Factors influencing hospital length of stay in patients with pneumonia: a retrospective one-year study

Le résumé fourni par la source

Pneumonia is a major cause of infectious morbidity and mortality, particularly among adults. Identifying factors that influence the length of hospital stay is crucial for improving treatment, reducing healthcare costs, and enhancing patient outcomes. This study aimed to identify factors affecting the duration of hospitalization in pneumonia patients, using a 10-day cutoff. A retrospective observational study was conducted on 302 patients admitted between October 1, 2023, and October 31, 2024, at IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo in Pavia, with 159 males (52.6%) and 143 females (47.4%). 60.9% were over 65 years old. Patients were grouped based on hospital stay: 10 days or more, and less than 10 days. Chi-square test was used to assess relationship between categorical variables. Among the analyzed patients, 77.2% had a hospital stay of 10 days or more, with a mean stay of 15.5 days. Significant factors associated with longer stays included body mass index (BMI) below 18.5 or above 30 (p-value< 0.01), respiratory comorbidities (p = 0.001), and diabetes mellitus (p-value= 0.002). However, microbiological isolates (sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage) were not significantly linked to longer stays (p-value= 0.07 and p-value= 0.18). This study suggests that respiratory comorbidities and diabetes mellitus influence hospital stay duration, while microbiological factors apparently was not significant in our populations. Further research is needed to identify additional predictive factors to improve clinical management of patients at risk of prolonged hospitalization.

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