Key result
RSV infection in children under 2 years of age caused a 37.5% loss in health-related quality of life during the first week of symptoms, with a median direct cost of approximately €600 per episode.
Why the study?
Evaluating potential RSV vaccination programmes requires health-related quality of life (HRQoL) data, but no validated RSV-specific questionnaires existed for children under 2 years.
Observational (n=117)
Yes
RSV infection in children under 2 years causes substantial HRQoL loss in the first week and significant direct costs, providing important data for health-economic evaluations of future RSV vaccines.
BACKGROUND: Several immunisation candidates against RSV are in late-stage clinical trials. To evaluate the benefits of a potential vaccination programme, both economic and health benefits will be needed. Health benefits are usually measured in Health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL) loss using standardised questionnaires. However, there are no RSV-specific questionnaires validated for children under 2 years, in whom most RSV episodes occur. Therefore, HRQoL estimates are taken from literature or inadequate tools. We determined HRQoL loss and direct costs due to an RSV episode in children younger than 2 years and their caregivers during a month of follow up, using a new questionnaire administered online. METHODS: An observational prospective multicentre surveillance study was conducted in children aged younger than two years. Children were recruited from 8 primary care centres and 1 hospital in the Valencia region and Catalonia (Spain). RSV-positive cases were obtained by immunochromatographic test. HRQoL was assessed using a new ad-hoc 38 item-questionnaire developed. Parents of infected children completed 4 questionnaires at four timepoints (day 0, 7, 14 and 30) after diagnosis. RESULTS: 117 children were enrolled in the study and 86 (73.5%) were RSV + . Median (interquartile range; IQR) scores were 0.52 (0.42-0.68), 0.65 (0.49-0.79), 0.82 (0.68-0.97) and 0.94 (0.81-1), for days 0, 7, 14 and 30, respectively. Compared to total recovery (Q30), HRQoL loss was 37.5%, 31.5% and 8.9% on days 0, 7 and 14 since diagnosis of the disease. The total median cost per patient (including treatments) was €598.8 (IQR: 359.63-2425.85). CONCLUSIONS: RSV had almost 40% impact on HRQoL during the first week since onset of symptoms and the median cost per episode and patient was about €600. These results represent a substantial input for health-economic evaluations of future RSV-related interventions such as vaccination.
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Díez-Gandía et al. (2021) conducted an observational in Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection (n=117). RSV infection vs. Total recovery (day 30) was evaluated on Health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL) loss at day 0 compared to day 30 (total recovery). RSV infection in children under 2 years of age caused a 37.5% loss in health-related quality of life during the first week of symptoms, with a median direct cost of approximately €600 per episode.
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