Respiratory syncytial virus infection-associated hospitalization in adults: a retrospective cohort study

BMC Infectious Diseases

Table 1 Baseline characteristics, signs and symptoms ¹ of 86 patients hospitalized with RSV infection, 2012/13 winter season

Baseline characteristic	Number (%)
Age, median (range)	74 years (range 19–102)
Female gender	48 (56%)
Institutionally-acquired²	14 (16%)
Underlying illness (any)	83 (97%)
Lung disease	31 (36%)
Cardiac disease	45 (52%)
Immunosuppression³	27 (31%)
Diabetes mellitus	27 (31%)
Known smoker	10 (12%)
Presenting symptoms/signs
Cough	73 (85%)
Dyspnea	68 (79%)
Sputum production	54 (63%)
Weakness	43 (50%)
Fever (T > 38.0°C) in emergency department	41 (48%)
Wheezing	33 (38%)
Lethargy/malaise	27 (31%)
Runny nose or nasal congestion	19 (22%)

¹Symptoms present in > 20% of patients are shown in table; less common symptoms included: sore throat in 16 (19%), altered LOC 16 (19%), chest pain 15 (17%), nausea 15 (17%), vomiting 14 (16%), loss of appetite 14 (16%), diarrhea 11 (13%), dizziness 11 (13%). Abdominal pain, headache, arthalgias and myalgias were reported in < 10% of patients.
²Institutions included nursing homes (8), retirement homes (3), rehabilitation or convalescent care facilities (2), and mental health hospitals (1).
³Immunosuppressed patients included those with hematologic malignancy, solid tumor on chemotherapy at time of RSV diagnosis, organ transplant, vasculitis, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, or pulmonary fibrosis on immunosuppressive medications at time of RSV diagnosis.

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