RSV Vaccination Could Decrease Hospitalization Among Adults 60 Years and Older

Following the CDC’s June 2023 recommendation for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination among individuals 60 years and older, researchers conducted a study to assess RSV-associated hospitalizations among adults in this population during the first season of use.¹

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“This is an important study that shows RSV vaccination was highly effective last winter in preventing older Americans from becoming severely ill and being hospitalized with RSV,” said Wesley Self, MD, MPH, principal investigator of the IVY Network, senior vice president for Clinical Research, and professor of Emergency Medicine at VUMC, in a news release.²

According to the CDC, the US experiences up to 160,000 hospitalizations and around 10,000 deaths among older adults due to RSV infection each year. Symptoms typically present like a mild cold but could become more severe among older adults.³

With results published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the study was conducted between October 2023 and March 2024 among adults aged 60 years and older who resided in 19 US states. Prior to the study, researchers from the CDC and Vanderbilt University Medical Center reported that adults 60 years and older who received an RSV vaccine were less expected to be hospitalized due to related RSV infection, compared with individuals who did not receive a vaccine.^1,2

A total of 2978 individuals were included in the study with a median age of 72 and 24.2% were reported to be immunocompromised. The individuals were hospitalized in 1 of the 19 states with acute respiratory illness.^1,4

According to the news release, the results found that RSV vaccination was 75% effective in preventing RSV-associated hospitalizations among adults aged 60 years and older, demonstrating RSV protection for individuals at high risk. Additionally, the effectiveness was comparable for adults aged 75 years and older.¹

“This provides real-world evidence that RSV vaccination prevented about three-quarters of RSV hospitalizations that would have occurred among vaccine recipients if they had not been vaccinated,” Self said, in a news release.²

The median age for vaccinated individuals was 75 years compared with 72 years for unvaccinated individuals, and vaccinated individuals were more likely to be White, immunocompromised, and needed an outpatient visit in the past year, according to study authors.¹

The finding suggest that RSV vaccination could provide protection against RSV among older adults, including adults aged 75 years and older that have a chronic condition.¹

“Our findings underscore the potential of RSV vaccination in mitigating hospitalization risks among older adults,” said Yuwei Zhu, MD, MS, senior associate in Biostatistics, in a news release. “As we move forward, it is vital that we continue to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the vaccine in future seasons to ensure continued protection for this vulnerable population.”²

However, following the CDC June 2023 recommendation that inspired this study, CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recently updated their guidelines, replacing shared clinical decision-making. The updated guidelines could provide better RSV protection among older adults.⁵

REFERENCES

1. RSV Vaccine Effectiveness Against Hospitalization Among US Adults 60 Years and Older. JAMA Network. News release. September 4, 2024. Accessed September 6, 2024. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2823011.

2. RSV vaccine in older people cuts risk of hospitalization. VUMC News. News release. September 4, 2024. Accessed September 6, 2024. https://news.vumc.org/2024/09/04/rsv-vaccine-in-older-people-cuts-risk-of-hospitalization/.

3. Ferruggia K. Co-Administering RSV and Influenza Vaccines Could Provide Tolerable Immune Responses. Pharmacy Times. News release. August 15, 2024. Accessed September 6, 2024. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/co-administering-rsv-and-influenza-vaccines-could-provide-tolerable-immune-responses.

4. RSV Vaccines Show High Effectiveness Against Hospitalization in Older Adults. MedPageToday. News release. September 4, 2024. Accessed September 6, 2024. https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/vaccines/111801.

5. Ferruggia K. New ACIP Recommendations for RSV Vaccines Aim to Solve Challenges With Shared Clinical Decision-Making. Pharmacy Times. News release. August 30, 2024. Accessed September 6, 2024. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/new-acip-recommendations-for-rsv-vaccines-aim-to-solve-challenges-with-shared-clinical-decision-making.