Introduction: Obesity places a significant financial burden on the United States (US) healthcare system. It is estimated that 16.5% of US healthcare expenditures are spent annually on obesity and obesity-associated comorbid conditions.
In this study, we would like to examine the fiscal impact of obesity on admitted patients with a principal diagnosis of acute pancreatitis regardless of primary etiology. Furthermore, we would like to estimate the additional burden sustained as a result of obesity among hospitalized acute pancreatitis cases.
Methods: Retrospective large database analysis of hospitalized patients in the United States in 2020 using STATA/BE 17.0. We included adults with a principal diagnosis of acute pancreatitis regardless of the primary etiology. We then subdivided the selected patients into two groups nonobese or obese. The mean, unadjusted difference, and the adjusted difference between each hospitalization length of stay in days and total hospital charges in USD were calculated and compared between the two groups.
Results: Out of 32,346,022 admissions 246,505 were admitted with acute pancreatitis in the US in 2020. 199,935/246,505 (81%) are non-obese, and 46,570/246,505 (19%) are obese. Patient demographics, hospital characteristics, and the Charlson comorbidity index of each group are shown in Table 1. The mean length of stay for each hospitalization of acute pancreatitis was 4.6 days for obese and 4.2 days for nonobese patients. The mean total hospital charges for each hospitalization with acute pancreatitis was 51,638 $$ for obese and 43,645 $$ for nonobese patients. Adjusted difference in length of stay for hospitalized obese patients with acute pancreatitis was higher by 0.25 days (95% CI, 0.13-0.37 P=0.00) compared to non-obese. The adjusted difference in total charges for hospitalized obese patients with acute pancreatitis was higher by 6445$$ (95% CI, 4479-8411 P=0.00) compared to non-obese
Discussion: This analysis showed that admitted obese with a principal diagnosis of acute pancreatitis regardless of primary etiology had higher lengths of stay and total hospital charges compared to nonobese patients. Healthcare costs and utilization of healthcare resources were higher in obese individuals without bariatric surgery admitted with acute pancreatitis. Obesity cost an extra 300M USD and an additional 11,642 hospital days compared to non-obese hospitalized with acute pancreatitis in 2020
Note: The table for this abstract can be viewed in the ePoster Gallery section of the ACG 2024 ePoster Site or in The American Journal of Gastroenterology's abstract supplement issue, both of which will be available starting October 27, 2024.
Disclosures:
Mohamad Sharbatji indicated no relevant financial relationships.
Heba Aziza indicated no relevant financial relationships.
Nihal Khan indicated no relevant financial relationships.
M.Maysara Asfari indicated no relevant financial relationships.
Mohamad Sharbatji, MD, Heba Aziza, MD, Nihal Khan, MD, M.Maysara Asfari, MD. P3475 - Fiscal Impact of Obesity on Acute Pancreatitis Hospitalizations: Perspective From National Inpatient Sample 2020, ACG 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting Abstracts. Philadelphia, PA: American College of Gastroenterology.
