PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - R. Menéndez
AU  - M.J. Cremades
AU  - E. Martínez-Moragón
AU  - J.J. Soler
AU  - S. Reyes
AU  - M. Perpiñá
TI  - Duration of length of stay in pneumonia: influence of clinical factors and hospital type
AID  - 10.1183/09031936.03.00026103
DP  - 2003 Oct 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - 643--648
VI  - 22
IP  - 4
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/22/4/643.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/22/4/643.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2003 Oct 01; 22
AB  - Length of stay (LOS) in hospital for community-acquired pneumonia depends on the characteristics of the patient and hospital. The present study sought to identify these variables within the first 24 h of hospitalisation. Patients hospitalised for pneumonia in four hospitals (one teaching and three general hospitals) had their data analysed by univariate and multivariate statististics. The variables entered were LOS, demographical characteristics, referral source, comorbidity, initial severity of illness, laboratory analyses, initial radiograph findings and antibiotic treatment regimens. The study sample included 425 patients. The overall mortality was 8.2% and the median LOS was 9 days. Using LOS as a dependent variable, three multivariate linear regression analyses were performed with: 1) the whole cohort; 2) the low-risk classes (categories I and II of Fine); and 3) the high-risk classes (categories III, IV and V of Fine). The mathematical model identified hypoxemia, low diastolic pressure, pleural effusion, multi-lobe involvement and hypoalbuminaemia as associated with longer stays in risk classes III–V, while in the low-risk patients (I–II) only hypoxemia and pleural effusion appeared in the equation. Following adjustment for these clinical variables, the LOS remained lower in some hospitals. Several independent clinical factors increased the pneumonia-associated length of stay with significant differences between hospitals. Hypoxemia and pleural effusions were the predictive variables of length of stay in low-risk patients and, additionally, diastolic blood pressure, multi-lobe involvement and hypoalbuminaemia were significant in the higher-risk classes III–V. This work has been supported in part by Red Respira (RTIC C03/11).