Abstract
Purpose
Crohn’s disease (CD) is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) caused by an abnormal immune response to intestinal microbes in a genetically susceptible host. The objective of this cohort analysis is to compare demographic characteristics, cost difference, and treatment modalities between patients who were discharged from the Emergency Department (ED) and those who were admitted to the hospital.
Methods
This study is a retrospective chart review of adult patients diagnosed with CD who were discharged from the ED and those who were admitted to the hospital between January 1, 2014 and January 1, 2017. We compared demographic and clinical characteristics as well as total charges incurred by these patients. A chi square test of independence and a Mann Whitney U-Test were used to compare categorical variables. Linear and logistic regression analyses were utilized to identify predictors of hospitalization and total charges.
Results
Of a total 195 patients, 97 were discharged from the ED and 98 were admitted to the hospital (Table 1). Patients who presented with fever, nausea/vomiting, or abdominal pain or who had a history of a fistula or stenosis were more likely to be hospitalized, as were patients who presented on steroids, 5-ASA compounds, or narcotics (Table 2). A logistic regression adjusted for these factors showed patients presenting with abdominal pain (OR=0.239, 95% CI 0.07 – 0.77) are less likely, while patients presenting with fever (OR=7.0, 95% CI 1.9 – 24.5) and history of stenosis (OR=17.8, 95% CI 5.7 – 55.9) are more likely to have a hospital admission. An increase in age and white blood cell count was associated with an increase in likelihood of admission (OR=1.04, 95% CI 1.01 – 1.07 and OR=1.2, 95% CI 1.1 – 1.4), while an increase in HGB was associated with a decrease in likelihood of admission (OR=0.682, 95% CI 0.55 – 0.83). Patients on 5-ASA compounds had the strongest association with hospital admission (OR=4.5, 95% CI 1.03 – 20.4). A linear regression analysis predicting total charges of hospitalization identified an increase of $37,500 (95% CI 6,600 – 68,489) for obese patients and of $29,000 (95% CI 20 – 57,000) for patients on narcotics prior to hospitalization. Notably, blacks were on average 6 years younger than whites (μ=36.2, st.d.=13.2 v μ=42.7, st.d.=18.2, p=0.031, respectively). No other differences in presentation or outcomes of CD were identified between these races.
Conclusion
This study describes the difference between CD patients who were admitted to the hospital compared to those who were discharged from the ED. The impact that 5-ASA compound, steroid, and narcotic use prior to presentation has on hospital admission and charges highlights the need for consistent outpatient care to manage the symptoms and disease progression in patients with CD in Baton Rouge. The difference in age at presentation between blacks and whites should also be considered in future research.
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