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Complications in infants hospitalized for bronchiolitis or respiratory syncytial virus pneumonia

Douglas F Willson1, Christopher P Landrigan, Susan D Horn

  • 1PICU and the Division of Pediatric Critical Care, University of Virginia Children's Medical Center, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.

The Journal of Pediatrics
|November 15, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Complications are frequent in infants hospitalized for bronchiolitis or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) pneumonia, increasing hospital stays and costs. Higher-risk infants, including premature or those with congenital issues, require focused prevention strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Medicine
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Bronchiolitis and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) pneumonia are common causes of infant hospitalization.
  • Complications during hospitalization can significantly impact patient outcomes and healthcare resource utilization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the types and frequency of complications in infants hospitalized with bronchiolitis or RSV.
  • To assess the impact of these complications on hospital length of stay (LOS), pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) LOS, and associated costs.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 684 infants (< or =1 year old) hospitalized with bronchiolitis or RSV pneumonia across 10 children's hospitals.
  • Data collected from April 1995 to September 1996, focusing on complication rates and their effect on LOS and costs.

Main Results:

  • A high percentage of infants (79%) experienced at least one complication, with 24% having serious complications.
  • Respiratory complications were most common (60%), followed by infectious (41%), electrolyte imbalance (19%), and cardiovascular (9%).
  • Complication rates were significantly higher in former premature infants (87%), those with congenital heart disease (93%), and other congenital abnormalities (90%).

Conclusions:

  • Complications are prevalent in hospitalized infants with bronchiolitis/RSV and are linked to increased LOS and healthcare costs.
  • Former premature infants and those with congenital abnormalities face a substantially higher risk of complications.
  • Expanded use of RSV prevention strategies is recommended for high-risk infant populations.
Abstract

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