Justin D Arnold1, SunJung Yoon2, A Yasmine Kirkorian3. 1. George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC. 2. Department of Economics, Georgetown University, Washington, DC. 3. George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC; Division of Dermatology, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC. Electronic address: akirkori@childrensnational.org.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Management of inpatient skin disease represents a unique subspecialty within dermatology. OBJECTIVE: To assess the national burden of inpatient dermatology in adults. METHODS: Using the 2014 National Inpatient Sample, we performed a retrospective cohort study of adults hospitalized for dermatologic conditions. RESULTS: In 2014, there were 644,320 weighted hospitalizations principally for skin disease in adults, which cost the health care system $5.04 billion. Overall, skin disease was diagnosed in 1 in 8 hospitalized adults. Dermatologic hospitalizations were associated with a lack of medical insurance (odds ratio [OR], 2.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.20-2.34), residence in a low-income community (OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.07-1.13), and small (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.23-1.32) or rural hospitals (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.32-1.44). Racial minorities were less likely to be hospitalized for skin disease than were whites (for blacks: OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.75-0.79; for Hispanics: OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.83-0.8; for Asians: OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.55-0.64). Only 0.47% of patients admitted for skin disease experienced in-hospital mortality; however, mortality rates were high in hospitalizations for cutaneous lymphomas (9.19%) and malignant melanoma (6.54%). LIMITATIONS: We could not assess the impact of inpatient dermatology consultations on hospitalization outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Skin disease is highly prevalent among hospitalized patients.
BACKGROUND: Management of inpatient skin disease represents a unique subspecialty within dermatology. OBJECTIVE: To assess the national burden of inpatient dermatology in adults. METHODS: Using the 2014 National Inpatient Sample, we performed a retrospective cohort study of adults hospitalized for dermatologic conditions. RESULTS: In 2014, there were 644,320 weighted hospitalizations principally for skin disease in adults, which cost the health care system $5.04 billion. Overall, skin disease was diagnosed in 1 in 8 hospitalized adults. Dermatologic hospitalizations were associated with a lack of medical insurance (odds ratio [OR], 2.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.20-2.34), residence in a low-income community (OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.07-1.13), and small (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.23-1.32) or rural hospitals (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.32-1.44). Racial minorities were less likely to be hospitalized for skin disease than were whites (for blacks: OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.75-0.79; for Hispanics: OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.83-0.8; for Asians: OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.55-0.64). Only 0.47% of patients admitted for skin disease experienced in-hospital mortality; however, mortality rates were high in hospitalizations for cutaneous lymphomas (9.19%) and malignant melanoma (6.54%). LIMITATIONS: We could not assess the impact of inpatient dermatology consultations on hospitalization outcomes. CONCLUSIONS:Skin disease is highly prevalent among hospitalized patients.
Authors: Awadh Alamri; Mohammed Alshareef; Sarah B Aljoudi; Luai Assaedi; Sara Alkassimi; Abdulmohsin Algethami; Mazen S Dajam Journal: Cureus Date: 2022-02-11