Background and Aims: Hepatic encephalopathy is a liver disease complication with significant mortality and costs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relative performance of facilities based on their teaching status and transplant capability by correlating their connections to mortality, cost, and length of stay from 2007 to 2014. Methods: The Nationwide Inpatient Sample database was utilized to collect information on (USA) American patients admitted with a primary diagnosis of hepatic encephalopathy from 2007-2014. Hospitals were placed into one of four categories using their teaching and transplant status. Using regression analysis, mortality, length of stay and cost adjusted rate ratios were calculated. Results: The study revealed that teaching transplant centers had a mortality risk ratio of 0.783 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.750-0.819, p < 0.001). Blacks had the highest mortality risk ratio, of 1.273 (95%CI: 1.217-1.331, p < 0.001). Furthermore, teaching transplant hospitals had a cost rate ratio of 1.226 (95%CI: 1.214-1.238, p < 0.001) and a length of stay rate ratio of 1.104 (95%CI: 1.093-1.115, p < 0.001). Conclusions: It appears that admission to transplant facilities for hepatic encephalopathy is associated with reduced mortality but increased costs and longer stay independent of transplantation. Moreover, factors impacting black mortality should also be examined more closely.
Keywords: Cost; Disparities; Hepatic encephalopathy; Length of stay; Mortality.