Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.3325/cmj.2022.63.71
Association of discharge policy with the length of hospital stay among patients with coronavirus disease 2019: a cross-sectional study
Kamil Polok
; Department of Pulmonology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
Karolina Górka
; Department of Pulmonology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
Tomasz Stachura
; Department of Pulmonology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
Natalia Celejewska-Wójcik
; Department of Pulmonology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
Sabina Lichołai
; Division of Molecular Biology and Clinical Genetics, Department of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
Katarzyna Bućko-Głód
; Department of Pulmonology and Allergology, University Hospital, Kraków, Poland
Gabriela Adamus
; Department of Pulmonology and Allergology, University Hospital, Kraków, Poland
Anna Kozłowska
; Department of Pulmonology and Allergology, University Hospital, Kraków, Poland
Aleksandra Baraniec
; Department of Pulmonology and Allergology, University Hospital, Kraków, Poland
Olga Buczma
; Department of Pulmonology and Allergology, University Hospital, Kraków, Poland
Krzysztof Sładek
; Department of Pulmonology and Allergology, University Hospital, Kraków, Poland
Abstract
Aim To assess the association between discharge policy
and hospital stay length, and to evaluate the factors related to duration of viral clearance among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Methods This cross-sectional study enrolled consecutive
patients aged ≥18 years with SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction
test who were admitted to hospital. The participants were
divided into the test-based (TB) policy group or symptombased (SB) group depending on the policy valid at their
hospital discharge. Multivariable analyses were performed
to assess the factors related to the duration of hospital stay
and viral clearance.
Results The study involved 305 patients (66.6% men). The
mean age was 60.9 (15.2) years. TB and SB policy groups
consisted of 145 (47.5%) and 160 patients (52.5%), respectively. The TB group had significantly longer duration of
hospital stay (21.0 vs 16.0, P=0.003). In multivariable analysis, SB policy was associated with significantly shorter hospital stay (β-coefficient -5.87, 95% confidence interval [CI]
-9.78 to -1.96, P=0.003). Longer viral clearance was associated with older age (β-coefficient 0.33, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.51,
P<0.001) and history of cough in the pre-hospital phase of
the disease (5.96, 95% CI 0.64 to 11.29, P=0.028).
Conclusion SB discharge policy is preferable in the context of limited resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
279001
URI
Publication date:
17.2.2022.
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