Researchers at the Louisiana State University Health Science Center in Shreveport published a study analyzing the incidence of adverse outcomes and inpatient mortality after intramedullary spinal cord tumors and published the results in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine.
The study authors used the U.S. Nationwide Inpatient Sample database to examine the total hospitalization cost, complication rate and length of stay. There were 15,545 admissions identified in the database, with the average age of patients being 44.8 years old. Slightly more than half of the patients were male.
Here are five findings from the study:
1. Around 64.1 percent of the patients were discharged home or to self-care and the overall in-hospital mortality rate was 0.46 percent. Discharge to skilled nursing facilities can add significant cost to the patient's care. Patients with higher comorbidities index and complications were more likely to have an adverse discharge disposition.
2. Total average hospitalization charges increased from $45,452.23 in 2003 to $76,698.96 in 2010. Nonelective and weekend admissions were independent predictors of inpatient mortality and higher hospital cost. Additional predictors of high hospital costs were:
• Large hospitals
• High volume hospitals
• Hospitals in the Western region
• Teaching hospitals
Additional variables correlated with higher hospital charges were:
• Younger age
• Higher median household income
• Nonprivate insurance
• Complications
• Higher comorbidity index
3. The predictors of other than routine disposition were older age, female sex, black race and lower income based on the patient's zip code. Hospitals with more beds and those in the Northeast region of the country were independent predictors of OTR discharge disposition, and weekend and nonelective admissions had a significant influence on the disposition. Private insurance showed a protective effect against OTR disposition, according to the study.
4. Inpatient mortality independent predictors include:
• Younger age
• Nonprivate insurance
• High median household income
• Higher comorbidity index
5. In 2014, the American Cancer Society estimates around 23,380 malignant tumors of the brain or spinal cord will be diagnosed. There will be 14,320 people who die from brain and spinal cord tumors. The overall chance of a person developing a malignant tumor of the brain or spinal cord is less than 1 percent, even less likely for women.
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