[Treatment of infants with RSV infection: a retrospective analysis of the season 1998/99].

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most frequent cause of hospitalization for respiratory tract infection during the first 2 years of life. Recently the monoclonal antibody Palivizumab was approved for prophylaxis of RSV infection. Guidelines for the use of Palivizumab are based on data from North America and Great Britain. The epidemiology of RSV infection and patient management procedures may vary from one country to another. This study was designed to analyze the spectrum of patients hospitalized in Germany for RSV infection. During the 1998 to 1999 RSV season RSV-infected children admitted to twenty hospitals were followed. Of 222 RSV-infected patients 17.6 % (39) were born at 32 weeks of gestation or earlier and 16.2 % (36) between 33 weeks and 35 weeks. There were significant differences (P < 0.01) between the extremely preterm infants and the other patients in frequency of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, supplemental oxygen and age at hospital admission. In addition, both preterm groups had a significant longer length of hospital stay compared to the infants born at term. Thus, the current guidelines seem to be appropriate for selection of infants to receive RSV prophylaxis.