Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35725248›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2022

Factors associated with hospital length of stay in patients admitted with suspected malaria in Kenya: secondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey.

Beatrice Machini, Thomas N O Achia, Hillary Kipruto, Beatrice Amboko, Jacqueline Chesang

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
0.4field-weighted citation impact, top 37% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.

Beatrice MachiniDivision of National Malaria Programme, Ministry of Health, Nairobi, Kenya bkemunto2002@gmail.com.ORCID 0000-0001-6457-6541
Thomas N O AchiaDepartment of Public and Global Health, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.
Hillary KiprutoRegional Office for Africa, Eastern and Southern Africa, World Health Organization, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Beatrice AmbokoKEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Nairobi, Kenya.
Jacqueline ChesangDepartment of Public and Global Health, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.
University of Nairobi · KEKenya Medical Research Institute · KEUniversity of Zululand · ZAWorld Health Organization - Zimbabwe · ZW

Funding

World Health Organization 001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo investigate factors associated with hospital length of stay (LOS) in patients admitted with suspected malaria using a competing risk approach.

settingCounty government referrals and major faith-based hospitals in Kenya in 2018.

designSecondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey data.

participantsData were extracted from 2396 medical records of patients admitted with suspected malaria at 90 hospitals. OUTCOME MEASURES: LOS, defined as time to discharge, was the primary event of interest, and time to death was the competing event against patient factors assessed during admission and hospitalisation.

resultsAmong the patients analysed, 2283 were discharged, 49 died and 64 were censored. The median LOS was 4 days (IQR: 3-6 days). The cumulative incidence of discharge significantly decreased (p<0.05) by 12.7% (subdistribution-HR (SDHR): 0.873; 95% CI 0.789 to 0.967) when the respiratory rate was assessed, by 14.1% (SDHR 0.859; 95% CI 0.754 to 0.978) when oxygen saturation was monitored, by 23.1% (SDHR 0.769; 95% CI 0.709 to 0.833) and 23.4% (SDHR 0.766; 95% CI 0.704 to 0.833) when haemoglobin/haematocrit and glucose/random blood sugar were performed, respectively, and by 30.4% (SDHR 0.696; 95% CI 0.626 to 0.774) when patients had at least one clinical feature of severe malaria. Conversely, patients with confirmed severe malaria and those treated with injectable artesunate had a significantly increased cumulative incidence of discharge by 21.4% (SDHR 1.214; 95% CI 1.082 to 1.362) and 33.9% (SDHR 1.339; 95% CI 1.184 to 1.515), respectively.

conclusionsFactors of inpatient clinical processes that influence hospital LOS were identified. These can be targeted during quality improvement interventions to enhance health service delivery in Kenya. Early recognition and appropriate management of the signs of malaria severity could greatly affect beneficial outcomes. Strengthening clinical practices and nursing care according to national case management guidelines should be a priority for malaria control managers in Kenya.

Indexed as

MalariaAdolescentAdultChildChild, PreschoolCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHospitalizationHospitalsHumansInfantKenyaLength of StayMaleMiddle AgedPublic healthstatistics & research methodsTropical medicine

Identifiers

PMID35725248
PMCPMC9214361
OpenAlexW4283167329

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.