Effect of weekend admission on in-hospital mortality after subarachnoid hemorrhage in Chongqing China

Background: Medical resources are usually not the same throughout the week. It is reported that the mortality rate of some disease was higher in patients admitted on weekends than on weekdays. Our study will try to evaluate whether this "weekend effect" acts on in-hospital mortality rate after SAH. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of patients with SAH admitted to our hospital from January 2006-2009. Patients were classified according to their admission days. The following information, including patient demographics,living habits,systemic complications and Charlson comorbidity index, were documented. Descriptive statistics were used to assess the characteristics between patients admitted on weekends and weekdays. The comparison of mortality between the two groups was carried out by chi-square test. Multivariable regression model was used to analyze the influence of weekend admission on in-hospital mortality and adjust for potential confounders. Results: Weekend admission accounted for about 29% of the 183 patients with SAH. There were no differences in general characteristics between patients admitted on weekends and those on weekdays. The chi-square test showed the mortality between two groups was not significantly different (0.082). In logistic regression model, weekend admission was not an independent predictor of higher in-hospital mortality (OR 1.77, 95% CI 0.83-3.77) after SAH. Conclusion: Weekend admission was not closely related to higher in-hospital mortality. There was no weekend effect observed in our hospital in Chongqing, China. © 2011 Springer-Verlag/Wien.