Predictors of hospital admission among patients presenting to ER with primary diagnosis of gout using logistic regression (reference, discharge to home).
| Variables | Univariate OR (95% CI) | p | Multivariable-adjusted OR (95% CI) | p |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, yrs | ||||
| < 50 | Ref | Ref | ||
| 50 to < 65 | 2.30 (2.02–2.62) | < 0.0001 | 1.25 (1.08–1.44) | < 0.0001 |
| 65 to < 80 | 4.69 (4.16–5.29) | < 0.0001 | 1.40 (1.19–1.64) | < 0.0001 |
| ≥ 80 | 9.25 (7.99–10.73) | < 0.0001 | 2.26 (1.87–2.72) | < 0.0001 |
| Sex | ||||
| Female | Ref | Ref | ||
| Male | 0.61 (0.56–0.66) | < 0.0001 | 0.99 (0.90–1.10) | 0.8514 |
| Median household annual income | ||||
| Lowest quartile, < $38,999 | Ref | Ref | ||
| 2nd quartile, $39,000 to $47,999 | 1.17 (0.99–1.38) | 0.0698 | 1.20 (1.01–1.43) | 0.0351 |
| 3rd quartile, $48,000 to $62,999 | 1.36 (1.14–1.62) | 0.0007 | 1.19 (0.99–1.43) | 0.0584 |
| Highest quartile, $63,000 or more | 1.88 (1.54–2.31) | < 0.0001 | 1.22 (0.96–1.54) | 0.0982 |
| Primary payer | ||||
| Medicare | Ref | Ref | ||
| Medicaid | 0.44 (0.36–0.53) | < 0.0001 | 1.01 (0.84–1.23) | 0.8844 |
| Private insurance | 0.34 (0.30–0.38) | < 0.0001 | 0.87 (0.75–1.00) | 0.0574 |
| Self-pay | 0.16 (0.14–0.20) | < 0.0001 | 0.72 (0.59–0.87) | 0.0007 |
| Uninsured/no charge | 0.31 (0.20–0.48) | < 0.0001 | 1.41 (0.88–2.25) | 0.1515 |
| Other | 0.38 (0.29–0.50) | < 0.0001 | 1.07 (0.77–1.49) | 0.686 |
| Patient location, residence | ||||
| Micropolitan/not metro | Ref | Ref | ||
| Metro, large or small | 2.46 (2.08–2.91) | < 0.0001 | 1.60 (1.32–1.95) | < 0.0001 |
| Hospital region | ||||
| Northeast | Ref | Ref | ||
| Midwest | 0.60 (0.45–0.78) | 0.0002 | 0.49 (0.38–0.63) | < 0.0001 |
| South | 0.42 (0.33–0.55) | < 0.0001 | 0.47 (0.36–0.60) | < 0.0001 |
| West | 0.50 (0.38–0.65) | < 0.0001 | 0.33 (0.21–0.52) | < 0.0001 |
| Hospital: teaching status and location | ||||
| Metropolitan nonteaching or nonmetro | Ref | Ref | ||
| Metropolitan teaching | 2.26 (1.88–2.72) | < 0.0001 | 1.41 (1.15–1.73) | 0.0008 |
| Comorbidities | ||||
| CHD, ref: no | 6.81 (6.08–7.64) | < 0.0001 | 1.89 (1.65–2.16) | < 0.0001 |
| Hyperlipidemia, ref: no | 5.98 (5.33–6.70) | < 0.0001 | 1.82 (1.59–2.08) | < 0.0001 |
| Renal failure, ref: no | 21.51 (18.34–25.22) | < 0.0001 | 8.00 (6.82–9.38) | < 0.0001 |
| Heart failure, ref: no | 8.50 (7.43–9.72) | < 0.0001 | 2.28 (1.95–2.65) | < 0.0001 |
| Hypertension, ref: no | 6.45 (5.75–7.24) | < 0.0001 | 2.41 (2.11–2.75) | < 0.0001 |
| Diabetes, ref: no | 3.87 (3.53–4.24) | < 0.0001 | 1.38 (1.23–1.55) | < 0.0001 |
| COPD, ref: no | 6.40 (5.48–7.47) | < 0.0001 | 2.34 (1.93–2.85) | < 0.0001 |
| Osteoarthritis, ref: no | 8.38 (7.16–9.81) | < 0.0001 | 4.25 (3.43–5.26) | < 0.0001 |
Significant OR and p values are in bold face. Dollars are US. ER: emergency room; ref: reference; CHD: coronary heart disease; COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.