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Study highlights predictors of outcomes after atlantoaxial fusion
Results from this study indicated patients who were older and patients with specific comorbidities had higher chances of postoperative mortality, discharge to a care facility, longer length of stay and greater total hospital charges after atlantoaxial fusion.
Researchers used data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) and retrospectively analyzed 8,189 hospitalizations of patients who underwent atlantoaxial fusion. Investigators assessed predictors of outcomes following atlantoaxial fusion. In-hospital mortality and discharge disposition were determined with logistic regression, and predictors for hospital charges and length of stay (LOS) were determined with linear regression.
Overall, 62% of patients were white and most patients were insured by either Medicare or a private health insurance. According to results of the NIS and Elixhauser comorbidity index, the most common comorbidity was hypertension. Investigators found the study cohort had an in-hospital mortality rate of 2.7%, with a median LOS of 6 days.
According to researchers, there was a $73,561 median total charge per hospitalization. Overall, 48.9% of patients were discharged home. Investigators found in-hospital predictors that were significant included increased age, emergent or urgent admissions, weekend admissions, congestive heart failure, coagulopathy, depression, electrolyte disorder, metastatic cancer, neurologic disorder, paralysis and non-bleeding peptic ulcer. Investigators noted similar predictors were also found for LOS, hospital charges and discharge disposition. ‒ by Monica Jaramillo
Disclosures: Tanenbaum reports he received a NIH training grant, TL1 TR000441. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.