Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40727239›Full record

ArticleThe Lancet regional health. Europe2025

Excess mortality and hospitalisations associated with respiratory syncytial virus, influenza, and COVID-19 among adults in Denmark (2015-2024): a modelling study.

Amanda Marie Egeskov-Cavling, Chelsea L Hansen, Caroline Klint Johannesen, Birgitte Lindegaard, Samir Bhatt, Cecile Viboud, Thea K Fischer

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Article in The Lancet regional health. Europe, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Amanda Marie Egeskov-CavlingDepartment of Clinical Research, North Zealand Hospital, Hilleroed, Denmark.
Chelsea L HansenDivision of International Epidemiology and Population Studies, Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Caroline Klint JohannesenDepartment of Clinical Research, North Zealand Hospital, Hilleroed, Denmark.
Birgitte LindegaardDepartment of Pulmonary and Infectious Diseases, North Zealand Hospital, Hilleroed, Denmark.
Samir BhattDepartment of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Cecile ViboudDivision of International Epidemiology and Population Studies, Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Thea K FischerDepartment of Clinical Research, North Zealand Hospital, Hilleroed, Denmark.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Understanding the long-term epidemiology trends of RSV, influenza, and COVID-19 is essential for planning of vaccination strategies and healthcare system epidemic preparedness. This is the first study to provide a comprehensive estimation of both excess mortality and hospitalisations among adults for these respiratory viruses in a European setting. We aim to estimate excess mortality and excess hospitalisations for RSV, influenza, and COVID-19 among adults ≥18 years in Denmark from January 2015 to March 2024. Methods: This nationwide time-trend modelling study investigates weekly mortality and hospitalisation rates surpassing the seasonal baseline for RSV, influenza, and COVID-19 among adults in Denmark. Data from the Cause of Death Register, the Danish National Patient Registry, and respiratory virus surveillance data were analysed with Generalized Additive Models (GAM) using a negative binomial likelihood function, including RSV, influenza, COVID-19 variants, and time effects to account for seasonality and trend. Findings: We estimated 3944 RSV-attributed, 5675 influenza-attributed, and 5636 COVID-19-attributed deaths. Among adults aged 65 or older, the annual mortality rates were 31.2 per 100,000 for RSV, 42.9 for influenza, and 88.5 for COVID-19. Furthermore, we estimated annual admission rates for those aged 65 and older of 177.4 per 100,000 for RSV, 164.6 for influenza, and 398.7 for COVID-19. Interpretation: This modelling study reveals a substantial impact of RSV on individuals aged 65 and older, with a notable increase in RSV-attributed deaths and hospitalisations in recent years likely due to expanded respiratory testing after the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings highlight the need for increased awareness in previously considered lower-risk patients, and establish benchmarks for evaluating preventive interventions. Funding: This study received funding from Independent Research Fund Denmark.

Indexed as

AdultsBurden of diseaseCOVID19Hospital admissionInfluenzaMortalityRespiratory tract infectionsRSVTime series analysis

Identifiers

PMID40727239
PMCPMC12303044

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.