Table 4.

Primary analysis for the effect of a neurocritical care analgesia and sedation protocol on healthcare utilisation and costs, 2011–2015 (N = 1,197).

Outcomes	Measure	No Protocol n = 576	Protocol n = 621	Unadjusted Estimate (95% CLs)^a	P	Adjusted Estimate (95% CLs)^a,b	P

Total hospital days	Median (IQR)	10 (5–20)	10 (4–20)	0.7 (0.7, 0.8)	<0.001	0.8 (0.7, 0.9)	<0.001
	Mean (SD)	21 (54)	15 (18)
NCCU days	Median (IQR)	6 (2–13)	5 (2–12)	0.9 (0.8, 1.0)	0.11	0.9 (0.8, 1.1)	0.32
	Mean (SD)	10 (16)	9 (11)
Ventilator days	Median (IQR)	2 (2–7)	2 (2–7)	0.9 (0.8, 1.0)	0.08	0.9 (0.8, 1.0)	0.19
	Mean (SD)	6 (14)	6 (8)
Total hospital costs, USD^c	Median (IQR)	47,247 (24,337–88,487)	50.935 (24,597–90,265)	1.0 (0.8, 1.1)	0.42	1.0 (0.9, 1.1)	0.80
	Mean (SD)	76,082 (109,430)	66,142 (58,889)
NCCU costs, USD^c	Median (IQR)	16,279 (5,426–35,272)	14,833 (5,502–35,547)	0.9 (0.8, 1.1)	0.33	1.0 (0.8, 1.1)	0.64
	Mean (SD)	27,632 (40,832)	25,667 (28,881)
Respiratory care costs, USD^c	Median (IQR)	1,441 (731–4,733)	1,699 (870–5,138)	1.0 (0.8, 1.2)	0.59	1.0 (0.8, 1.2)	0.79
	Mean (SD)	4,185 (8,311)	3,966 (5,491)

Abbreviation: CLs, Confidence limits; IQR, interquartile range; SD, standard deviation; NCCU, neurocritical care unit; USD, US Dollars.

Estimates are cost ratios for cost outcomes and incidence rate ratios for healthcare utilisation outcomes (hospital days, NCCU days, ventilator days).

Adjusted for age at the time of admission and sex.

Dollars are represented as 2015 fiscal year dollars.