Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
Burden, Causes, and Outcomes of Hospitalization in Patients With Giant Cell Arteritis: A US National Cohort Study
Authors' conclusion
GCA patients frequently experience unplanned health care utilization, with 1 in 3 patients experiencing readmission within 6 months, and 3% dying within the follow-up period. Infection and CVDs are common causes of readmission and may be related to glucocorticoid exposure.
Study context
- Population
- Adults ≥50 years hospitalized with giant cell arteritis (GCA) between January and June 2017, 2017 US National Readmission Database, with at least 6 months of follow-up70% women, median age 77 years
- Participants
- 1,206 adults
- Outcome
- Burden of hospitalization: 6-month risk of readmission, total days spent in hospital, and costs, annually
- Follow-up
- 6 months
Methodological detailsUS national cohort, binomial logistic regression
- US national cohort
- Binomial logistic regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Readmitted within 6 months
- 34%
- Readmissions primarily for infections
- 23%
- Readmissions primarily for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)
- 15%
- Died on follow-up
- 3%
- Days/year in hospital, median (IQR 3-11)
- 5
- Days/year in hospital, top quartile, median (IQR 14-26)
- 19
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
- Patients with GCA-related ophthalmologic complications at index admission
- 13%
Original publication
Burden, Causes, and Outcomes of Hospitalization in Patients With Giant Cell Arteritis: A US National Cohort Study. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). Published 28 February 2023. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →