Impact of adult failure to thrive (AFTT) on inpatient mortality (IM) and resource utilization in patients with gastrointestinal cancer (GIC): A nationwide analysis.

Abstract

e15708 Background: AFTT is characterized by physical, nutritional, and psychosocial decline. In GIC, AFTT arises from malnutrition, disease progression, or treatment-related toxicity resulting in poor quality of life. We evaluated the association between AFTT and IM, length of stay (LOS), and hospital charges (HC) in hospitalized GIC patients. Methods: The National Inpatient Sample (2016-21) was used to identify adult hospitalizations with GIC using ICD-10 codes, which were stratified as primary or secondary diagnoses by AFTT. Clinical characteristics and primary outcomes including IM, LOS, and HC were extracted. Multivariable regression models adjusting for demographics, insurance, comorbidity burden, census tract income, and hospital teaching status were evaluated. Results: Among 2,732,505 GIC hospitalizations, colorectal (46.9%) and pancreatic (20.4%) cancer predominated; 121,035 (4.4%) had AFTT. Patients with AFTT vs non-AFTT, were older (mean = 69.3 vs 66.5 yrs), more often male (58.1% vs 57%), and from the lowest income quartile (27.7% vs 26%). AFTT cohort had higher comorbidity burden (mean CCI = 7.24 vs 6.26), more Black patients (19.1% vs 12.8%), higher Medicare use (62.7% vs 56.0%), increased palliative care consultation (37.4% vs 13.6%), risk of malnutrition, AKI, and dementia (all p< 0.001). AFTT was associated with higher IM, longer LOS, and lower HC. Higher age, males, and self-pay were associated with increased IM and HC, but shorter LOS. Lower CCI was associated with reduced IM, LOS, HC, whereas urban hospitals showed lower IM but higher LOS and HC. Black patients had higher IM and LOS but lower HC, contrary to Hispanic patients. Conclusions: The grave impact of AFTT and variability in survival and practice patterns is driven multifactorially, raising concerns about inequitable care access and differences in healthcare utilization. Standardized guidelines and multidisciplinary interventions are urgently needed to combat AFTT in GIC. Predictor IM aOR (95% CI) LOS Adj. Ratio (95% CI) HC Adj. Ratio (95% CI) AFTT Status (vs. Non-AFTT) 1.96 (1.93-2.00) 1.13 (1.12-1.14) 0.86 (0.85-0.86) Age (/year increase) 1.02 (1.02-1.02) 1.00 (1.00-1.00) 1.00 (1.00-1.00) Sex (vs. Female) Male 1.18 (1.17-1.19) 0.99 (0.98-0.99) 1.05 (1.05-1.06) CCI Score (vs. High, ≥5) Low (≤2) Mid (3-4) 0.33 (0.32-0.33) 0.48 (0.47 - 0.48) 0.87 (0.87 - 0.88) 0.93 (0.93 - 0.94) 0.93 (0.93 - 0.94) 1.02 (1.02 - 1.02) Insurance (vs. Medicare) Private Medicaid Self-Pay 1.03 (1.01 - 1.05) Ref in model 1.29 (1.24 - 1.33) 0.92 (0.91 - 0.92) 0.96 (0.95 - 0.97) 0.98 (0.97 - 1.00) 1.03 (1.02 - 1.03) 1.06 (1.05 - 1.06) 0.96 (0.95 - 0.97) Race (vs. White) Black 1.03 (1.00 - 1.06) 1.07 (1.06 - 1.08) 0.95 (0.94 - 0.96) Facility Status (vs. Rural) Urban Non-Teaching Urban Teaching 0.87 (0.85 - 0.89) 0.78 (0.77 - 0.80) 1.10 (1.09 - 1.11) 1.18 (1.17 - 1.19) 1.64 (1.63 - 1.65) 1.86 (1.84 - 1.87)