Hospital treatment of infectious diseases. Analysis of patients treated in an infectious disease clinic in a Swedish teaching hospital.

Abstract

During a 12-month non-epidemic study period 1605 patients were hospitalised for 16 087 days. Pulmonary and respiratory tract infection was the dominating disease category responsible for 21% of all admissions and 25% of the total number of bed-days. Demographic analysis showed that all age groups were represented. However, a relative predominance of elderly patients was noted. While the age group greater than or equal to 70 yr comprises 11% of the general Swedish population, such patients accounted for 29% of all admissions and 41% of the total number of bed-days. A positive correlation was demonstrated between patient age and duration of hospital stay. The median duration of stay increased from 3.9 days in young individuals to 17.5 days in senior patients. Prolonged hospitalisation defined by a hospital stay exceeding 30 days was demonstrated in 99 patients; 71 patients (72%) were greater than or equal to 60 yr. 51 patients (3%) died during the hospital stay. In a defined population of local residents the overall annual admission rate was 609 per 100 000 inhabitants. Age-related annual admission rates in patients with pneumonia increased from 50 admissions per 100 000 inhabitants in the adult population to a peak value of 1493 in patients aged 90 yr or over. During the study period on average 26 hospital beds per 100 000 individuals were committed to treatment of communicable disease. The high frequency of emergency admissions and the short stay in hospital indicate that the beds were used mainly for acute short-term medical care.