LO77: Predictors of adverse self-reported 10-day outcomes in emergency department patients with acute ureteral colic

Abstract

Introduction: Our objective is to investigate predictors of adverse patient reported outcomes during the 10 days after an index emergency department (ED) encounter for ureteral colic. Methods: This prospective two-city patient experience survey enrolled ED patients with confirmed 2-10 mm ureteric stones. Researchers telephoned consenting patients 10 days post-ED visit and assessed quality of life (QoL) using survey items from the VR-12 Health Outcome Survey. We used five survey items and three other variables to derive a composite measure of patient adverse experience (AE). The association between patient characteristics, symptoms and perceptions of care with outcome was determined using multiple logistic regression. Results: Of 224 patients studied (68% male, mean age 52 years) 154 (68.8%) indicated that one or more of the following AEs occurred during their 10day followup interval: 103 (46%) reported that the impact of pain on their life was >4/10; 87 (39%) described poor or fair health status; 83 (37%) required >7days for return of normal function; 66 (27.7%) had >2 severe pain episodes per day; 62 (27.7%) required ED revisit or hospitalization; 47 (21%) found usual activities were limited most or all the time; 45 (20%) required >2 opioid doses/day; and 24 (10.7%) lost >7 work days. A composite measure derived from 3 survey items (days to normal, pain impact, health status) captured 92% of patients with adverse experiences. On multivariable logistic regression modeling, the strongest predictors of adverse (composite) outcome were male sex (adjusted OR=0.44; CI, 0.22-0.85), (excellent) quality of physician answers (OR=0.40; CI,0.2-0.77), proximal or mid-ureteric stone (OR=1.9; CI, 1.1-3.5), arrival pain severity (OR=1.18 per unit increase; CI,1.01-1.4), and perceived physician skill (OR=0.81; CI, 0.65-1.0). Patient age, stone size, pain duration, nausea, discharge pain and perceived ED care quality were not independent predictors of 10-day adverse patient experience in multivariate models. Conclusion: Patient sex, quality of physician communication, patient sex, arrival pain severity, and proximal stone location are highly associated with 10-day patient reported AE.