Healthcare Resource Use and Direct Healthcare Costs Associated With Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections in Individuals Aged 18 Years or Older in Italy: A Retrospective Observational Study
Author(s)
Anna Puggina, PhD1, Eleftherios Zarkadoulas, PhD2, Alexander Domnich, MD, PhD3, Chiara Veronesi, MStat4, Caterina Rizzo, MD5, Marta Vicentini, PharmD1, Luca Degli Esposti, PhD4, Giovanna Elisa Calabrò, MD, PhD6, Maria João Fonseca, PhD7.
1GSK, Verona, Italy, 2GSK, Wavre, Belgium, 3Hygiene Unit, San Martino Policlinico Hospital-IRCCS for Oncology and Neurosciences, Genoa, Italy, 4CliCon S.r.l. Società Benefit, Health, Economics & Outcomes Research, Bologna, Italy, 5Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy, 6Department of Human Sciences, Society and Health, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Cassino, Italy and Value in Health Technology and Academy for Leadership and Innovation (VIHTALI), spin-off of Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy, 7GSK, Lisbon, Portugal.
1GSK, Verona, Italy, 2GSK, Wavre, Belgium, 3Hygiene Unit, San Martino Policlinico Hospital-IRCCS for Oncology and Neurosciences, Genoa, Italy, 4CliCon S.r.l. Società Benefit, Health, Economics & Outcomes Research, Bologna, Italy, 5Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy, 6Department of Human Sciences, Society and Health, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Cassino, Italy and Value in Health Technology and Academy for Leadership and Innovation (VIHTALI), spin-off of Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy, 7GSK, Lisbon, Portugal.
OBJECTIVES: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a contagious respiratory virus that can have a significant health and socioeconomic impact across all age groups, particularly among adults with pre-existing conditions. This retrospective, observational study estimated healthcare resource utilisation (HCRU) and direct healthcare costs associated with RSV among adults aged ≥18 years in Italy.
METHODS: Data were collected from an integrated Italian administrative database, covering approximately 20% of the national population. Patients aged ≥18 years with ≥1 primary or secondary hospitalisation discharge diagnosis International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) code for RSV were followed up for 1 year. Patient characteristics, HCRU and direct healthcare costs were extracted.
RESULTS: In total, 289 RSV-hospitalised patients aged ≥18 years were evaluated. Of these, 58.1% had pre-existing conditions, 5.9% were admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) and 13.1% died within 1 month post index hospitalisation. Of the 243 patients aged ≥50 years, 62.6% had pre-existing conditions, 5.8% were admitted to an ICU and 14.8% died within 1 month post index hospitalisation. Of those patients aged ≥50 years with ≥1 pre-existing condition (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes and heart failure being the most common), 6.6% were admitted to an ICU and 16.4% died within 1 month post index hospitalisation. Direct healthcare costs associated with the management of RSV‑hospitalised patients aged ≥18 years and ≥50 years in Italy averaged €13,090 and €12,443, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: This real-world analysis indicated that RSV infections among adults aged ≥18 years and ≥50 years generate a considerable clinical and economic burden in Italy, providing evidence to inform preventative RSV strategies.
METHODS: Data were collected from an integrated Italian administrative database, covering approximately 20% of the national population. Patients aged ≥18 years with ≥1 primary or secondary hospitalisation discharge diagnosis International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) code for RSV were followed up for 1 year. Patient characteristics, HCRU and direct healthcare costs were extracted.
RESULTS: In total, 289 RSV-hospitalised patients aged ≥18 years were evaluated. Of these, 58.1% had pre-existing conditions, 5.9% were admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) and 13.1% died within 1 month post index hospitalisation. Of the 243 patients aged ≥50 years, 62.6% had pre-existing conditions, 5.8% were admitted to an ICU and 14.8% died within 1 month post index hospitalisation. Of those patients aged ≥50 years with ≥1 pre-existing condition (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes and heart failure being the most common), 6.6% were admitted to an ICU and 16.4% died within 1 month post index hospitalisation. Direct healthcare costs associated with the management of RSV‑hospitalised patients aged ≥18 years and ≥50 years in Italy averaged €13,090 and €12,443, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: This real-world analysis indicated that RSV infections among adults aged ≥18 years and ≥50 years generate a considerable clinical and economic burden in Italy, providing evidence to inform preventative RSV strategies.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2025-11, ISPOR Europe 2025, Glasgow, Scotland
Value in Health, Volume 28, Issue S2
Code
EE505
Topic
Economic Evaluation
Topic Subcategory
Cost/Cost of Illness/Resource Use Studies
Disease
Infectious Disease (non-vaccine)