Characteristics and outcomes of patients hospitalized for infection with influenza, SARS-CoV-2 or respiratory syncytial virus in the season 2022/2023 in a large German primary care centre

Background In 2022/2023, Influenza A and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) reappeared in hospitalized patients, which was in parallel to ongoing SARS-CoV-2 infections.

The aim of our study was to compare the characteristics and outcomes of these infections during the same time.

Methods We included patients of all ages with a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for Influenza A/B, RSV, or SARS-CoV-2 virus hospitalized in the neurological, internal or paediatric units of the RoMed Hospital Rosenheim, Germany, between October 1st 2022 and February 28th 2023.

Results A total of 906 patients were included (45.6% female; median age 68.0 years; 21.9% Influenza A, 48.2% SARS-CoV-2, 28.3% RSV).

Influenza B (0.2%) and co-infections (1.5%) played a minor role.

In patients aged ≥ 18 years ( n  = 637, 71%), Influenza A, SARS-CoV-2 and RSV groups differed in age (median 72, 79, 76 years, respectively; p < 0.001).

Comorbidities, particularly asthma and COPD, were most prevalent for RSV.

103 patients were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) (16.3% Influenza A, 15.3% SARS-CoV-2, 19.2% RSV; p  = 0.649), 56 died (6.8% Influenza A, 9% SARS-CoV-2, 11.1% RSV; p  = 0.496).

RSV showed the highest frequencies of low-flow oxygen supplementation for admission and stay.

Differences in the length of stay were minor (median 7 days).

Conversely, in patients aged < 18 years ( n  = 261, 28,8%), 19.5%, 17.6% and 60.2% were in the Influenza A, SARS-CoV-2 and RSV groups, respectively; 0.4% showed Influenza B and 2.3% co-infections.

17 patients were admitted to ICU (3.9% Influenza A, 9.6% RSV, 0% SARS-CoV-2); none died.

RSV showed the highest frequencies of high- and low-flow oxygen supplementation, SARS-CoV-2 the lowest.

Conclusion When comparing infections with Influenza, SARS-CoV-2 and RSV in the winter 2022/2023 in hospitalized adult patients, rates of ICU admission and mortality were similar.

RSV showed the highest frequencies of obstructive airway diseases, and of oxygen supplementation.

The latter was also true in children/adolescents, in whom RSV dominated.

Thus, in the situation of declining importance of SARS-CoV-2, RSV showed a disease burden that was relatively higher than that from Influenza and SARS-CoV-2 across ages, and this might be relevant for the seasons coming.