Lengthy hospitalization associated with vertebral fractures despite control for comorbid conditions

This study established whether length of hospital stay (LOS) in Canadians 5 0 years and older is attributable to their vertebral fractures versus comor bid conditions. The study used a case-control design and data in the Canadi an Institute for Health Information (CIHI) database on hospital discharges in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia between April 1, 1996 and March 3 1, 1997. Patients with vertebral fractures were identified by International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9) codes. LOS constituted the dependent me asure in a multivariate linear regression that calculated the independent c ontributions to LOS by vertebral fractures while controlling for: age, gend er, province, discharged deceased, hip fractures, all other fractures, moto r vehicle accidents, all other injuries, and the major disorder classificat ions in ICD-9. Mean LOS for all patients admitted for vertebral fractures w as 10.1 days. LOS attributed solely to vertebral fractures was 4.8 days bas ed on a 50-year-old woman with no comorbid conditions, and 6.1 days based o n a 75-year-old woman. Of 18 health conditions, vertebral fractures were am ong the top 3 in accounting for LOS, along with hip fractures and mental di sorders which accounted for 5.9 days and 6.1 days in a 50-year-old woman. A mong patients admitted for other problems, comorbid vertebral fractures add ed 2.1 days. These findings indicate that hospital stays for vertebral frac tures are lengthy despite control for comorbidity.