Nine-year trend analysis of hospitalizations attributed to oral and oropharyngeal cancers in the United States

Min Kyeong Lee; Thomas B Dodson; Romesh P Nalliah; Nadeem Y Karimbux; Veerasathpurush Allareddy

doi:10.1016/j.oooo.2013.01.019

Nine-year trend analysis of hospitalizations attributed to oral and oropharyngeal cancers in the United States

Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol. 2014 Jul;118(1):47-67. doi: 10.1016/j.oooo.2013.01.019. Epub 2013 Apr 6.

Authors

Min Kyeong Lee¹, Thomas B Dodson², Romesh P Nalliah³, Nadeem Y Karimbux⁴, Veerasathpurush Allareddy⁵

Affiliations

¹ Advanced Graduate Education Resident, Department of Developmental Biology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: minkyeong_lee@hsdm.harvard.edu.
² Attending Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Director of Center for Applied Clinical Investigation, Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Departments of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
³ Interim Co-Director for Pre-Doctoral Education, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
⁴ Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor, Department of Periodontology, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
⁵ Cleft and Craniofacial Orthodontic Fellow, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.

PMID: 23570664
DOI: 10.1016/j.oooo.2013.01.019

Abstract

Objectives: This study examines 9-year discharge patterns and changes in outcomes in oral cancer hospitalizations in the United States.

Study design: All hospitalizations with primary diagnosis of oral and oropharyngeal cancers were selected from 2000 to 2008 Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Association between outcomes (in-hospital mortality, length of stay [LOS], hospital charges, and discharge status) and independent variables was examined using multivariable regression analyses.

Results: Of 146,928 hospitalizations, 5310 died in hospitals. Mean LOS was 6.7 days. Mean hospitalization charges ranged from $47,331 to $62,885. After adjusting for confounders, in-hospital morality and charges did not vary while LOS decreased. Hospitalizations occurring in 2004-2008 were more likely to be discharged to long-term facilities (odds ratio = 1.24-1.59, P < .05) compared with those in 2000.

Conclusion: Our study demonstrates changes in longitudinal trends in socio-demographic and hospital-related factors. Our results do not provide compelling evidence on whether hospitals are saving cost or shifting cost to another type of facility.

MeSH terms

Female
Hospital Charges / statistics & numerical data
Hospital Mortality
Hospitalization / trends*
Humans
Length of Stay / statistics & numerical data
Male
Middle Aged
Mouth Neoplasms / epidemiology*
Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / epidemiology*
Patient Discharge / statistics & numerical data
United States / epidemiology