Health care utilisation of infants with chronic lung disease, related to hospitalisation for RSV infection.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the use of health care resources and associated costs between infants with chronic lung disease (CLD) who had or had not an admission with a proven respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection.


METHODS
Review of community care, outpatient attendances, and readmissions in the first two years after birth.


METHODS
235 infants (median gestational age 27 weeks) evaluated in four groups: 45 infants with a proven RSV admission (RSV proven); 24 with a probable bronchiolitis admission; 60 with other respiratory admissions; and 106 with non-respiratory or no admissions.


RESULTS
The RSV proven compared to the other groups required more frequent and longer admissions to general paediatric wards and intensive care units, more outpatient attendances and GP consultations for respiratory related disorders, and had a higher total cost of care.


CONCLUSIONS
RSV hospitalisation in patients with CLD is associated with increased health service utilisation and costs in the first two years after birth.
Greenough
A
A
Dept of Child Health, King's College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, UK. anne.greenough@kcl.ac.uk
Cox
S
S
Alexander
J
J
Lenney
W
W
Turnbull
F
F
Burgess
S
S
Chetcuti
P A
PA
Shaw
N J
NJ
Woods
A
A
Boorman
J
J
Coles
S
S
Turner
J
J
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D003422:Critical Care / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications* / Q000191:economics; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000191:economics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric