UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: RSV, geriatrics, outcomes and heart failure

Category: Geriatrics

Keywords: RSV, geriatric, heart failure, morbidity (PubMed Search)

Posted: 10/19/2025 by Robert Flint, MD (Updated: 12/4/2025)
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This study looked at older patients admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of one of the following: RSV infection, UTI, influenza, fracture. Those patients with RSV had longer stays, higher mortality, higher ICU length of stay and interestingly more cardiovascular complications up to one year after hospitalization.  Further evidence we should be testing for RSV in our ill older patients and encouraging vaccination.

References

Journal of the American Geriatrics SocietyVolume 73, Issue 9 pp. 2685-2694

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)-Related Hospitalization and Increased Rate of Cardiovascular Events in Older Adults

Chris P. VerschoorJoshua O. CerasuoloJoseph M. CaswellMark TatangeloAtilio Costa-VitaliDavid W. SavageJeffrey C. Kwong