This study investigated length of hospital stay (LOS) in patients with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) treated in rural vs urban hospitals. Secondary outcomes investigated differences in LOS between gender, race, insurance carrier type, and hospital region in the United States.

GBS is the most common cause of acute, flaccid, neuromuscular paralysis in the United States. Previous studies have found several risk factors affecting the prognosis and outcomes in patients with GBS. However, there are no studies on LOS of GBS patients treated in urban vs rural hospitals and its effects on overall prognosis.

Patients with GBS were identified in the Cerner Health Facts database from across the United States by use of ICD codes. LOS was calculated from admit and discharge times. Patients with negative or zero LOS time were excluded from the study. 18,047 patients were included in the study. Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests in SPSS software were used to calculate differences in LOS.

Our results show no significant difference in LOS in patients with GBS treated in rural vs urban hospitals (11.42 days N=3405, 10.64 days N=14,642, respectively; p=.141). Our results do show a significant difference in LOS between males and females (11.7 days N=8,769, 9.7 days N=9089, respectively; p=.001). Significant differences in LOS persisted between rural females and males (p<.001) and urban males and females (p<.001), but there was no significant difference between urban and rural females (p=1.00) and urban and rural males (p=1.00). Additionally, LOS differed significantly depending on hospital region of the United States and in patients without insurance vs those with most insurance carriers. No significant differences were found between races.

LOS does not significantly differ in patients with GBS treated in rural vs urban facilities. However, other factors such as gender, insurance status and treatment facility location may impact LOS.