Table 1.
Comparison of Clinical Characteristics of Admissions Involving Administration of Acetaminophen Exceeding or Not Exceeding the Recommended Maximum Dose of 4 g Daily
| Patients Receiving >4 g on at Least 1 Hospital Day | Patients Receiving ≤4 g on Any Hospital Day | P value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of subjects | 1119 | 42,642 | ||
| Average age | 57.0 ± 13.4 yrs | 54.3 ± 18.0 yrs | <.001 | |
| Gender (%) | Male | 476 (42.5) | 18,037 (42.3) | .90 |
| Female | 643 (57.6) | 24,605 (57.7) | ||
| Race (%) | White | 896 (80.1) | 27,305 (64.0) | <.001 |
| Black | 166 (14.8) | 11,248 (26.4) | ||
| Other | 57(5.1) | 4,089 (9.6) | ||
| Length of stay (average ± standard deviation) | 6.2 ± 4.8 days | 7.0 ± 9.4 days | <.001 | |
| Number of acetaminophen-containing medication orders | 2.27 ± 1.03 | 1.50 ±0.78 | <.001 | |
| Admitting service (%) | Orthopedic surgery | 904 (80.8) | 7355 (17.3) | <.001 |
| General medicine | 22 (2.0) | 5423 (12.7) | ||
| General surgery | 32 (2.9) | 4767(11.2) | ||
| Obstetrics/gynecology | 5 (0.5) | 3384 (7.9) | ||
| Neuroscience | 32 (2.9) | 2656 (6.2) | ||
| Clinical decision unit | 7 (0.6) | 2311 (5.4) | ||
| Other | 117(10.5) | 15,144(35.5) | ||