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Author Affiliations: Department of Pediatric Critical Care and Pharmacology, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, University Hospitals, Case Medical Center, USA (Allareddy V); Nance College of Business Administration, Cleveland State University, Ohio, USA (Rampa S); Department of Developmental Biology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, USA (Allareddy V)
Corresponding Author: Veerasathpurush Allareddy, Department of Developmental Biology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, 188 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA (Tel: 216-571-1009; Email: VA15@hsdm.harvard.edu)
doi: 10.1007/s12519-012-0361-5
Background: This study examines hospital charges and length of stay (LOS) associated with septicemia during hospitalization for leukemia treatment among children aged ¡Ü18 years.
Methods: Nationwide Inpatient Sample (year 2008) was used. All hospitalizations (regardless of their discharge status following hospitalization) among children aged ¡Ü18 years with a primary diagnosis of leukemia were selected. Leukemia was identified using ICD-9-CM codes in the primary diagnosis field. The presence of septicemia during hospitalization was identified using ICD-9-CM codes in the secondary diagnosis field. Multivariable linear regression analyses were made to examine the effect of septicemia on hospitalization charges and LOS.
Results: Totally 6220 hospitalizations were attributed to leukemia treatment. Among these, 787 had septicemia. The mean hospitalization charge for those with septicemia was $279 137 and for those without septicemia was $113 530. The average LOS for those with septicemia was 33.18 days while the LOS for those without septicemia was 13.79 days. Septicemia was associated with increased hospitalization charges and a prolonged duration of stay in hospital after adjustments for confounders (P<0.0001).
Conclusions: Septicemia is associated with adverse outcomes among children hospitalized for leukemia treatment.
Key words: health outcomes; leukemia; pediatric oncology; septicemia
World J Pediatr 2012;8(3):222-228
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