Length of Hospital Stay Is Associated with a Decline in Activities of Daily Living in Hemodialysis Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study
Abstract Background The impact of length of hospital stay on activities of daily living (ADLs) has not specifically been investigated among dialysis patients. Therefore, we attempt to verify the association between the length of hospital stay and decline in ADLs among hemodialysis patients. Methods This prospective cohort study used data from the Japanese Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study (J-DOPPS). We included 2,442 hemodialysis patients aged more than or equal to 40 years from the J-DOPPS phase V (2012–2015) and then excluded those who were not independent in more than three of the five basic activities of daily living (BADLs) and for whom changes in ADLs were evaluated for less than 90 days. The main exposure was the cumulative length of hospital stay during the follow-up period. The main outcomes were a decline in at least one of the five BADLs and eight instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). We compared risk ratios (RRs) for 30-day increments in hospital stay with 10-year increments in age and having diabetes. Results A total of 960 patients were included in the statistical analysis. The cumulative length of hospital stay was significantly associated with a risk of decline in ADLs (adjusted RRs [95% confidence intervals] per 30-day increments: 1.42 [1.17 to 1.73] for BADLs, 1.30 [1.10 to 1.54] for IADLs). The adjusted RRs [95% CI] for 10-year increments in age were 1.20 [0.96 to 1.50] and 1.27 [1.05 to 1.54]. The adjusted RRs [95% CI] for having diabetes were 1.46 [1.06 to 2.02] for BADLs and 1.38 [1.05 to 1.81] for IADLs. Conclusion The impact of a 30-day increment in the cumulative length of hospital stay on the decline in ADLs was comparable to that of a 10-year increase in age and having diabetes.