title: The Burden of Severe Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease Among Children Younger than 1 Year in Central and Eastern Europe.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Globally, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause of serious lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in young children, and is a major cause of hospital admission in children <1 year of age. The study evaluated the severity of RSV-associated LRTI disease among premature (<36 weeks gestational age (GA)) and term children <1 year of age and assessed the influence of GA on outcomes of RSV LRTI hospitalization in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort survey of children <1 year of age hospitalized with an LRTI during the periods of October 2009 to April 2010 or October 2010 to April 2011 in 12 CEE countries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Across two RSV seasons, 3474 evaluable children were hospitalized because of LRTI; 757 (21.8%) were premature and 2679 (77.1%) were term. RSV tests were positive in 1423 (42.4%) cases, of which 266 (18.7%) were premature and 1034 (72.7%) were term children. Among the RSV-positive patients, premature children had a significantly longer hospital stay (17 vs 8 days; P < 0.001), were more frequently hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) (41.4% vs 12.6%) and remained in the ICU significantly longer (13 vs 6 days; P < 0.001) compared with term children. Premature children had a 3.3-fold (95% CI, 2.66-4.09) increased risk for ICU hospitalization compared with term children (P < 0.001). ICU hospitalization, prolonged hospital stay, supplemental oxygen administration and death occurred significantly more frequently among children with lower vs higher GA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RSV infection is associated with substantial morbidity in CEE among premature and term children. The attributable morbidity, however, is significantly greater among premature children compared with term children, including longer hospital stays and more frequent and longer stays in the ICU. These findings are consistent with previously published data outside of CEE, demonstrating prematurity as a significant and independent predictor for severe RSV disease.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  AbbVie Inc.
authors.affiliation: Abbott sa/nv, Wavre, Belgium.|Medeor Consulting, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Van de Steen
authors.affiliation: Abbott GmbH & Co. KG, Wiesbaden, Germany.|Alexion Pharma GmbH, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Farzaneh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Miri
authors.affiliation: AbbVie d.o.o., Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gunjaca
authors.affiliation: AbbVie d.o.o., Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Vanesa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Klepac
authors.affiliation: Medeor Consulting, Ghent, Belgium.|AbbVie, Baar, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Baerbel
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.affiliation: AbbVie Inc., North Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Notario
authors.affiliation: AbbVie Inc., North Chicago, IL, USA. colleen.wegzyn@abbvie.com.
authors.forename: Colleen M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Wegzyn
keywords: Gestational age category; ICU stay; Prematurity; RSV hospitalization; Respiratory syncytial virus