Abstract: ObjectiveTo investigate the epidemic characteristics and direct economic burden of inpatients with acute respiratory infections (ARI) in Guangzhou from 2008 to 2014. MethodsA retrospective investigation of ARI inpatients was conducted in 8 large-scale general hospitals from 8 districts in Guangzhou. The basic information, diagnosis and treatment information, medical expenses, and other variables were collected by electronic information management systems of the hospitals. Stratified according to years, ages, and diseases, epidemic characteristics and hospitalization expenditure of ARI inpatients were analyzed. ResultsA total of 48 886 ARI inpatients were treated in the eight hospitals. The number of ARI inpatients increased from 5 561 in 2008 to 8 925 in 2014. Cases aged 4 years or younger accounted for the largest proportion of the total ARI inpatients (39.4%), followed by cases aged 65 years or older (28.3%). The top five diseases by cases were pneumonia, acute bronchitis, acute upper respiratory tract infection, bronchial pneumonia, and acute tonsillitis, accounting for 36.7%, 17.5%, 16.8%, 16.2%, and 5.0% of the total cases, respectively. The average medical expenses of the ARI inpatients increased from 2 568.20 Yuan in 2008 to 6 000.90 Yuan in 2014, with an average annual growth rate of 15.2%. Drug cost accounted for the largest proportion (38.4%) of the total expenses, followed by testing cost (20.6%). The cost of the ARI inpatients aged 65 years or older was the highest (10 625.50 Yuan). The medical expenses of pneumonia inpatients was the highest (7 074.70 Yuan) among different diseases.ConclusionThe number of ARI inpatients was rising in Guangzhou. Cases aged 4 years or younger and 65 years or older were the main groups with higher incidence of diseases. The drug cost and testing cost accounted for a higher proportion of the medical expenses. Pneumonia cases in the elderly plays an important role in the economic burden caused by ARI cases.