Risk of hospitalization
Of the 355 treatment episodes, 72 episodes represented retreatment with
the same treatment method within a 28 day period so these were not
included in the analysis. Of the 283 unique treatment episodes that
remained, 21.7% of those who received increased frequency of AWC only
were hospitalized within 28 days of treatment, compared to 13.8% that
were hospitalized after treatment with increased airway clearance and
oral/inhaled antibiotics, p= 0.08. The unadjusted odds ratio for
hospitalization was 1.73 (95% CI: 0.88, 3.42); p=0.11, for treatment
episodes treated with AWC alone compared to treatment episodes treated
with AWC and antibiotics. In a multivariable model adjusting for
important clinical covariates, the odds of hospitalization remained
non-significant, adjusted OR 1.47 (95% CI: 0.75, 2.86) (Table 4). Among
the selected covariates, hospitalization within the previous three
months of a sick call was associated with reduced odds of
rehospitalization.