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Does diabetes mellitus comorbidity affect in-hospital mortality and length of stay? Analysis of administrative data in an Italian Academic Hospital

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Abstract

Aims

Hospitalized patients with comorbid diabetes mellitus may have worse outcomes than the others. We conducted a study to assess whether comorbid diabetes affects in-hospital mortality and length of stay.

Methods

For this population-based study, we analyzed the administrative databases of the Regional Health Information System of the Region Friuli Venezia Giulia, where the Hospital of Udine is located. Hospital discharge data were linked at the individual patient level with the regional Diabetes Mellitus Registry to identify diabetic patients. For each 3-digit ICD-9-CM discharge diagnosis code, we assessed the difference in length of stay and in-hospital mortality between diabetic and non-diabetic patients. We conducted both univariate and multivariate analyses, adjusted for age, sex, Charlson’s comorbidity score, and urgency of hospitalization, through linear and logistic regression models.

Results

After adjusting for potential confounders, diabetes significantly increased the risk of in-hospital death among patients hospitalized for bacterial pneumonia (OR = 1.94) and intestinal obstruction (OR = 4.23) and length of stay among those admitted for several diagnoses, including acute myocardial infarction and acute renal failure. Admission glucose blood level was associated with in-hospital death in patients with pneumonia and intestinal obstruction, and increased length of stay for several conditions.

Conclusions

Patients with diabetes mellitus who are hospitalized for other health problems may have increased risk of in-hospital death and longer hospital stay. For this reason, diabetes should be promptly recognized upon admission and properly managed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. SOC Istituto di Igiene ed Epidemiologia Clinica, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata di Udine, Via Colugna 50, 33100, Udine, Italy

    Francesca Valent

  2. Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism and Clinical Nutrition, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata di Udine, Udine, Italy

    Laura Tonutti & Franco Grimaldi

Authors
  1. Francesca Valent
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  2. Laura Tonutti
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  3. Franco Grimaldi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Francesca Valent.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and animal rights disclosure

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Informed consent disclosure

Since this analysis was based on anonymous administrative data, patient informed consent and ethical committee approval were not required in Italy.

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Managed by Antonio Secchi.

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Valent, F., Tonutti, L. & Grimaldi, F. Does diabetes mellitus comorbidity affect in-hospital mortality and length of stay? Analysis of administrative data in an Italian Academic Hospital. Acta Diabetol 54, 1081–1090 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00592-017-1050-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00592-017-1050-6

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