RSV Hospitalization Associated With Persistent Symptoms and Reduced Quality of Life in Adults

New study findings led by researchers from the University of Michigan School of Public Health found that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) could have long-lasting effects among adults who have been hospitalized.^1,2

The study authors, who published their findings in the CDC journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, noted that many individuals struggle with breathlessness, reduced ability to perform everyday activities, and lower quality of life months after being discharged due to RSV.^1,2

How Does RSV Impact Older Adults?

RSV can cause severe acute respiratory illness, particularly in older adults. In the US, RSV leads to an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 hospitalizations each year among individuals older than 60 years and carries an annual economic burden exceeding $1.5 billion.¹

RSV infections also account for a substantial proportion of hospital admissions for pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (11%), acute heart failure (7%), and asthma exacerbations (5%). Compared with adults hospitalized and vaccinated for influenza and COVID-19 during the 2022 to 2023 seasons, patients who were hospitalized with RSV were more likely to require intensive care and mechanical ventilation and faced a higher risk of in-hospital death and mortality within 1 year after hospitalization, according to the CDC.¹

Can RSV Cause Long-Term Consequences in Adults?

Limited research has been conducted on the long-term consequences of severe RSV, particularly among adults who were hospitalized due to infection. To close this gap, researchers conducted a prospective, multicenter SunRISE program to evaluate and describe the posthospital functional, physical, symptom, and quality of life outcomes of patients hospitalized with acute RSV and other acute respiratory infections (ARI) up to 1 year after hospitalization. The program also compares outcomes between adults older than 60 years and those younger than 60 years—reflecting current RSV vaccination recommendations—and contrasts long-term outcomes after RSV hospitalization with those observed following COVID-19 hospitalizations.^1,2

From February 2022 to September 2023, a total of 21,611 patients were enrolled in the survey, including 610 who were hospitalized with RSV. After exclusions, 403 RSV patients were eligible for follow-up, and 146 completed surveys at 6 to 12 months. A matched comparator cohort of 118 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 was included, with a median follow-up of 6.5 months for RSV and 6.7 months for COVID-19.^1,2

Results demonstrated that adults hospitalized with RSV across 20 US states experienced substantial impairments in physical function, activities of daily living, dyspnea, self-rated health, and quality of life 6 to 12 months after hospitalization. Nearly half of participants were younger than 60 years, yet persistent functional and quality-of-life deficits were observed regardless of age.^1,2

“Overall, we found that many patients hospitalized with RSV had poor physical functioning, functional impairment, and persistent symptoms, including shortness of breath, 6 to 12 months after their hospitalization—regardless of age,” Aleda Leis, first study author and research assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Michigan, said in a news release.²

Further results found that long-term postdischarge sequelae among RSV patients were comparable in scope with severity to those seen after COVID-19 hospitalization, although dyspnea was more severe in RSV. These findings indicate that severe RSV illness can result in significant and lasting harm across adults, not only those that are older in age.^1,2

“We hope the takeaway from our study is that long-term effects can happen after respiratory illnesses other than COVID-19, too. For those with RSV, these long-term effects appeared similar to those after COVID-19, and younger adults with RSV had similar long-term outcomes to older adults,” Leis concluded.²

REFERENCES

1.Leis AM, Womack KN, Maxcy C, et al. Long-Term Illness in Adults Hospitalized for Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease, United States, February 2022–September 2023. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2026;32(13). doi:10.3201/eid3213.241982

2. Study: Adults face lasting effects months after RSV hospitalization. News release. EurekAlert! December 10, 2025. Accessed December 23, 2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1109358