Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Burden in Older Adults in Primary Care in The Netherlands

RSV Burden in Older Adults in Primary Care in The Netherlands: the RAPID Study

RSV infection is a leading cause of medical care in older adults, sometimes leading to hospital admission and severe outcomes. Although the majority of RSV infections are managed outside hospitals, little is known on the burden of RSV in older adults in the primary care setting. Accurate estimates of the RSV burden in primary care is particularly relevant since vaccines against RSV infection in older adults will likely become available for the general population soon. The use of high-quality point-of-care (POC) molecular viral diagnostics allows to identify RSV infected older adults and would therefore contribute to fill one of the most important gaps in knowledge facilitating implementation of RSV vaccination of older adults

With this prospective, observational study, we aim to define the disease burden of RSV infection in older adults in the primary care setting.

Th RAPID study is a prospective, observational study in Dutch primary care practices during two RSV seasons. As part of routine care, rapid molecular viral diagnostic testing on respiratory samples will be offered to all older adults attending the primary care physician because of symptoms of acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI). RSV positive cases will be included for further study. Participants will be asked to fill out three questionnaires by phone or by online at day 0, 14 and 30 after the GP-visit.

The main endpoint is the burden of medically attended RSV infection in the Dutch primary care setting, quantified using several clinical and socioeconomic parameters, including (but not limited to) clinical symptoms and their duration, medicine use, hospitalisation rate, quality of life and ability to perform normal daily activities. Secondary, data on health care consumption and indirect costs will be collected and we will assess the effect of age and severe comorbidity on clinical course of RSV disease.

A population size of 1000 older adults age >60 years presenting with acute respiratory symptoms to the general practitioner (GP) during RSV season will be tested for RSV as part of routine care. We expect about 100 RSV+. Based on our sample size calculation, 100 RSV+ cases would provide sufficient accuracy for estimating the relevant outcomes.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age (≥60 years of age)
• RSV positive
• Subject is willing and able to give informed consent for participation in the study
• Subject is willing and able to adhere to protocol-specific procedures

Exclusion Criteria:

• Subject is not able to understand and communicate in the local language or English.
• Previous or current participation in RSV interventional trial (vaccine, antivirals)