Gastrointestinal bleeding is associated with higher in-hospital mortality, longer length of stay and higher cost in patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest

BACKGROUND: In-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) carries a high mortality and significant morbidity in survivors. Gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) can complicate cardiac arrests. We aim to study the association between GIB and the in-hospital outcomes of patients with IHCA. METHODS AND RESULTS: The National Inpatient Sample 2016–2018 databases were used. IHCA were identified using ICD-10-PCS code for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Other diagnoses including GIB were identified using ICD-10-CM codes. Multivariate logistic regression was used to study the effect of GIB on in-hospital mortality. Gamma regression with log link was used to determine the effect of GIB on length of stay and cost of admission. In patients with IHCA, GIB as a secondary diagnosis is associated with an increased in hospital mortality (unadjusted 74.2% vs 68.3%, adjusted OR 1.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09–1.25, p < 0.001), longer length of stay (unadjusted median 16 vs 10 days, IQR 9–27 vs 5–17 days, exponentiated coefficient 1.45, 95% CI 1.36–1.54, p < 0.001 for survivors; unadjusted median 4 vs 3 days, IQR 1–10 vs 1–7 days, exponentiated coefficient 1.27, 95% CI 1.22–1.34, p < 0.001 for patients who died in hospital), and higher cost for hospital stay (unadjusted median $226065 vs $151459, IQR $117551–434003 vs $76197–287846, exponentiated coefficient 1.40, 95% CI 1.32–1.49, p < 0.001 for survivors; unadjusted median $87996 vs $77056, IQR $42566–186677 vs $34066–149009, exponentiated coefficient 1.26, 95% CI 1.20–1.32, p < 0.001 for patients who died in hospital) adjusted for baseline characteristics and other comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with IHCA, GIB as a secondary diagnosis is associated with a higher in-hospital mortality, longer length of stay and higher cost for the admission.