title: Incidence, risk factors and hospital burden in children under five years of age hospitalised with respiratory syncytial virus infections.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections are among the most common lower respiratory tract infections in infants, but few studies have determined the age-specific incidence of hospitalisation in defined populations. This study gathered Swedish data on RSV in Gothenburg and its 10 surrounding municipalities from 2004 to 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  Information was obtained from hospital databases of all patients up to five years of age who had a discharge diagnosis of an RSV infection and had a positive antigen detection or polymerase chain reaction test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1764 children fulfilled the inclusion criteria and 238 of these were preterm. The incidence under one year of age was 17.4/1000/year, and in children aged one to four years it was 0.6/1000/year. RSV patients occupied a mean of 1141 hospital beds per year: 65 were treated in the intensive care unit, 27 needed ventilator support, 19 needed continuous positive airway pressure, 408 (23%) received antibiotics, 399 (23%) received steroids, and all but four patients received a bronchodilator. All children survived.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of RSV infections was high, medication use was high, and complications were low. Preterm infants had a higher risk, but most infants needing hospitalisation for RSV are full term and have no known risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Angered Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Charlotta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Svensson
authors.affiliation: North Älvsborg Hospital, Trollhättan, Sweden.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, South Älvsborg Hospital, Borås, Sweden.
authors.forename: Nele
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sigurs
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Birger
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Trollfors
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D000069455:Palivizumab / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013548:Sweden
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000069455:Palivizumab
keywords: Hospitalisation; Incidence; Medication; Outcome; Respiratory syncytial virus