title: Clinical course and predictors of length of stay in hospitalized patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Patients admitted for therapy of active rheumatoid arthritis were prospectively followed throughout their hospital stay. Average length of stay was 17.1 days. Serial global assessments, whether determined by rheumatologist, physiotherapist or patient appeared to improve linearly until at least hospital day 21. From admission to discharge, mean global assessment scores improved by about one third. Poor global assessment, high disability index, and the presence of comorbid disease and anemia on admission, as well as admission late in the week, were predictive of prolonged hospital stay.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Sibley
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Blocka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haga
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Murray
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies