Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Köksal I., Ayaş M., Kocagöz A. S., Gençer S., Yurttutan Uyar N., Kuşoğlu H.
Diğer Ülkelerdeki Özel Organizasyonlar Tarafından Desteklenmiş Proje, 2023 - 2026
Background & Aim: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of acute respiratory tract infections globally, traditionally associated with pediatric disease. However, accumulating evidence shows that RSV also represents a significant health burden among adults, particularly older adults and those with chronic diseases or immunosuppression. This study aims to determine the prevalence, seasonal trends, and clinical outcomes of RSV infection among older adults in Türkiye. As one of the first large-scale adult-focused RSV studies in the country, it provides essential data to support prevention strategies and healthcare planning.
Materials & Methods: This multicenter retrospective study analyzed older adults (≥60 years) with PCR-confirmed RSV infection across five hospitals in Istanbul between 2015 and 2024. Among 1636 tested older adults, 32 RSV-positive cases 18 female (56.3%), 14 male (43.8%) met the inclusion criteria. Specimens included nasopharyngeal/throat swabs, sputum, and bronchoalveolar lavage samples. Variables assessed were demographics, comorbidities, hospitalization, ICU admission, oxygen requirement, and mortality. Descriptive analysis, chi-square tests, and correlation analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS v26, with statistical significance set at p<0.05.
Results: Among 1,636 older adults tested, RSV positivity was 1.95% (n=32), with a median age of 72.5 years. RSV activity peaked in winter, particularly in December–January, with the highest surge in the 2022–2023 season (Figure1). Specimens included nasopharyngeal swabs (62.5%), bronchoalveolar lavage (25%), throat swabs (6.3%), and others (6.2%). Most patients were admitted from intensive care (28.1%), infectious diseases (21.9%), or pulmonology (15.6%) units. Hospitalization occurred in 78.1% of cases, ICU admission in 37.5%, and oxygen support in 68.8%. Hypertension (46.9%) and cardiovascular disease (31.3%) were the most frequent comorbidities. Upper and lower respiratory symptoms were present in 59.4% of patients. The 28-day mortality rate was 21.9%, without significant association with age or comorbidities. Mortality showed a weak but significant positive correlation with positive thoracic CT findings (p<0.05).
Conclusion: RSV infection poses a substantial clinical burden among older adults and individuals with chronic diseases or immunosuppression, frequently resulting in hospitalization and intensive care needs. Enhanced diagnostic awareness and targeted prevention strategies—including RSV vaccination—are essential to reduce morbidity and mortality in high-risk adult populations.