ASSOCIATION OF HOSPITAUZATION WITH FATAL OUTCOMES IN PATIENTS WITH SYNCOPE: A PROPENSITY ANALYSIS

摘要

BACKGROUND: The proportion of syncope patients who are admitted to hospital from the emergency department (ED) varies significantly. Whether hospital admission affects outcomes is unknown. We assessed the impact of hospital admission on short- and long-term mortality with a propensity analysis of province-wide Alberta data. METHODS: Patients >18 years old presenting to EDs with a syncope primary diagnosis (ICD-10 code R55) in Alberta, April 2004 - March 2014 were identified in the Ambulatory Care Classification System database. A logistic regression model was developed to calculate the propensity for hospital admission based on patient age, sex, urban residence, household income, and significant co-morbidities. Comor-bidities were considered present if listed in a secondary diagnosis field of the index ED visit, concurrent admission, or in a hospitalization record in the previous year. Charlson comorbidity scores were calculated for each patient. Patients were matched 1:1 based on their propensity for hospitalization. The primary outcomes were 30-day and 1-year mortality.