Most infant RSV cases in intensive care ‘previously healthy and delivered full-term’
Although those born preterm were at higher risk of intubation, most intubated patients were born at term, study shows.
Most infants requiring intensive care for respiratory syncytial virus are born at term and do not have underlying medical conditions, according to a study in JAMA Network Open.
US clinicians examined the characteristics and outcomes of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-related critical illness in infants during peak 2022 RSV transmission in a cross-sectional study using a public health prospective surveillance registry from 39 paediatric hospitals.
The first 15 to 20 consecutive eligible infants from each site were included for a target sample size of 600 infants (mean age 2.6 months).
Of the infants, 28.9% were born prematurely and 81.2% had no underlying medical conditions.
