Table 3. Outcomes by Risk-Standardized Quartiles of Echocardiography Use.
| Variable | Unadjusted Outcomes | Fully Adjusted Outcome Effect Size Estimate, OR (95% CI)a | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quartile 1 | Quartile 2 | Quartile 3 | Quartile 4 | P Value (Quartile 4 vs Quartile 1) | Quartile 1 | Quartile 2 | Quartile 3 | Quartile 4 | P Value (Quartile 4 vs Quartile 1) | Overall P Value | ||
| Length of stay, db,c | 4.3 (4.0) | 4.6 (4.3) | 4.6 (4.3) | 4.7 (4.3) | .03 | 1 [Reference] | 0.12 (−0.06 to 0.30) | 0.17 (−0.01 to 0.36) | 0.23 (0.04 to 0.41) | .01 | .09 | |
| Total cost, $c,d | 15 747 (14 282) | 17 105 (15 817) | 19 633 (17 807) | 18 737 (16 734) | <.001 | 1 [Reference] | 842 (−467 to 2150) | 3232 (1912 to 4551) | 3164 (1843 to 4485) | <.001 | <.001 | |
| In-hospital mortalitye,f | 919 (4.6) | 1513 (5.1) | 1019 (4.8) | 1162 (4.6) | .79 | 1 [Reference] | 1.15 (0.99 to 1.34) | 1.09 (0.94 to 1.27) | 1.02 (0.88 to 1.19) | .80 | .22 | |
| 3-mo Readmission among survivorsf | 3599 (18.2) | 5191 (18.0) | 4201 (19.9) | 4405 (17.9) | .40 | 1 [Reference] | 1.01 (0.93 to 1.10) | 1.16 (1.06 to 1.27) | 1.00 (0.92 to 1.09) | .80 | .001 | |
Abbreviation: OR, odds ratio.
a
Hierarchical generalized linear models accounted for patient clustering within hospitals and adjusted for patient demographics, comorbidities, acute organ failures, hospital characteristics, and hospital interventional capabilities.
b
Winsorized at the 99th percentile.
c
Expressed as mean (SD) in unadjusted outcomes.
d
Winsorized at the first and 99th percentiles.
e
One admission was randomly selected.
f
Expressed as No. (%) of patients in unadjusted outcomes.