Predicting Heart Failure Readmissions

In this study, the effects of sociodemographic and clinical factors on heart failure (HF) readmission risk were examined.

Hospitals now incur financial penalties for excessive HF readmission rates; therefore, identifying factors associated with risk is essential for designing risk-reduction strategies.

A retrospective cohort study using chart reviews compared HF inpatients (N = 245) who were readmitted with those who were not readmitted.

The sample included mostly white (64%) elderly (mean [SD] age, 69.8 [15.1] years) men (49%) and women (51%). Using Cox regression, the number of comorbidities (3-4 or 5-8) and type of comorbidities, specifically renal insufficiency (readmission ratio [RR], 1.7; P = .003), atrial fibrillation (RR, 1.7; P = .005), cardiomyopathy (RR, 1.5; P = .020), followed by a history of myocardial infarction/coronary artery disease (RR, 1.4; P = .055), were the predictors of HF readmission.

Targeting those with high-risk comorbidities is important in designing measures to prevent or delay readmission of HF patients.