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Respiratory syncytial virus vaccination and risk of respiratory and cardiorespiratory hospitalization in adults with chronic kidney disease: a prespecified analysis of the DAN-RSV trial

  • Lisa Steen Duus
  • , Mats Christian Højbjerg Lassen
  • , Niklas D Johansen
  • , Sine Højlund Christensen
  • , Kristoffer G Skaarup
  • , Kira Hyldekær Janstrup
  • , Daniel Modin
  • , Brian L Claggett
  • , Carsten S Larsen
  • , Anne Marie Reimer Jensen
  • , Maria Dons
  • , Katrine F Bernholm
  • , Filip S Davidovski
  • , Camilla I Ottosen
  • , Anne B Nielsen
  • , Julie H Borchsenius
  • , Caroline Espersen
  • , Katja Vu Bartholdy
  • , Güldas Köse
  • , Frederik H Fussing
  • Lykke Larsen, Lothar Wiese, Michael Dalager-Pedersen, Matias G Lindholm, Lars Køber, Scott D Solomon, Peter Rossing, Ditte Hansen, Jens Ulrik Stæhr Jensen, Cyril Jean-Marie Martel, Claudia Schwarz, Elisa Gonzalez, Mette Skovdal, Pingping Zhang, Bradford D Gessner, Negar Aliabadi, Elizabeth Begier, Tor Biering-Sørensen*
*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

AIMS: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common cause of severe illness in older adults and may cause extra-pulmonary complications. Individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at increased risk of severe outcomes from respiratory infections, but RSV-specific data are limited. This prespecified analysis of the DAN-RSV trial evaluated the RSV prefusion F protein-based vaccine (RSVpreF) effectiveness (VE) in adults aged ≥60 years with and without CKD.

METHODS AND RESULTS: The DAN-RSV trial was a pragmatic, open-label, parallel-group, individually randomized clinical trial conducted during 2024/25. Adults aged ≥60 years were randomized 1:1 to receive respiratory syncytial virus prefusion F (RSVpreF) or no vaccine. Chronic kidney disease was identified using diagnosis codes and biomarkers. Outcomes were assessed through nationwide registry linkage from 14 days post-randomization to 31 May 2025. The primary outcome was RSV-related respiratory tract disease hospitalization; secondary outcomes included respiratory, cardiovascular, and kidney-related hospitalizations, and all-cause mortality. Among 131 276 participants (65 642 RSVpreF; 65 634 controls), 13 364 (10.2%) had CKD. Chronic kidney disease participants were older and had more comorbidities. Hospitalization rates were consistently higher among those with CKD. RSVpreF compared with no vaccine reduced RSV-related respiratory tract disease hospitalization [overall VE: 83.3% (95% confidence interval, CI: 42.9-96.9%); CKD VE: 66.4% (95% CI: -85.2 to 96.7%); no CKD VE: 91.7% (95% CI: 43.7 to99.8%), Pinteraction = 0.29], and cardiorespiratory hospitalization, irrespective of CKD status. Among participants with CKD, a numerical imbalance in mortality was observed; however, event numbers were limited.

CONCLUSION: In this analysis of the DAN-RSV trial, RSVpreF vaccination reduced RSV-related, broader respiratory and cardiorespiratory hospitalizations in older including those with CKD. No significant differences were observed for acute kidney outcomes.

Original languageEnglish
Number of pages11
JournalEuropean Journal of Preventive Cardiology
DOIs
Publication statusPublished, E-pub ahead of print - 30 Apr 2026

Keywords

  • Cardiorespiratory disease
  • Chronic kidney disease
  • Pragmatic
  • Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

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