Sankatsing Valérie D V, van Summeren Jojanneke, Abreha Fasika Molla, Pandolfi Elisabetta, Chironna Maria, Loconsole Daniela, Kramer Rolf, Paget John, Rizzo Caterina
Department of Infectious Diseases in Primary Care, Nivel, Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research, Utrecht, Netherlands.
Predictive and Preventive Medicine Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 2025 Feb;19(2):e70074. doi: 10.1111/irv.70074.
Accurate cost estimates of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in primary care are limited, despite the majority of cases being managed in this setting. This study aims to estimate healthcare costs for children with RSV in primary care and the related costs of parental work absence.
Children < 5 years of age with symptoms of acute respiratory infections were recruited via primary care paediatricians in two Italian regions for a prospective cohort study on the RSV burden in primary care, during the 2019/2020 winter. Healthcare utilization, medication use and parental work absence were assessed during a 14-day follow-up period. Average costs were estimated per RSV episode for the overall study population, as well as per age group.
Two hundred ninety three children were recruited, of which 119 tested RSV positive (41%) and 109 were included. In total, 89% of RSV-positive children (97/109) had ≥ 1 repeat paediatrician visit(s), and 10% (11/109) visited the ED. The mean number of repeat visits was 3.8 (SD: 4.0) and the mean duration of work absence 4.0 days (SD: 5.0). Average costs per RSV episode were €730 (95% CI: €691-€771), with direct medical costs accounting for 25% (€183 [95% CI: €174-€191]) and indirect costs related to work absence for 75% (€547 [95% CI: €509-€587]).
Costs associated with RSV infections in young children in primary care are considerable due to a substantial number of paediatrician visits and high rates of parental work absence. These costs are important to include in decision-making regarding the implementation of new RSV immunization strategies in national immunization programmes.
尽管大多数呼吸道合胞病毒（RSV）感染病例在基层医疗中得到管理，但对基层医疗中RSV感染的准确成本估计有限。本研究旨在估计基层医疗中RSV感染儿童的医疗保健成本以及父母缺勤的相关成本。
在2019/2020年冬季，通过意大利两个地区的基层医疗儿科医生招募了患有急性呼吸道感染症状的5岁以下儿童，进行一项关于基层医疗中RSV负担的前瞻性队列研究。在14天的随访期内评估医疗保健利用情况、药物使用情况和父母缺勤情况。估计了整个研究人群以及每个年龄组每例RSV发作的平均成本。
招募了293名儿童，其中119名RSV检测呈阳性（41%），109名被纳入研究。总体而言，89%的RSV阳性儿童（97/109）有≥1次儿科医生复诊，10%（11/109）前往急诊室就诊。复诊的平均次数为3.8次（标准差：4.0），平均缺勤天数为4.0天（标准差：5.0）。每例RSV发作的平均成本为730欧元（95%置信区间：691欧元-771欧元），其中直接医疗成本占比25%（183欧元[95%置信区间：174欧元-191欧元]），与缺勤相关的间接成本占比75%（547欧元[95%置信区间：509欧元-587欧元]）。
由于大量的儿科医生复诊和父母高缺勤率，基层医疗中幼儿RSV感染相关成本相当可观。在国家免疫规划中实施新RSV免疫策略的决策过程中，纳入这些成本很重要。
