Patient factors associated with prolonged length of stay after traumatic brain injury

Abstract Background For traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors, recovery can lead to significant time spent in the inpatient/rehabilitation settings. Hospital length of stay (LOS) after TBI is a crucial metric of resource utilization and treatment costs. Risk factors for prolonged LOS (PLOS) after TBI require further characterization. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with diagnosed TBI at an urban trauma center. PLOS was defined as the 95th percentile of the LOS of the cohort. Patients with and without PLOS were compared using clinical/injury factors. Analyses included descriptive statistics, non-parametric analyses and multivariable logistic regression for PLOS status. Results The threshold for PLOS was ≥ 24 days. In the cohort of 1343 patients, 77 had PLOS. PLOS was significantly associated with longer mean intensive care unit (ICU) stays (16.4 vs. 1.5 days), higher mean injury severity scores (18.6 vs. 13.8), lower mean Glasgow coma scale score (11.3 vs. 13.7) and greater mean complication burden (0.7 vs 0.1). PLOS patients were more likely to have moderate/severe TBI, Medicaid insurance and were less likely to be discharged home. In the regression model, PLOS was associated with ICU stay, inpatient disposition, ventilator use, unplanned intubation and inpatient alcohol withdrawal. Conclusions TBI patients with PLOS were more likely to have severe injuries, in-hospital complications and Medicaid insurance. PLOS was predicted by ICU stay, intubation, alcohol withdrawal and disposition to inpatient/post-acute care facilities. Efforts to reduce in-hospital complications and expedite discharge may reduce LOS and accompanying costs. Further validation of these results is needed from larger multicenter studies.