Effects of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus on Clinical Outcomes and In-Patient Mortality Among Hospitalized Patients With Diverticulitis

Purpose Though there are studies on other autoimmune diseases, the literature is deficient on the associations between systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and diverticulitis. This study aims to evaluate the effects of SLE on clinical outcomes and in-patient mortality in patients with diverticulitis. Methods The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database was used to identify adult patients with diverticulitis-related hospitalizations from 2012 to 2014 using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes. Primary outcomes were mortality, hospital charges, and length of stay (LOS). Secondary outcomes were effects on the complications associated with diverticulitis. Chi-squared tests and independent t-tests were used. Multivariate analysis was performed to assess the primary outcomes after adjusting for confounding variables. Results There were 2,553,320 diverticulitis-related hospitalizations from 2012 to 2014, of which 13,600 patients had SLE. The average LOS was 5.2 days, mortality rate was 0.8%, and total hospital charges per patient were $43,970. SLE was associated with a statistically significant longer LOS and higher hospital costs. SLE was statistically significant for having higher perforation rates but lower rates for morality, abscesses, and fistula formation. Differences in complications such as sepsis, gastrointestinal bleeding, and surgical intervention requirement were non-significant. Conclusion Since SLE causes a high inflammatory state, one would expect higher rates of complications and possibly higher mortality rates in those with concomitant diverticulitis. However, although there was a higher LOS and hospital cost, the mortality rate was lower and only a complication of perforation was found to be higher in SLE patients.