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. 2020;15(3):241-246.
doi: 10.5114/pg.2020.95039. Epub 2020 Sep 19.

Acute pancreatitis and the weekend effect: does weekend admission affect patient outcome?

Michał Lipiński  1 , Grażyna Rydzewska  1   2
Affiliations

Acute pancreatitis and the weekend effect: does weekend admission affect patient outcome?

Michał Lipiński et al. Prz Gastroenterol. 2020.

Abstract

Introduction: When a patient is admitted to a hospital for acute pancreatitis (AP), the day of the week on which the admission occurs may influence the outcome of care. The link between reduced weekend staffing practices and outcomes for patients hospitalised for AP, however, has been inadequately studied.

Aim: To evaluate the relationship between weekend admission and AP outcome.

Material and methods: One hundred and twenty-six patients were prospectively included, assessed according to the revised Atlanta criteria, and observed until discharge or death. Weekend and weekday admissions were compared in terms of severity, aetiology, length of hospital stay, and in-hospital mortality.

Results: Patients were divided into two groups according to the timing of admission (weekday, n = 99, 78.6%; or weekend, n = 27, 21.4%). AP was considered severe in 33 (26.2%) patients, moderately severe AP in 37 (29.4%) patients, and mild in 56 (44.4%) patients. No significant differences were found with regard to the distribution of AP severity between the two groups. The impact of weekend admission was not significant for aetiology or for the length of hospital stay (median of 9 vs. 10 days). In-hospital mortality rates were not significantly different for weekday and weekend admissions.

Conclusions: Patients admitted for hospitalisation during a weekend received the same level and quality of care at the facility under study as AP patients admitted during the week. Additionally, the rate of favourable outcomes for patients admitted during the weekend was found to be similar to the outcomes of patients admitted on a weekday.

Keywords: acute pancreatitis; hospital; weekend effect.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Distribution of severity of AP by day of week AP – acute pancreatitis, SAP - severe acute pancreatitis, MSAP – moderately severe acute pancreatitis, MAP – moderate acute pancreatitis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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