title: Respiratory syncytial virus-coded pediatric hospitalizations, 1997 to 1999.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The recent number and rate of infant hospitalizations with a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-coded diagnosis have not been published.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective data analysis. National Hospital Discharge Survey data for 1997 to 1999 were analyzed for discharges of infants < 1 year old with an RSV-coded diagnosis (ICD-9-CM 466.11, 480.1, 079.6). Hospitalization rates were estimated with annual midyear Census data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RSV bronchiolitis was the leading primary diagnosis annually for all infants hospitalized for any reason. Between 1997 and 1999, 297 684 RSV-coded discharges of infants with an RSV-coded diagnosis occurred. The associated hospitalization rate was 25.2 per 1000 infants. RSV-coded discharges peaked in February.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RSV bronchiolitis was the leading cause of hospital admissions of infants younger than age 1 year for any reason between 1997 and 1999.
authors.affiliation: MedImmune Inc., Gaithersburg, MD 20878, USA. Leaders@Medimmune.com
authors.forename: Shelah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leader
authors.forename: Kimmie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kohlhase
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology