Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: To examine the clinical and therapeutic characteristics of hospitalized asthmatic patients in Jordan, and economic impact of its associated hospitalization.
METHODS: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study that was conducted on hospitalized patients due to asthma or COPD at Prince Hamzah Hospital, Amman, Jordan for the duration between January 2021- July 2022. Patients’ clinical data was extracted using patients’ medical records.
RESULTS: A total of 241 patients were hospitalized during the study period. The duration of stay at hospital median was three with interquartile range of (1.0-5.0). From all patients included in the study, 3 patients (1.2%) needed intensive care unit admission. Patients who are smokers have an odds ratio of having a longer duration of stay of (2.1-fold) and those with a higher number of comorbidities by (22.0%) were more likely to stay at the hospital for asthma complications compared to others at (p≤0.05). Previous admission history in the past year was associated with higher odds ratio of having a longer duration of stay at (p≤0.05). The hospital stay median cost was (75.0 JOD) with interquartile range of (46.5-123.0) and the medications median cost was (43.0 JOD) with interquartile range of (25.5-56.0). The total admission median cost of (119.0 JOD) with interquartile range of (93.0-161.5). Elderly patients had 27% higher odds of having higher admission cost for asthma complications compared to others, married patients by (2.6-fold), those who are smokers by (4.9-fold) and those with higher number of comorbidities by (40.0%) were more likely to have higher admission cost for asthma complications compared to others (p≤0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Asthma complications are associated with considerable length of stay and medical costs and early admission and proper medical treatment of severe asthma will reduce morbidity and mortality as well as cost associated with hospitalization and therapy.