Factors affecting length of hospitalization in a rheumatic disease unit

To assess factors influencing length of stay in a 12-bed rheumatic disease unit of a university associated teaching hospital with secondary and tertiary care responsibilities for a geographically broad referral base.

Patient discharges over a 12-month period were studied and divided into 3 categories.

In Category 1, 167 patients with a mean age of 47.12 had a hospital stay of 1-14 days. Within this group was a subgroup of 30 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, mean age of 30.13 receiving iv pulse cyclophosphamide who had multiple admissions. Their omission elevated the mean age to 50.87. In Category 2, 81 patients with a mean age of 59, had a hospital stay of 15-28 days and in Category 3, 24 patients with a mean age of 50.9 were hospital stay of 15-28 days and in Category 3, 24 patients with a mean age of 50.9 were hospitalized more than 29 days. Principal diagnosis, major complications of disease, complications of procedure and treatment and concurrent nonrheumatologic pathologies were analyzed for each group. The presence of a large number of comorbid pathologies in Groups 1 and 2 relate to the tertiary referral nature of the practice. Category 2, the group with the higher mean age had more treatment related complications in the form of adverse reactions to 2nd line agents and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. The 24 patients in Category 3 showed an equal sex distribution and are noted for the presence of infectious agent arthritis, requiring longterm iv antibiotics, both as a principal diagnosis, and as a complication of other pathologies. Vasculitis as a complication of preexisting disease and as a principal diagnosis was also a feature of this group.

Length of stay above the 14 day mean relates to disease severity and serious complications such as vasculitis or joint sepsis requiring prolonged treatment.