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Objective: RSV bronchiolitis is a leading cause of hospitalization in infants and young children. We aimed to document the economic burden and epidemiology of RSV over seven seasons in Southern Austria. Patients and Methods: All RSV‐associated hospitalized (PCR‐proven) children ≤ 5 years of age between 1 October 2015 and 30 April 2022 were collected retrospectively. Demographic and epidemiologic data, along with hospitalization costs (direct and indirect), were calculated. Results: Among 976 children hospitalized due to RSV infection, 87% were healthy term infants, and 79% were < 12 months old. Prematurity (13%) and pre‐existing conditions (11%) significantly impacted older children—59% of cases in the 2nd compared with 68% in the 1st year of live. RSV‐related hospital costs were approximately €2.0 millions per year (of a total of 60 millions per year). RSV accounted for 19% of hospitalizations due to acute respiratory illness (ARI) in children ≤ 5 years, 37% of all ARI < 6 months, 28% of all ARI < 12 and 6.3% of all‐cause hospitalizations < 12 months of age, respectively. Conclusions: Every 5th hospitalization due to respiratory illness in children ≤ 5 years of age was associated with RSV, representing 7.9% of all hospitalizations and 3.3% of all paediatric hospitalization costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Septic episodes in preterm infants recently have been reported to be associated with periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). The role of hypocarbia as an independent risk factor for PVL in clinical studies raises many questions without conclusive answers. Aims: To evaluate risk factors for cystic PVL focussing on the influence of hypocarbia. Study design: Retrospective single centre case-control study. Subjects: Preterm infants 24 to 35weeks of gestational age and matched (1:2 for gender, birth year, gestational age and birth weight) controls. Outcome measures: Multivariate analysis of perinatal factors being associated with cystic PVL diagnosed by serial ultrasound examinations. Results: Univariate analysis of risk factors revealed lower 5 and 10min Apgar scores, and higher rates of neonatal seizures, early-onset sepsis, neonatal steroids, respiratory distress syndrome with surfactant replacement therapy, and episodes of hypocarbia significantly being associated with PVL. Multivariate analysis using a logistic regression model revealed early-onset sepsis and hypocarbia being significantly associated with PVL (p=.022 and .024, respectively). Lowest PaCO2 values did not differ as did not the duration of hypocarbia, but the onset of hypocarbia was significantly later in PVL cases compared to controls (mean 26 vs. 15h, p=.033). Neurodevelopmental follow-up at a median time of 46months was poor showing 88% of the cases having an adverse neurological outcome. Conclusion: We found early-onset sepsis and episodes of hypocarbia within the first days of life being independently associated with PVL. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]