National trends in healthcare outcomes and utilization of endoscopic and surgical interventions in patients hospitalized with esophageal foreign body and food impaction. Issue 7 (22nd May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Parikh, Malav P; Garg, Rajat; Gupta, Niyati; Sarvepalli, Shashank; Singhal, Akhil; Lopez, Rocio; Thota, Prashanthi N; Sanaka, Madhusudhan R
• Is Part Of: Diseases of the esophagus. Volume 33:Issue 7(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-05-22
• Subjects: esophageal foreign body -- endoscopy -- Length of stay -- healthcare outcomes -- food Impaction; Esophagus -- Diseases -- Periodicals; 616.32
• DOI: 10.1093/dote/doaa018
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1120-8694

Abstract

Summary: The incidence and number of emergency room visits for esophageal foreign body and food impaction (EFB) are on the rise. However, its impact on the rate of inpatient admissions, utilization of endoscopic and surgical interventions, and healthcare outcomes is poorly understood. We conducted a study to analyze these outcomes using the national inpatient sample (NIS) database. Data on all adult patients (≥18 years) admitted with EFB was extracted from the NIS database from 1998 to 2013. The temporal trends in discharge rates as well as in length of stay (LOS), hospital charges, and in-hospital mortality rates were assessed by linear and polynomial regression. Average age, gender, and race of inpatients with EFB were not significantly different between 1998 and 2013. The rate of EFB admissions increased significantly from 1998 to 2005 followed by a decline thereafter ( p = 0.01). LOS and hospital charges significantly increased by 0.02 days/year ( p = 0.015) and $1, 547/year ( p < 0.001), respectively. There was a trend towards less utilization of overall esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) over the last decade with significant lower use of EGD within 24 hours in 2013 as compared to 1998 ( p = 0.026). The rates of surgical intervention and inpatient mortality did not change significantly over the study period. The rate of inpatient admissions for EFB is on the decline in recent years, suggesting the modern-day practice of cost-effective medicine. Hospitalization costs for EFB have increased, whereas rates of surgical intervention and inpatient mortality have not changed significantly over the study period.