Alcohol Use Disorders and Community-Acquired Pneumococcal Pneumonia: Associated Mortality, Prolonged Hospital Stay and Increased Hospital Spending

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of alcohol use disorders (AUD) on community-acquired pneumococcal pneumonia (CAPP) admissions, in terms of in-hospital mortality, prolonged stay and increased hospital spending. Methods: Retrospective observational study of a sample of CAPP patients from the minimum basic datasets of 87 Spanish hospitals during 2008-2010. Mortality, length of hospital stay and additional spending attributable to AUD were calculated after multivariate covariance analysis for variables such as age and sex, type of hospital, addictions and comorbidities. Results: Among 16,202 non-elective admissions for CAPP in patients aged 18-74 years, 2,685 had AUD. Patients admitted with CAPP and AUD were predominantly men with a higher prevalence of tobacco or drug use disorders and higher Charlson comorbidity index. Patients with CAPP and AUD had notably higher in-hospital mortality (50.8%; Cl 95%: 44.3-54.3%), prolonged length of stay (2.3 days; CI 95%; 2.0-2.7 days) and increased costs (1,869.2(sic), CI 95%: 1,498.6-2,239.8(sic)). Conclusions: According to the results of this study, AUD in CAPP patients was associated with increased in-hospital mortality, length of hospital stay and hospital spending. (C) 2014 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. All rights reserved.