title: Initial Factors Influencing Duration of Hospital Stay in Adult Patients With Peritonsillar Abscess.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review cases of peritonsillar abscess and investigate the initial clinical factors that may influence the duration of hospitalization. To determine the predictive factors of prolonged hospital stay in adult patients with peritonsillar abscess.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were adults hospitalized with peritonsillar abscess. We retrospectively reviewed 377 medical records from 1990 to 2013 in a tertiary medical center in southern Taiwan. The association between clinical characteristics and the length of hospital stay was analyzed with independentt-test, univariate linear regression and multiple linear regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean duration of hospitalization was 6.2±6.0 days. With univariate linear regression, a prolonged hospital stay was associated with several variables, including female gender, older ages, nonsmoking status, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, band forms in white blood cell (WBC) counts, and lower hemoglobin levels. With multiple linear regression analysis, four independent predictors of hospital stay were noted: years of age (P<0.001), history of diabetes mellitus (P<0.001), ratio of band form WBC (P<0.001), and hemoglobin levels (P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In adult patients with peritonsillar abscess, older ages, history of diabetes mellitus, band forms in WBC counts and lower hemoglobin levels were independent predictors of longer hospitalization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Hsi
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsing-Hao
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Education and Research, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Yi
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kuo-Ping
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chao-Chuan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ming-Yee
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Pi-Hsiung
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Wu
keywords: Diabetes Mellitus; Hemoglobins; Length of Stay; Peritonsillar Abscess