title: Outcomes of hospitalizations attributed to periapical abscess from 2000 to 2008: a longitudinal trend analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Root canal therapy is a highly successful in-office treatment and preventive measure against periapical abscesses. Left untreated, periapical abscesses can have serious consequences that can lead to hospitalization. This study observes the trends of hospitalizations attributed to periapical abscesses.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (years 2000-2008) was used; we selected cases with a primary diagnosis of a periapical abscess with/without sinus involvement. The demographic characteristics and outcomes were examined. Each individual hospitalization was the unit of analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the 9-year study period, a total of 61,439 hospitalizations were primarily attributed to periapical abscesses in the United States. The average age was 37 years, and 89% of all hospitalizations occurred on an emergency/urgent basis. The mean length of stay was 2.96 days, and a total of 66 patients died in hospitals. Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance plans paid for 18.7%, 25.2%, and 33.4% of hospitalizations, respectively. Uninsured patients accounted for 18.5% of hospitalizations. Significant predictors that influenced both hospital charges and length of stay included age, race, insurance status, a periapical abscess with sinus involvement, geographic region of country, the Charlson comorbidity index, and the year of study (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current study highlights the increasing burden of hospitalization of patients with periapical abscesses over a 9-year study period from 2000 to 2008. The high-risk groups likely to seek a hospital setting for the treatment of periapical abscesses were identified as were groups associated with higher hospital charges and a longer length of stay.
authors: Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors: Andrea C
authors: AC
authors: Shah
authors: Kelly K
authors: KK
authors: Leong
authors: Min Kyeong
authors: MK
authors: Lee
authors: Veerasathpurush
authors: V
authors: Allareddy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015897:Comorbidity; D066264:Datasets as Topic; D003751:Dental Fistula / Q000453:epidemiology; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D017722:Hospital Charges / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006786:Hospitals, Urban / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017057:Medically Uninsured / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010482:Periapical Abscess / Q000453:epidemiology*; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Access to care; cost of care; hospitalization; outcomes; periapical abscess; pulpal lesions