Table 4.

Generalized estimating equations for postoperative complications and costs stratified by surgical approach (laparoscopic nephroureterectomy [LNU] vs. robot-assisted nephroureterectomy [RANU]) for patients included in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample between 2008–2010

	After propensity score matching
Outcomes	RANU vs. LNU OR (95% CI)	p value
Postoperative complications	0.54 (0.30–0.98)	0.04
Transfusions	1.04 (0.51–2.10)	0.9
Length of stay >4 days	0.62 (0.36–1.09)	0.1
Higher cost incurred during hospitalization*	4.12 (1.69–10.07)	0.02

LNU: laparoscopic nephroureterectomy; RANU: robot-assisted nephroureterectomy; OR: odds ratio, 95% CI : 95% confidence interval;

^*519 cases missing after matching. All models adjusted for age at surgery, gender, race, Charlson comorbidity index, insurance status, hospital location, region, and teaching status, as well as hospital clustering.