title: Comparison of outcomes of weekend versus weekday admissions for atrial fibrillation.
abstract: Previous studies have identified a "weekend effect" in terms of a poor outcome for patients hospitalized with various acute medical conditions. The aim of our study was to investigate whether weekend admissions for atrial fibrillation (AF) result in worse outcomes than those admitted on weekdays. In the Nationwide Inpatient Sample 2008 database, we identified a total of 86,497 discharges with a primary discharge diagnosis of AF. The use of a cardioversion procedure for AF on weekends was lower than that on a weekday (7.9% vs 16.2%; p <0.0001; odds ratio 0.5, 95% confidence interval 0.45 to 0.55, p <0.0001). After adjusting for patient and hospital characteristics and disease severity, the adjusted in-hospital mortality odds were greater for weekend admissions (odds ratio 1.23, 95% confidence interval 1.03 to 1.51; p <0.0001). The length of stay was significantly longer for weekend admissions. In conclusion, patients admitted with AF on weekends had lower odds of undergoing a cardioversion procedure and greater odds of dying.
authors.affiliation: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, Little Rock, AR, USA. AJDeshmukh@uams.edu
authors.forename: Abhishek
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Deshmukh
authors.forename: Sadip
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pant
authors.forename: Gagan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Zoran
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bursac
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Paydak
authors.forename: Jawahar L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Mehta
mesh_terms: D039602:After-Hours Care; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000191:economics / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D044383:Black People; D015897:Comorbidity; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D010343:Patient Admission; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People; D001741:Black or African American