Risk factors affecting hospital length of stay in patients with odontogenic maxillofacial infections.
OBJECTIVE
This study identified potential risk factors associated with increasing hospital length of stay (LOS) in patients with odontogenic maxillofacial infections.


METHODS
One hundred twenty-eight patients admitted to Brigham and Women's Hospital by the Division of Oral Surgery between October 1, 1984 and March 31, 1995 with a maxillofacial infection of dental origin were retrospectively identified by a medical chart review. Linear regression techniques were used to explain the relationship between patient admission characteristics and LOS. Variables considered included age, gender, infection location, admission white blood count (WBC), admission temperature, antibiotic treatment during hospitalization, attending surgeon, insurance class, operating room use (ORU), and preexisting medical conditions associated with chronic immunosuppression.


RESULTS
The following variables were found to significantly increase LOS: ORU (P = .007), preexisting medical conditions (P < .0001), admission temperature (P = .022), and deep infection (P = .063).


CONCLUSIONS
LOS is best predicted on the basis of underlying medical conditions and location of the infection.
Peters
E S
ES
Division of Oral Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Fong
B
B
Wormuth
D W
DW
Sonis
S T
ST
D000328:Adult; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever; D005491:Focal Infection, Dental / Q000191:economics*; D005544:Forecasting; D006304:Health Status; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009873:Operating Rooms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D009057:Stomatognathic Diseases / Q000191:economics*; D016019:Survival Analysis