1874-8287/08 2008 Bentham Open Open Access Risk Factors Associated with Prolonged Hospital Stay in Admitted Patients with Psychotropic Drug Overdose

Abstract: Objective: To determine risk factors associated with their length of hospital stay in admitted patients with psy-chotropic drug overdose. Methods: Demographics, data of physical and laboratory, and hospital stay were analyzed using a linear regression and a recursive partitioning analysis to determine significant risk factors for prolonged hospitalization. Results: In 140 patients (mean age, 35 yr; 78 % women) with psychotropic drug overdose, the median hospital stay was 2.9 days (range, 1-17) and all were discharged alive. Significant factors for prolonged hospital stay were older age (p<0.0001), increased heart rate (p = 0.029), lower blood pressure (p<0.0001), lower Glasgow coma scale (p = 0.015), and increased blood leukocyte (p = 0.005). The recursive partitioning showed that blood leukocyte of 12,900/mm 3 was the cutoff of the most important variable for hospital stay of 3 days or greater. Conclusions: Elevated blood leukocyte is the most important predictor for prolonged hospitalization in admitted patients with psychotropic drug overdose