Weekend Admission Does Not Confer an Increased Risk of Mortality in Septic Shock

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Epidemiology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Septic shock is a life-threatening condition requiring timely medical intervention.
• Concerns exist regarding potential disparities in healthcare outcomes based on admission timing, such as weekends.
• Understanding the impact of admission day on septic shock mortality is crucial for healthcare resource allocation and patient safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if admission to the hospital on a weekend is associated with increased mortality in patients diagnosed with septic shock.
• To analyze the relationship between admission timing (weekday vs. weekend) and patient outcomes in septic shock.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study utilizing data from the 2017-2018 National Inpatient Sample.
• Inclusion criteria: adult patients with septic shock (ICD-10 code R65.21) as a primary diagnosis.
• Statistical analysis: weighted logistic regression adjusted for covariates, including the Charlson-Deyo comorbidity index.

Main Results:

• Analysis included 100,584 septic shock admissions (73,966 weekday, 26,618 weekend).
• No statistically significant difference in mortality was observed between weekend and weekday admissions (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.99-1.02).
• A regional variation in weekend mortality was noted, with higher odds of death in the Western region (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.05-1.11).
• Temporal improvement in outcomes was observed, with lower mortality in 2018 compared to 2017.

Conclusions:

• Admission on a weekend does not appear to increase the risk of death for patients with septic shock.
• Healthcare outcomes for septic shock may be influenced by geographical region.
• Further research into regional variations and the impact of admission timing on critical care outcomes is warranted.