Impact of respiratory syncytial virus immunoprophylaxis on paediatric consultations: a time series study in Castilla-La Mancha, Spain (2022–2024)

INTRODUCTION: ; about 2 million inhabitants) implemented a general RSV immunoprophylaxis program targeting paediatric populations to decrease the number of cases, hospitalizations, and subsequent demand on paediatric services. AIM: To assess the impact of RSV immunoprophylaxis on the demand for paediatric consultations in Castilla-La Mancha. METHODS: We conducted an observational, interrupted time series analysis to evaluate the effect of RSV immunoprophylaxis on the demand for paediatric consultations from January 2022 to July 2024, thus spanning pre- and post-immunoprophylaxis periods. The study used data from all 14 Integrated Health Management Units in Castilla-La Mancha that provide paediatric care to the entire region as part of the public health service. Descriptive analyses as well as inferential statistics (Poisson regression) were used on the time series data to detect differences between the pre- and post-immunoprophylaxis periods. RESULTS: There were 3,552,401 paediatric consultations, with 11,771 RSV antibody doses administered. Regarding the total number of paediatric consultations, no statistically significant differences were observed between the pre- and post-immunoprophylaxis periods. A combined analysis showed an 8.9% reduction in paediatric consultations following the start of the immunoprophylaxis programme (OR = 0.911; 95% CI: 0.909-0.913). The time series model, using aggregated data, suggested that RSV immunoprophylaxis reduced paediatric consultations by approximately 9.8% (intervention coefficient: -0.098; CI: -0.190 to 0.017). CONCLUSION: Data indicate that RSV immunoprophylaxis leads to a significant decrease in paediatric consultations, suggesting that this immunoprophylaxis can alleviate pressure on primary healthcare services.