OBJECTIVES

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes severe respiratory infections and is the main cause of hospitalization of infants and young children. In US, annual cost of RSV hospitalizations was estimated to $334-449 million for children aged <5 years, with a mean cost of $4,584 per hospitalization. In France, data on economic burden of RSV related hospitalization is limited. Anticipating future RSV immunization strategies, updated estimates of RSV economic burden in children are required. The objective of this study is to estimate the hospitalization costs associated with RSV infections in France in children aged <5 years.

METHODS

The number of RSV related hospitalizations was determined from the French Hospital database (PMSI-MCO). All children aged <5 years, hospitalized with RSV ICD-10 codes (J210, J219, J45, J121, J205, R062) during the 2010–2018 RSV seasons (October to March) were included in the study. Total cost and average cost per stay were calculated by RSV season from a collective perspective, considering the French national health insurance reimbursement, public complementary and private insurance and out-of-pocket charges.

RESULTS

A total of 407,025 hospitalizations were reported, an average of 45,225 per season, 69% of which were children <1-year-old. The direct cost of a hospital stay for RSV was estimated at an average of €2,289. The average cost of hospitalization for children in 0-3 months age group was consistently the highest in each epidemic period. The associated hospitalization cost increased between 2010-11 and 2017-18, from €93.2 million to €124.1 million and infants <1-year-old represented 80% of the economic burden.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings showed a substantial annual RSV-attributable healthcare resource use and costs in the children in France, with the highest burden in those under 1 year of age. These data can be used in cost-effectiveness analyses and by policymakers to guide future RSV vaccination programs.