Determining the Influential Effects of Lingering Recipients’ Length of Stay at Hospital after Liver Transplantation

Introduction: Liver transplantation, which is done by spending a lot of resources and expenses at hospitals, is an important medical choice for patients suffering fulminant hepatitis and end stage liver diseases. So it is significant to find some ways to manage the patients more efficiently and to reduce caring expenses. The aim of this study is to determine the influential effects of lingering recipients’ length of stay at hospital after liver transplantation. Methods: This study is a retrospective and the research community includes all patients under liver transplantation. 161 among them are chosen by availability method concerning inclusion and exclusion criteria. The study was located at Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex. All factors related to post liver transplantation have been based on forms including personal information, clinical and laboratory factors mentioned in patients’ files. These forms are made by researcher and their validity and reliability have been measured. Reliability analysis is tested through Spearman and Pearson Test. Also T-test and ANOVA are used to compare the average length of stay. To assess the simultaneous effect of variables on length of stay, multiple linear regression was used. Results: Single variable analysis results show that there is a meaningful relation between length of stay and Bacterial infection, pulmonary effusion, ascites, renal failure (hemodialysis), wound infection, Re-operation, psychiatric problems and re-transplantation (P value<0.05). Finally, a model for most effective factor on length of stay was presented by step-by-step analysis of these influential factors through multiple linear regression. Conclusions: Among many factors of post liver transplantation, there was a meaningful relation between some factors and length of stay which also influences the treatment results and related expenses. Therefore, it is possible to shorten the length of stay after liver transplantation by designing necessary variables and moderating determinate factors mentioned in this study.