Risk for Hospital Contact With Infection in Patients With Splenectomy

The adjusted relative riskfor any hospital contact withinfection was highest within 90 days of splenectomy: 10.2% vs.0.6% among general population comparisons (adjusted odds ratio,18.1 [95% CI, 14.8 to 22.1]) and 10.2% vs. 4.2% among appen-dectomized patients (adjusted odds ratio, 2.4 [CI, 2.1 to 2.8]). Thehazard of infection was 4.6-fold (CI, 3.8 to 5.5) higher in splenec-tomized patients than in general population comparisons from 91to 365 days after splenectomyand 2.5 times (CI, 2.2 to 2.8) highermore than 365 days after splenectomy. The risks were similar forpneumonia and were higher for bacteremia. Markedly increasedrisks were also found when compared with those of appendecto-mized patients. Modest increases in infection risk were seen withsplenectomy matched-indication comparisons (adjusted 90-dayodds ratio, 1.7 [CI, 1.5 to 2.1]; hazard ratios, 1.5 [CI, 1.2 to 1.8]from 91 to 365 days after splenectomyand 1.2 [CI, 1.1 to 1.4]beyond 365 days after splenectomy). Relative risksfor infectionwere highest in patients who had splenectomybecause of hema-tologic disorders.