Impact of Respiratory Syncytial Virus on Cardiovascular Health in Older Adults
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Reviewed & Translated by Dat Tien Nguyen, B.A, ScM.
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Posted on September 20th, 2024
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Previous epidemiological studies have shown that respiratory infections caused by SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza can elevate the risk of acute cardiovascular disease and mortality, particularly in older adults. While respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a frequent cause of seasonal respiratory infections, its impact on cardiovascular health has not been thoroughly investigated. To address this gap, the Centers for Disease Control funded a study to assess the risk of cardiac complications in older adults hospitalized due to RSV infection.
The cross-sectional surveillance study analyzed 6,248 health records from the RSV Hospitalization Surveillance Network (RSV-NET). These records were from individuals hospitalized in the United States due to laboratory-confirmed RSV infection over five RSV seasons. The median age of the patients was 72.7 years, and 48.7% had previously been diagnosed with underlying cardiovascular conditions such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or atrial fibrillation. The researchers found that 22.4% of adults over 50 years old hospitalized due to RSV infection experienced at least one cardiac event, with acute heart failure being the most prevalent, occurring in 15.8% of cases. Further analysis revealed that those with pre-existing cardiovascular disease were more than three times as likely to suffer an acute cardiac event during RSV infection. Additionally, these individuals faced a higher risk of ICU admission and death. With the RSV vaccine approved for use in the United States in 2023, future studies could assess the impact of immunization on the risk of cardiovascular events associated with RSV infection.
The cross-sectional surveillance study analyzed 6,248 health records from the RSV Hospitalization Surveillance Network (RSV-NET). These records were from individuals hospitalized in the United States due to laboratory-confirmed RSV infection over five RSV seasons. The median age of the patients was 72.7 years, and 48.7% had previously been diagnosed with underlying cardiovascular conditions such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or atrial fibrillation. The researchers found that 22.4% of adults over 50 years old hospitalized due to RSV infection experienced at least one cardiac event, with acute heart failure being the most prevalent, occurring in 15.8% of cases. Further analysis revealed that those with pre-existing cardiovascular disease were more than three times as likely to suffer an acute cardiac event during RSV infection. Additionally, these individuals faced a higher risk of ICU admission and death. With the RSV vaccine approved for use in the United States in 2023, future studies could assess the impact of immunization on the risk of cardiovascular events associated with RSV infection.