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T. Kim



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    P1.01 - Poster Session with Presenters Present (ID 453)

    • Event: WCLC 2016
    • Type: Poster Presenters Present
    • Track: Epidemiology/Tobacco Control and Cessation/Prevention
    • Presentations: 1
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      P1.01-032 - Emergency Department Visits by Lung Cancer Patients in Korea (ID 4900)

      14:30 - 15:45  |  Author(s): T. Kim

      • Abstract

      Background:
      Although lung cancer patients frequently require emergency medical care due to acute unbearable symptoms and life‑threatening conditions, there are limited data on them at the emergency departments (ED). National Emergency Department Information System Database (NEDIS) collects information about ED visits in Korean population. We aimed to determine the frequency and main causes of emergency consultations and the predicting factors for hospital admissions and deaths.

      Methods:
      In this retrospective observational study, we reviewed all the cases of ED visit for six months, from July 2014 to December 2014, in three university hospitals: Hanyang University Hospital and Chung-Ang University Hospital in Seoul, and Chungbuk National University Hospital in Cheongju. By reviewing all the medical records including NEDIS database, we identified cases with lung cancer and performed descriptive statistics and logistic regressions analysis.

      Results:
      Of all 62,369 ED visits, there were 292 ED visit (0.5%) by 216 patients with lung cancer. Among them, 76.4% had only one ED visit in study period. The main reasons for consultation were respiratory symptoms (36.8%) and fatigue/alteration of the general state (12.7%), and pain (12.4%). ED visit leads to hospital admission in 74.9% and hospital death in 25.1% of lung cancer patients. In multivariate analysis, the main independent predictor factors of hospitalization are diagnostic phase of lung cancer (odd ratio 9.3) and the transfer from another hospital (odd ratio 4.9). The palliative phase with best supportive care alone (odd ratio 5.2) and abnormal heart rate at the time of ED visit (odd ratio 2.4) are statistically associated with death during hospitalization.

      Conclusion:
      Our study shows that ED visit is a frequent but clinically important event for patients with lung cancer. We might consider certain risk factors indicating hospitalization and death in lung cancer patients visiting ED to improve delivery of quality cancer care.