Comparative Statistical Analysis of Inpatients with Diabetic Myocardial Infarction: Patient Length of Stay

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess whether certain patient and hospital characteristics would have significant effects on the length of stay for patients admitted to non-federal hospitals with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) and Myocardial Infarction (MI) using a comparative data analysis. Methods: This was a retrospective data analysis of inpatient Diabetes and Myocardial Infarction discharges (ages 20-84 years old) from the 2006 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS). Descriptive, bivariate, and dummy coded linear regression analyses were used to identify the association of patient and hospital characteristics with the inpatient T2D and MI length of stay. Data analysis and management were performed using SPSS version 17.0. Sample selection was based on the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes. Inclusions were inpatients diagnosed with both T2D and MI, admitted in non-federal hospitals, and age 20 years to 84 years old. Results: The descriptive results showed that males (1,862 or 67%) were admitted more than females (912 or 33%). The bivariate analysis showed a significant result between gender and patient insurance, X2 (1, N = 1480) = 1.598, p < .001. The adjusted dummy coded linear regression with MI severity and patient comorbidities on length of stay was significant for Gender (B = .931, p < .000), Age (B = .039, p < .000), and Hispanics (B = .832, p < .017) when compared to Whites. Another significant predictor of patient length of stay was Medicaid (B = 2.266, p < .000). Adjusted statistical analysis with only MI severity was significant for atrial fibrillation (B = 1.740, p < .003) and cardiogenic shock (B = 2.482, p < .000) when compared to cardiac arrest.Conclusions and Recommendations: There were inequalities seen in this study related to age, gender, ethnicity, and insurance possession of diabetic myocardial infarction inpatients. Most importantly is that as patient advocates, healthcare professionals need to screen their patients for complications of heart disease when they present with diabetes on admission. More data driven results are needed to evaluate the inequality that exists in hospitalized patients with both type 2 diabetes and myocardial infarction to improve the quality of healthcare.