Table 2 Comparisons of patients who died at PCU and those who died at home after discharge: univariate analyses
PCU death group (n = 76) | Home death group (n = 83) | p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|
Age (in years), mean (SD) | 71.4 (11.2) | 75.3 (11.4) | 0.031 |
Sex (male/female) | |||
Male | 42 (55.3%) | 43 (51.8%) | 0.751 |
Female | 34 (44.7%) | 40 (48.2%) | |
Number of days of hospital stay, Mean (SD) | 28.5 (17.1) | 21.7 (14.1) | 0.007 |
Presence of metastases | |||
Present | 51 (67.1%) | 58 (69.9%) | 0.864 |
Absent | 24 (35.8%) | 25 (30.1%) | |
PPI on admission, mean (SD) | 2.6 (2.1) | 4.5 (3.0) | < 0.001 |
Systolic blood pressure, mean (SD) | 115.8 (18.7) | 115.4 (20.7) | 0.885 |
Pulse rate, mean (SD) | 85.3 (16.0) | 82.9 (17.0) | 0.363 |
SpO2, mean (SD) | 97.0 (2.0) | 96.6 (2.0) | 0.216 |
Calorie intake on first day, mean (SD) | 978.6 (567.1) | 828.0 (583.3) | 0.101 |
Opioid dose (oral morphine conversion, mg/day), mean (SD) | 38.1 (66.3) | 28.3 (45.5) | 0.275 |
Delirium within 3 days of admission | 5 (6.5%) | 13 (15.7%) | 0.083 |
Marital status | |||
Married | 70 (92.1%) | 82 (98.8%) | 0.055 |
Single | 6 (7.9%) | 1 (1.2%) | |
Co-habiting family | |||
Alone | 12 (15.8%) | 5 (6.0%) | 0.070 |
Two or more people | 64 (84.2%) | 78 (94.0%) | |
Daytime caregiver | 43 (56.5%) | 65 (78.3%) | 0.002 |
Primary caregiver | |||
Spouse | 35 (46.1%) | 34 (41.0%) | 0.522 |
Other | 40 (52.6%) | 49 (59.0%) | |
Family’s preferred place of care | |||
Hospital | 8 (10.5%) | 6 (7.2%) | 0.576 |
Home | 64 (84.2%) | 76 (91.6%) | |
Family’s preferred place of death | |||
Hospital | 38 (50.0%) | 20 (24.1%) | < 0.001 |
Home | 16 (21.1%) | 52 (62.7%) | |
Primary tumor sites | 0.146 | ||
Hepatobiliary pancreatic cancer | 11 (14.5%) | 14 (16.9%) | |
Respiratory cancer | 13 (17.1%) | 24 (28.9%) | |
Gastrointestinal cancer | 10 (23.7%) | 21 (25.3%) | |
Head and neck cancer | 13 (17.1%) | 4 (4.8%) | |
Urological cancer | 8 (10.5%) | 11 (10.5%) | |
Skin cancer | 3 (3.9%) | 0 (0.0%) | |
Gynecological cancer | 7 (9.2%) | 7 (8.4%) | |
Others | 3 (3.9%) | 2 (2.4%) | |
Major symptoms | 0.259 | ||
Pain | 43 (56.6%) | 41 (49.4%) | |
Fatigue | 10 (13.2%) | 13 (15.7%) | |
Dyspnea | 6 (7.9%) | 15 (18.1%) | |
Disturbed consciousness | 3 (3.9%) | 4 (4.8%) | |
Nausea and vomiting | 3 (3.9%) | 2 (2.4%) | |
Anorexia | 3 (3.9%) | 5 (6.0%) | |
Abdominal distension | 4 (5.3%) | 0 (0.0%) | |
Other | 4 (5.3%) | 3 (3.6%) | |