title: Adverse events in hospitalised cancer patients: a comparison to a general hospital population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with cancer are often treated by many healthcare providers, receive complex and potentially toxic treatments that can increase the risk for iatrogenic harm. The aim of this study is to investigate whether hospitalised cancer patients are at higher risk of adverse events (AEs) compared to a general hospital population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 6720 patient records were retrospectively reviewed comparing AEs in hospitalised cancer patients to a general hospital population in Norway, using the IHI Global Trigger Tool method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  24.2 percent of admissions for cancer patients had an AE compared to 17.4% of admissions of other patients (p < .001, rr 1.39, 95% CI 1.19-1.62). However, cancer patients did not have a higher rate of AEs per 1000 patient days compared to other patients, 37.1 vs. 36.0 (p = .65, rr 0.94, 95% CI 0.90-1.18). No particular cancer category is at higher risk. The rate of AEs increases by 1.05 times for each day spent in hospital. For every year increase in age, the risk for AEs increases by 1.3%. Cancer patients more often have hospital-acquired infections, other surgical complications and AEs related to medications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because of higher age, longer length of stay and surgical treatment, hospitalised cancer patients experience AEs more often than other patients.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Oncology and Palliative Medicine , Nordland Hospital Trust , Bodø , Norway.|b Department of Community Medicine , University of Tromsø , Tromsø , Norway.
authors.forename: Ellinor Christin
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Haukland
authors.affiliation: c Centre for Quality , Region of Southern Denmark , Middelfart , Denmark.|d Institute of Regional Health Research , University of Southern Denmark , Odense , Denmark.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: von Plessen
authors.affiliation: a Department of Oncology and Palliative Medicine , Nordland Hospital Trust , Bodø , Norway.|e Department of Clinical Medicine , University of Tromsø , Tromsø , Norway.
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nieder
authors.affiliation: b Department of Community Medicine , University of Tromsø , Tromsø , Norway.|f Centre for Clinical Documentation and Evaluation , Northern Norway Regional Health Authority , Tromsø , Norway.
authors.forename: Barthold
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vonen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D061214:Patient Safety; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents