Characteristics and factors affecting mortality of patients admitted for chemotherapy in the United States during the year 2017

e19025 Background: Over the past two decades, there has been a tremendous increase in the chemotherapy options available to cancer patients. In terms of overall, progression-free survival, and temporary suppression of cancer-related symptoms, chemotherapy has shown beneficial effects. However, the side effects of chemotherapy are sometimes life threatening which affects an individual’s physical health, emotional state and quality of life. There is a considerable increase in the prevention, early identification and timely management of toxicities associated with chemotherapy; however, chemotherapy-related deaths still occur. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the National Inpatient Sample Database for the year 2017. Patients who were admitted for the administration of chemotherapy are identified using ICD- 10 codes. The epidemiology, the role of insurance providers in the treatment outcome were studied. Results: A total of 29,018 hospitalizations for the administration of chemotherapy were there in 2017. The median age of patients who received chemotherapy was 48. The overall mortality related to chemotherapy admissions was 0.80% (n = 233). The mortality of females who were admitted for chemotherapy did not vary much when compared to males admitted for chemotherapy (0.89% vs 0.73%, p = 0.132). It was found that admissions for chemotherapy during weekend had 85 % higher odds of dying as compared to admission during weekdays (1.6% vs 0.76%, OR = 1.85, p = 0.001, CI = 1.16 – 2.95). Patients who were admitted electively for chemotherapy were 74% less likely to die in hospital when compared to those who were admitted emergently for chemotherapy (1.4 % vs 0.49% OR = 0.36, p = 0.001, CI = 0.266 – 0.49). Interestingly, patients who had Medicare and Medicaid had higher mortality than those who had private insurance and self-pay when admitted for chemotherapy (2.08 % vs 0.58% vs 0.36%, p = 0.00). Those who had private insurance were 60% less likely to die in hospital while admitted for chemotherapy. The average length of stay for chemotherapy admissions were 5.92 ± 7.9%. Conclusions: Medicare and Medicaid patients, weekend admissions and emergent admissions were more likely to die in hospital while admitted for chemotherapy. Further studies are needed to reveal the disparities in the mortality of chemotherapy admissions, based on the socioeconomic status and the insurance payers.