Healthcare Resource Utilization and Economic Outcomes of RSV-Hospitalized Patients Aged ≥ 60 Years: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background/Objectives The economic impact of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in Italy is not well defined. This analysis assessed the economic outcomes of RSV-hospitalized patients aged ≥ 60 years in Italy.

Methods: Healthcare resource utilization and direct healthcare costs during the first RSV hospitalization and 12-month follow-up were collected from Italian administrative databases. A propensity-score-matched (PSM) analysis was performed between patients hospitalized for RSV and those hospitalized for any cause (without an RSV diagnosis).

Results: Among 201 patients, an average of 1.95 hospitalizations, 19.38 prescriptions, and 7.11 outpatient services were reported during the first RSV hospitalization and the following 12 months. The mean direct healthcare costs were EUR 11,599 (related to hospitalization [79%], prescriptions [16%], and outpatient services [5%]). Following PSM analyses, direct healthcare costs were 15% higher for RSV-hospitalized patients versus those hospitalized for any cause (EUR 9369 versus EUR 8173; p < 0.05), driven by differences in hospitalizations (EUR 7477 versus EUR 6327; p < 0.05) and intensive care unit admissions (EUR 818 versus EUR 178; p = 0.001).

Conclusions: Despite a limited sample size, this study reports a substantial economic burden associated with RSV-hospitalized patients aged ≥ 60 years in Italy. The results provide important evidence to inform preventative RSV strategies to reduce the economic burden on the Italian National Health Service.