinikum Würzburg (DE), Technical University of Applied Sciences Lübeck (DE), Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IT), King's College Hospital (GB), Hôpital Intercommunal de Créteil (FR), Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale (FR), Wilhelmina Children's Hospital (NL), University of Florence (IT), Université de Rouen Normandie (FR), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (ES), University of Lübeck (DE), Université de Caen Normandie (FR)
Openalex Percentile: Top 14%
Respiratory viral infections research
1.35
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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