Table 2.
Characteristics of Surgical Patients Included in Analyses of Mortality and Failure to Rescue
| Characteristic | All Patients (n = 1,262,120) | Patients With Complications (n =438,990) |
|---|---|---|
| No. (%) | No. (%) | |
| Men | 543,312 (43.1) | 204,104 (46.5) |
| Age, mean (SD) | 60.6 (17.5) | 64.6 (16.7) |
| Transfer status (Transferred vs. Not Transferred) | 14,687 (1.2) | 9,231 (2.0) |
| Deaths within 30 days of admission | 14,687 (1.2) | 14,687 (3.4) |
| Major Diagnostic categories (MDCs) | ||
| General surgery | ||
| Digestive system diseases and disorders (MDC 6) | 284,758 (22.6) | 114,756 (26.1) |
| Hepatobiliary system diseases and disorders (MDC 7) | 139,852 (11.1) | 47,538 (10.8) |
| Diseases and disorders of the skin, subcutaneous tissue, and the breast (MDC 9) | 44,946 (3.6) | 17,289 (3.9) |
| Endocrine, nutritional, metabolic diseases, and disorders(MDC 10) | 70,148 (5.6) | 19,877 (4.5) |
| Orthopedic surgery | ||
| Musculoskeletal system diseases and disorders (MDC 8) | 653,447 (51.8) | 193,266 (44.0) |
| Vascular surgery | ||
| Circulatory system diseases and disorders (MDC 5) | 68,969 (5.5) | 46,264 (10.5) |
| Medical history (comorbidity)* | ||
| Congestive heart failure | 68,451 (5.4) | 44,735 (10.2) |
| Valvular disease | 58,734 (4.7) | 27,047 (6.2) |
| Peripheral vascular disorders | 54,215 (4.3) | 30,995 (7.1) |
| Hypertension | 2,453 (47.7) | 25,998 (51.5) |
| Other neurological disorders | 52,083 (4.1) | 34,635 (7.9) |
| Chronic pulmonary disease | 83,541 (14.5) | 80,458 (18.3) |
| Diabetes uncomplicated | 85,611 (14.7) | 68,847 (15.7) |
| Diabetes, complicated | 41,533 (3.3) | 25,817 (5.9) |
| Hypothyroidism | 16,713 (9.2) | 41,391 (9.4) |
| Renal failure | 58,336 (4.6) | 38,147 (8.7) |
| Liver disease | 28,734 (2.3) | 13,537 (3.1) |
| Metastatic cancer | 42,413 (3.4) | 22,032 (5.0) |
| Rheumatoid arthritis/collagen vascular diseases | 29,096 (2.3) | 10,868 (2.5) |
| Obesity | 3,690 (8.2) | 34,654 (7.9) |
| Weight loss | 22,563 (1.8) | 17,829 (4.1) |
| Deficiency anemias | 66,440 (13.2) | 77,118 (17.6) |
| Alcohol abuse | 29,431 (2.3) | 15,032 (3.4) |
| Depression | 87,434 (6.9) | 31,863 (7.3) |
*
Other comorbidities used to risk-adjust in our models included Pulmonary circulation disorders, Paralysis, Solid tumor without metastasis, Blood loss anemias, Drug abuse, Psychoses, Peptic ulcer disease, HIV and AIDS, and Lymphoma. All of these were exhibited by fewer than 2% of all patients and fewer than 3% of patients with complications.