Adverse Cardiac Events in Older Patients Hospitalized with RSV Infections

We know that severe influenza in older adults can precipitate adverse cardiovascular (CV) events (NEJM JW Gen Med Nov 1 2020 and Ann Intern Med 2020; 173:605). To find out if this also is true for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, researchers performed a cross-sectional study of 6000 hospitalized adults (age, ≥50) who tested positive for RSV in 12 states during five RSV seasons. Mean age was 73, and 56% had known cardiovascular disease.

Overall, 23% of the 6000 patients experienced adverse CV events, most commonly acute heart failure or myocardial injury. These events occurred in 33% of patients with known CV disease but also in 9% of patients without known CV disease. Compared with patients who did not have acute adverse CV event…