HOSPITALIZATION PATTERNS OF DIABETIC-PATIENTS - A 6-YEAR EXPERIENCE AT KING-KHALID-UNIVERSITY-HOSPITAL

To determine the pattern of hospitalization of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), the computer stored data on admission with DM as the pr imary or secondary diagnosis to King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH) , Riyadh, Saudi Arabia over six years (1986 to 1991) were analyzed. Th ere were 3037 admissions of 2299 patients with diabetes mellitus (2.6% of all hospital admissions), occupying 33,253 hospital bed days (3.5% of all hospitalization days). Twenty-four percent of admissions were recurrent, 4% were frequent (more than once a year) and 6% were prolon ged (more than four weeks). DM was the primary diagnosis in 39%, secon dary to other illness in 47% and related to diabetes in pregnancy in 1 4%. Diabetes-related admissions contributed 54% of all hospital bed-da ys used by patients with DM and were for acute metabolic complications (and hence potentially avoidable) in only 10.6% of these admissions. These patients spent an average 3.26 days per year in hospital, which is double the published expected rates. Pregnancy-related admissions o f females with diabetes are short in duration. When diabetes is a seco ndary diagnosis, the reasons for admission are mostly related to degen erative diseases similar to those in the nondiabetic population. Patie nts admitted to KKUH with DM are more likely to stay longer and be adm itted more often than when DM is a secondary diagnosis. The majority o f diabetes-related admissions are nonacute and potentially avoidable. Identification of risk factors for and prevention of lengthy recurrent admissions should be a priority in health care resource allocation.